Monthly Archives: March 2011

Game/Song

Nationality: Peruvian
Age: 55
Occupation: Laboratory Technician
Residence: Torrance, CA
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

EL PATIO DE MI CASA

Cancion:

“El patio de mi casa es particular, cuando llueve se moja, como los demas, chocolate, morenita, corre corre,estirar estirar que la coja va pasar”.

Hacer una ronda agarrandose las manos (6 chicas o mas, puede ser hasta 20 ), una de las chicas en el medio de la ronda y cantar la cancion, al terminar de cantar , separarse y aplaudir y la chica del centro salta en un pie hasta que se canse , finalnmente cuando para, la chica proxima a la que salto es la siguiente y asi sucesivamente.

THE PATIO OF MY HOUSE

Song:

“The patio of my house is particular, when rains gets wet like the other ones, chocolate, morenita, run run,

make room for the limp”

Make a circle holding hands ( 6 girls or more, could be even 20 ), one of the girls is in the center of the circle. Everybody sings the song. When you finish the song separate to make room, and clap your hands and the girl in the center star jumping on one leg till gets tired and give up. The girl in front of her will be the next in the center and start all over again.

Analysis:

Norma sang this song during recess with the other girls during grade school. It was one of her favorite games. Although it may not appear difficult to hop on one foot, after a while one gets tiring. She did not see any significance meaning to this game. It was just any ordinary game to her.

This is a prime example of children making fun of the handicapped or disabled. This is not like a common paraplegic joke told in the United States. The children outright say “run, run” there’s a “limp”. They even go father by hopping on one foot. This game although appears innocent enough to the eyes of adults, its an act of rebellion. Children are told at a young age to respect the disabled with expression such as: Do not point, Do not stare, Do not ask how they came to be that way. There are so many restrictions, games and jokes are ways for children to get around the rules.

Legend – Hawaii

Nationality: Irish-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“He was the original king of Hawaii. There’s a place called the Pali Lookout and its super high up in the mountains. He is known for single handedly throwing an entire army off the lookout. His army was a lot smaller than his enemy’s army. It was a long, long time ago. And because he won, he controlled Hawaii again.”

Analysis:

Collin Evans was born on the main island of Hawaii and attended Hawaiian school all his life. He recently moved to California to attend the University of Southern California to major in Mechanical engineering.

He learned the story of King Kamehameha during preschool or kindergarten. Every kid on the Island knows it. There are statues of him all over the island. “He’s basically the man.” He has become engrained in the culture of Hawaii and is now considered common knowledge. Collin feels this story links him to his past and to Hawaiian history.

King Kamehameha has become a legend throughout Hawaii. He is recognized for establishing the nation state of Hawaii and being its first ruler. Hawaii embraces the iconic figure and even uses him in tourism. Pali Lookout has become a huge tourist attraction. Figures of King Kamehameha are sold in gift shops. He even has his own holiday celebration on the 11th of June. Traditional Hawaiin food is served, accompanied by traditional music and dances. There is a King Kamehameha hotel in Kona Beach, claimd to be the place where he once resided.

The manner in which Hawaiians embrace King Kamehameha is similar to the way in which the Irish embrace St. Patricks Day. People are embracing this because it is a way for people to hold onto there culture.

It’s considered a legend because people do not know if it has happened or not, yet it inspires questions about veracity. Although it is very unlikely that King Kamehameha single handedly threw an entire army off the lookout point, it was the location of battle. During that time frame, the inhabitant of the island believed in spirits and maybe got spooked or it may be that they were surrounded. There are several possibilities to why he became victorious, but it’s open for discussion.

Annotation:

Books and videos can be found on the legend of King Kamehameha, for he has become one of Hawaii’s most respected icons. Richard Tregaskis developed the video “The warrior King: Hawaii’s Kamehameha the Great,” made in 1973 and published by Macmillian. Also more information can be read on “The Napoleon of the Pacific: Kamehameha the Great” written by Herbert Henry Gowen, pubished by Fleming H. Revell Co. in 1919 (pg. 78).

Proverb – Peru

Nationality: Peruvian
Age: 77
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Redondo Beach, CA
Performance Date: March 25, 2008

“Perro que Ladra no muerde”

“Dog that Barks does not bite”

“Dog that Barks does not bite”

Analysis:

Laura Moreno was born in the small town of Huaraz on the foothills of the Andes Mountain Range. She was the youngest of five children. She grew up in the city, but would spend time on their farm that was a short distance away.

Laura learned most of the proverbs she knows from family and friends, usually her grandparents. Laura uses this proverb to describe someone who talks and talks and talks, but never does anything. She relates this to politicians or someone with lots of ambition, but does nothing with it. She considers these people lazy. If someone has good ideas, then he or she should at least do something with them.

I agree with Laura that someone that talks and talk and talk is harmless. They in other words may talk the talk, but cannot walk the walk. This proverb reminds me of a similar saying I heard growing up.

She’s got enough tongue for ten rows of teeth.

This was usually said in a southern accent. The saying implies that she has enough to say for at least ten people. This would be said towards someone that talks a lot, but has nothing to back it up her claims or promises.

I find it rather interesting that a person that talks too much was compared to a dog that barks too much. However, if a dog is too busy barking at its prey, it will not have the opportunity to catch it (by biting it). Similarly, if a person spends too much time talking a new innovation or idea up, there is no time left to actually do the task at hand.

Tradition – Peru

Nationality: Peruvian
Age: 55
Occupation: Laboratory Technician
Residence: Torrance, CA
Performance Date: MArch 24, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“En todas las casas donde habian ninos, el 24 de Diciembre en la noche antes de que se vayan a dormir ponian sus zapatos en la ventana o en el balcon para que PAPA NOEL les deje sus regalos. Al dia siguiente los ninos se levantaban muy temprano y iban muy contentos a abrir y ver sus regalos y comenzar el DIA DE NAVIDAD jugando con todos sus juguetes nuevos.”

“In all the houses where they were kids, the 24 of December at night before they are going to sleep, they put their shoes in the window or the balcony so that POPE NOEL will leave gifts on top of them. The following day the kids would rise very early, excited to open their gifts and to begin the DAY of CHRISTMAS by playing with all their new toys.”

Analysis:

Norma never had a Christmas tree growing up. In fact, the first Christmas tree she purchased was years after she came to America. It was during her first year of her marriage (to an American) that she put presents under a Christmas tree. She quickly reminded me that there were never any trees in Peru because December was summer. No Christmas trees grew in summer. This is the reason they put their shoes out. However, this ritual is limited to children ages five years and below since “they’re the really innocent ones and have not discovered that there is no Santa.” Children older five get their presents with the adults after midnight on Christmas Eve.

This is one of many variation of present giving around this time. In Greece, people look under their beds for presents. Yet, one aspect they all share, even with the American culture, is that the young children are always eager to wake up early and play with their new toys.

Legend

Nationality: Irish-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“He was a farmer’s son and the folklore is that using Catholicism and religion, he somehow drove all the snakes out of Ireland and into the sea.”

Analysis:

Collin learned this piece of folklore from his grandparents, who lived in California. He was about ten years old and thought snakes were cool. He feels that this folklore offers a mythical perspective of someone who influenced history.

In the 5th century, St. Patrick’s mission in Ireland was to convert the Pagan islanders to Christianity. The question is, why is St. Patrick associated with snakes? A snake or otherwise known as a serpent symbolizes evil in Christian mythology. For example, Eve was tricked by the devil disguised as a snake. It was the serpent in the Garden of Eden that convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Satan is often depicted as snake. Thus, the idea of banishing snakes could have been a metaphor for riding the island of evil. Furthermore, the idea of snakes as malevolent creatures has continued to be engrained in out culture. This can be seen in recent movies like Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets. This popular novel and movie depicts the snakes as the ultimate enemy, The Basilisk. Thus, it propagates from generation to generation.

Although St. Patrick was said to rid the Island of snakes, scientists have recently found an explanation for his great feat—they were never there to begin with. The most recent ice age was about 10,000 years ago, which would have made the island uninhabitable for animals. After the ice melted the environment was not conducive for snakes