Monthly Archives: May 2011

Chinese Story

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 60
Occupation: Vice President/ Business Development Manager
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: March 22, 2011
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

There once was a very rich boy who would visit his favorite Chinese restaurant every single day.  Every day, he would ask for buns with the crust taken off for him — he only liked to eat the best/softest part.  Years later, the little boy’s family lost their fortune and were forced to live off the streets.  The little boy went to his old favorite restaurant and begged the owner for food.  The owner recognized the boy and told him to come inside and quickly made him some food.  The little boy happily ate every last bit of food offered to him and asked the owner what the delicious dish was made of.  The owner replied, “I saved the crusts you asked me to cut off all those years and fried them up into this dish for you.”

Joseph was born and raised in Taiwan and went to school there until he moved to America to attend college at John’s Hopkins University. He told me that this story was told to him by his father when he was a child.  He does not know if the story was told to his two younger brothers as well.  He told me that what this story meant to him was that it is important not to waste food.  Also, you must recognize that there are so many people less fortunate than you who would gladly eat the food you reject.  Additionally, this story reminds Joseph of his father and his childhood.  He continues to pass this story down to his children in order to both teach the important moral of the story in addition to keeping his father’s story alive through future generations.

While I do not believe this story is true, I believe that it teaches a very valuable lesson.  What this story means to me is similar to what it means to Joseph.  I believe it teaches the importance of not wasting and to not take more than I can handle.  It reminds me that I am extremely fortunate and that there are so many people who are less fortunate than I am.

Folk Gesture

Nationality: African American
Age: 14
Occupation: High School Student
Residence: Fresno, CA
Performance Date: April 23, 2011
Primary Language: English

“That deserves a neck”

My informant told me that this is a popular gesture that the male students at his high school often engage in. Whenever a boy says something that is glaringly obvious or has a “dumb moment” their friends will say “that deserves a neck” and then hit the back of the boy’s neck. My informant doesn’t know why the guys do it or how it started. But he does know that it is considered funny and that everyone laughs whenever someone says “that deserves a neck and then slaps the back of their friends neck”. My informant doesn’t think that someone would do the “neck hitting thing” to someone who isn’t a friend. He’s also not sure if this gesture is common at other high schools or if it is just localized to his high school in the Fresno Unified School District.

I had never seen this gesture performed before, but from my informant’s description it seems like a form of bonding. It is something that only males have been observed doing and they only do it with other males that they are close to. My informant likened the behavior as being similar to “one’s mother smacking the back of their head for being stupid”, he thinks that it might be a related gesture. If that is true then it might mean that the boys who engage in this behavior with their friends find it comforting because it is associated with something their parents might have done.

Chinese New Year

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 60
Occupation: Vice President/ Business Development Manager
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: March 22, 2011
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

Guo Nien

Pass year

New Year

Annually, an animal called the Nien came in the night and killed every first born in every home unless there was blood painted upon the door of the house. The next morning, the people would come out and congratulate everyone who was spared for having been passed by the Nien once again.  This was called Guo Nien, meaning “pass the year (or animal).”

Joseph was born and raised in Taiwan and went to school there until he moved to America to attend college at John’s Hopkins University.  He  told me this story about the Chinese New Year.  He said that when he heard the story, he noticed the incredible similarities between this story and the story of the Pharoah of Egypt, Moses, and the plagues.  In that legent, Moses commands the Pharoah to free the Hebrews enslaved to do the Pharoah’s bidding.  When the Pharoah refused, Moses, by God’s hand, inflicted the plagues in order to prove God’s existence and force the Pharoah to let the Hebrews go.  When he once again refused, God sent the plague that would kill the first born in every home unless there was a mark of lamb’s blood on the each house’s door as sacrifice.

Joseph said that the story of the Nien reminded him of his culture and that his mom and dad would tell the story to him and his younger brothers every Chinese New Year’s Eve.

I recently learned of this legend. While it is a legend, I do not believe it has any truth value. However, it is a great story as to explain the development of the year.

Folk Belief –

Nationality: American - black/White
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Mesa, AZ
Performance Date: April 2011
Primary Language: English

“If a fly lands on you while you’re making a silly face then your face will freeze that way forever.”

Demi remembers hearing this from her mom at a young age and even her older sister would tell it to her. Even though she does not seriously believe the saying she still tells it to people when they intentionally make strange faces. She has a few classmates who I have heard the saying before and almost everyone in her extended family is also familiar with it.

This is an example of a cautionary saying to prevent children from doing something that adults do not like. It seems like an arbitrary combination of an event that could possibly happen (a fly landing on someone) but the chances of it happening are slim (while they are making a funny face). The sole purpose of this phrase is to scare children into not making strange faces although it possibly has an opposite effect and makes them more curious.

Customs – Swedish

Nationality: American - Swedish/Black
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Swedish

My informant’s mother is Swedish and her father is black. To keep in touch with her mother’s culture she learned Swedish as a child and visits her family members in Sweden every summer.  Her grandmother lives in the countryside in Sweden and traditionally whenever my informant would go visit they would go to the forest to pick svamps, which is the Swedish word for mushrooms.

Picking mushrooms in the forest is a common activity in Sweden presumably because Mushroom’s are often used in Swedish cooking. In modern times, it probably reminds people of the time when their ancestors were alive and they picked and gathered all of the food they ate rather than buying it. Mushrooms are also a food that reflects the lush and moist terrain of Sweden.

My informant sees this activity as a fun pastime that reminds her of her Swedish heritage and bonding time with her Grandmother.