Monthly Archives: May 2011

High School Graffiti Tradition

Nationality: Mexican; Slovenian; American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Performance Date: April 20, 2011
Primary Language: English

The following is an account of a high school tradition: “At my high school in Arlington, Virginia, the boys’ bathroom has graffiti in the cracks where there is…it has something to do with grout. They write something that has to do with grout or rhymes with grout on the walls. I haven’t seen it, but everyone knows about it, and a friend told me there is one writing that says ‘Grout Gatsby.’ I’m not sure how it started. Every bathroom has writing, I mean, usually on doors in stalls, but it’s interesting that it’s allowed at the school – the janitors don’t get rid of it. So I think it’s about keeping the tradition and leaving your mark at the school, leaving a piece of your identity to signify that you were there.”

This is an example of the prolonged liminal space which high school occupies in one’s life. It is a time of transition from childhood to, four years later, adulthood. As such, there is a felt need to create identity and also leave part of that identity behind, to ensure that one’s mark is left. This is illustrated with the above example, showing also the remaining tidbits of antithetical, anti-authoritarian behavior demonstrated by children via the very act of writing on the wall and the ways in which the writing is utilized (to mock one of the standard novels of high school literature.)  In this way, the gap of authority and student is tactically lessened by the students.

Chinese Four-Character Proverb

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 27, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Some Spandish and Mandarin

The informant is an eighteen-year old student from Irvine, California currently studying in Los Angeles. His dad was born in India, and his mother was born in Hong Kong before they met in San Jose, CA and moved down to Orange County. He speaks some Spanish and can understand Cantonese, which is how he learned many of his proverbs. He shall be referred to as KT.

KT states that in Chinese culture, there are a series of four-character proverbs that can be summed up in a short, metaphorical sentence that relates back to a full tale.

KT: It was something about, um, something like, ‘with sheer will, the mountain moves by itself.’ And If I recall correctly it was, it was about this guy, he was, um, one of those, he worked in a quarry, like a stonemason, I guess, and one day he wanted to, uh, he was for some reason he wanted to, like, carve a path through this mountain, to like, to get to the other side. For some reason, I can’t remember what. But, so every day he would go out to this mountain and he would, um, like, chip away at it to get some of like the crags and stones off the mountain, carve them away, but, um ,no matter how often he did that, the mountain didn’t seem to, like, change, because it’s a freakin’ mountain, he can’t really .. so he did this for years, like decades and then, um, I believe Buddha or like a god in heaven looks at this guy and he’s like, ‘oh he’s so determined, no matter how hard he tries, um, to move this mountain, he’s not going to be able to do it,’ but he has just, like a sheer amount of determination that, um, the Buddha actually decides to move the mountain for him. So after, like, decades of work, and he doesn’t, like, produce anything, he finally wakes up one morning, goes out to the mountain and he sees the mountain is gone, so his goal is finally realized.

KT went on to explain that he couldn’t remember the exact four characters that gave the moral of the story, but that it basically encapsulated the idea that hard work is rewarded. He went on to explain that he deeply believes this, thinking that sheer will and determination can cause something outside of one’s control to work for them.

This seems to be reflective of the intense discipline of Chinese culture. The man goes about his task alone (never asking for help), working for decades to accomplish his goal. Even faced with the daunting task of carving through a mountain, he does not deviate from his goal. In fact, it is his discipline rather than actual productivity that brings about his goal. As KT told me, Chinese culture is very much about enduring the struggles of life for great reward (see “Chinese proverb” in my collection), and this short story seems to be a form of encouragement: Even when one’s efforts don’t seem to be causing much good, the motivation behind them will ultimately result in great reward.

Annotation:

Eliot, Charles William, Aesop, Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm, and H. C. Andersen. Folk-lore and Fable: Æsop, Grimm, Andersen. [Whitefish, MT]: Kessinger Pub., 2004. Google Books.

This story immediately reminded me of a reversal of the Aesop fable of Hercules and the waggoner. In this story, a man is taking his wagon to market when it gets stuck in the mud. Before making any attempt, he prays to Hercules to help him. When Hercules appears, he demands that the man put his shoulder to the wheel before asking for help. In both stories, divine intervention has something to do with the accomplishment of a task. In the Chinese story, the man never asks for help. Instead, he receives help from the heavens due to his raw determination, as opposed to the waggoner who instead demonstrates no discipline but instead asks for help immediately. This comparison heightens the importance of a strong work ethic in Chinese culture, even more so than the story itself.

Folk Belief-Persian

Nationality: Persian
Age: 60
Occupation: Manager
Residence: Santa Ana, CA
Performance Date: April 18, 2011
Primary Language: Persian
Language: English

“When someone is going on a journey, or a long trip, we usually put water behind them. Like, we pour water on the ground after they leave, so that it makes them to come back.”

            My mom was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and moved to the United States in 1976. One of the traditions she always kept was throwing water on the ground behind the car when someone leaves on a long trip. She prays and also makes each traveler kiss and walk under a Qur’an. She explained that because long trips are often dangerous and uncertain, she prays for our safekeeping. The water, she says is to make sure we come back. She’s not quite sure why, she thinks the water keeps a path on the ground on which we can return. It’s a very widespread custom among Persians that is meant to help handle the stress of knowing loved ones could be in harm’s way, too far away to be helped in time.

            I noticed that this folk belief, like many folk beliefs, is supported by a folk religious element. This makes practices that seem to invoke magic more acceptable among religious people. Water is given a mystical power as a path back home, but because that goes against religious teachings, in which magic is dismissed as a black art. In this case, the water is given this power by prayers to God that are not delineated in any sacred text. The Qur’an itself turns into a magical object, as well, in this case, but this is acceptable because it is assumed that the belief is in the word of God written inside that provides protection for the journey; however, it is used as if the book itself had its own separate powers.

            Because travel is a liminal time, the leaving ceremony is highly ritualized. Kissing the binding of the Qur’an and walking under it while saying certain praises to God should be done right in order to ensure a safe trip. Forgetting to pour the water or perform some other part of this ritual could lead to trouble down the road.

Turkey PO-BOY Recipe

Nationality: Indian, Black
Age: 18
Occupation: student
Residence: Long Beach, CA
Performance Date: 23 April 2011
Primary Language: English

Black, Indian

English

18, student

28 April 2011

Thanksgiving Po-boy

Bread

Stuffing

Fried turkey

Cranberry

Gravy

Aliyah’s parents are divorced and so she has to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Aliyah spends Thanksgiving dinner with her mom and then uses the left over to make sandwiches with her dad the next day.  The sandwich is a Louisiana take on the “friends series moist-maker” sandwich that featured a gravy soaked piece of bread in the middle of a turkey sandwich. The idea is an entire turkey dinner put into a sandwich and because the turkey’s fried–it’s a po-boy. Taylor made my stomach growl as she carefully describes every detail of the meal. She performed the act so elegantly as to entice me to try the sandwich.

This is a folk recipe that has been passed down to Taylor from her parents. A lot of cultures have similar post-turkey day traditions. The sandwich utilizes all the leftovers in a delicious combination and makes sure none of the turkey is wasted.

Tim Perille

18

1027 W. 34th St. Los Angele CA

Folk Remedy for Chili Peppers

Nationality: Mexican; Slovenian; American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Performance Date: April 20, 2011
Primary Language: English

A classmate of mine informed me of the following folk remedy for curing the pain of intense spiciness: ” I heard this folk remedy from my nanny when I was like 7 – we lived in Texas. There were a lot of chili peppers around, and I ate some – too many – and then started drinking a lot of water to help with the spiciness. My nanny put salt on my nose, and said that putting salt helps to get rid of the spiciness…I don’t think it worked. Let me see…I uh really don’t know that this means…it just shows tradition I guess and what people will believe to be true. I really don’t know what to make of it.”

This example falls within a larger spectrum of folk remedies and the utilization of nature in contrast to produced medicine. While it is arguable whether this situation would have even necessitated the use of medication in the first place, the idea of relying on traditional ways of doing things still stands. And its importance is made apparent. The example illustrates the connection we have to modes of activity and performing a tradition that we may even acknowledge does not work. It is a reminder of where we came from and creates a sense of identity. If we see our parents or grandparents perform such an activity, then we are inclined to do so as well. It comforts us to practice what has been done before, and in doing, close the gap the distance of our past and our present, connecting us with those with whom we identify.