Monthly Archives: May 2011

Proverb – Polish

Nationality: Polish
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: Polish
Language: English

“Kwiecien plecien”

“April’s weather changes all the time, similiarly to March.”

“It’s hard to translate it—the word is like very specific from old Polish.”

It applies to all of Poland. The informant learned it in school. She was referring to the fact that it is very similar to the other Polish proverb that “March’s weather is like a pot,” meaning that the weather is always changing.

The informant is from Poland. She is currently attending university in Los Angeles, CA. She has been studying in the United States for the past four years.

The knowledge of this proverb implies that the speaker is from Poland as he or she know the weather there.

It is very similar to the western proverb in “Proverbs, East & West,”: “Woman is as fickle as April weather” (Kim 174)

Kim, Yong-chol. Proverbs, East and West: an Anthology of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Sayings with Western Equivalents. Elizabeth, N.J., U.S.A.: Hollym, 1991. Print.

Easter Folk Belief – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

“On Easter, you need to go and swing on a swing or otherwise the mosquitos are going to bit you all summer long.”

“I learned it from my parents. I definitely believe in it. If I don’t go swing—I’m really scared mosquitos are going to bite me during the summer.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. In the spherical calendar, which Paganism observes, Easter is situated in the midst of spring equinox, so needing to swing to prevent the mosquitoes is a kind of homeopathic magic to affect the future season. It is also a form of protection magic because through swinging, the person is protecting themselves from mosquitoes.

Wedding Tradition – Bulgarian

Nationality: Bulgarian
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Bulgarian

“There’s a special bread—a round bread. The groom and bride stand back-to-back and they have it on their heads and they break it. Whoever breaks the bigger piece is going to bring in the greater salary.”

“I learned it through experiences going to weddings. And I think they are awesome; that traditions and this kind of things should be kept and go through generations.

The informant is from Bulgaria. She is currently attending university in Los Angeles, CA. She has been studying in the United States for the past two and a half years.

The time of a wedding is a liminal period that is highly ritualized. The activities in a wedding typically center around the uniting of the groom and bride– they must do many traditions together that symbolize they are now man and wife and others that attempt to divine what their future together will hold.

Summer Solstice Tradition – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

“During Summer Solstice, it’s like June 23 to the 24, women wear flower crowns—but only non-married women and kids. It represents virginity. If the next morning you don’t have it… something happened. So on the 24th, women are supposed to throw their crowns up on the oak tree and the number of times it falls down are the number of years before you will get married.”

“I think it’s silly. It’s fun but it’s silly. That’s not going to affect how many years I’m going to get married, only really shows my throwing skills. I learned in elementary school and before school from tales and from parents and grandparents. Also from TV a little bit. Officially in school. I think it’s a very important activity; not that it’s going to show future, but really brings the community together. If you’re brace enough to do it, it shows that you care about your culture and tradition.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. The summer solstice is an important time in the cyclic calendar, which Paganism observes. Festivals are often characterized as “not normal time” and as such “new normal” behaviors are practiced and accepted. These behaviors are typically a way of performing identity; in the case of the women throwing their crowns, they are performing their social status.

According to The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols, oak is associated with masculinity (137) while the flower symbolizes femininity (74). Throwing the flower crown on the oak tree is the meeting of the male and the female. Thus it makes sense that when the throws are unsuccessful, it is aligned to another year away from marriage.

Tresidder, Jack. The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols. London: Watkins, 2008. Print.

Summer Solstice Tradition – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

Fern Flower

“You look for the fern flower on Summer Solstice. Young couples—man and woman—go off into the forest to find the fern flower. There is actually no such thing as a fern flower, but it might not be an actual flower because there are a lot of sexual connotations to the stuff going on during the solstice. But if you magically find it, you will have the greatest luck for your whole life. It only appears on Summer Solstice. And you can never look back when you’re looking for it because evil spirits will follow you. And when you find it, evil spirits will still try to take it from you. So when you find it, you must take a stick of wood and draw a circle around you with it while singing or just saying a folk song—I don’t remember it. But no one can come in the protective circle. It’s like Pagan religion, you either set yourself up to be afraid or not—because you can feel safe if you trust that no one can come in your circle.”

“Learned in elementary school and before school from tales and from parents and grandparents. Also from TV a little bit. Officially in school.”

“I think it’s a very nice tradition, keeps it fun. I don’t think it really acutally physically exists, but it exists as a symbol of something else—symbolizes love between man and woman. I think it’s a very important activity; not that it’s going to show future, but really brings the community together. If you’re brace enough to do it, it shows that you care about your culture and tradition.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. The summer solstice is an important time in the cyclic calendar, which Paganism observes. Also, the festival is meant to bring together younger couples, a characteristic typical of summer festivals. Festivals are often characterized as “not normal time” and as such “new normal” behaviors are practiced and accepted. These behaviors are typically a way of performing identity; in the case of the youth during the Summer Solstice, they are performing the fact that they are looking for a life partner as well as the fact that they are in a liminal phase between childhood and adulthood. Also, the connotations of the tradition can not be overlooked– flowers typically represent the feminine or virginity. Walking into the woods to find it and coming back without having found it can be seen as a reference to intercourse. This tradition also features the use of protective folk magic, for it one finds the flower, one is supposed to draw a circle around oneself.