Monthly Archives: May 2016

The ghost of a godess

Nationality: Japanese
Age: 19
Primary Language: English

The informant, T, is 19 years old. He was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. His parents were also born and raised on Oahu. His grandparents on his mom’s side came from Japan and from his dad’s side were raised on Oahu. He is majoring as an Industrial and Systems Engineer. He considers himself American and is full Japanese.

T- “Pele is the goddess of volcanoes so like currently the big island, which is the furthest right island in the Hawaii chain, is like active like a volcano erupting and it is said that Pele lives there. In the volcano in the big island. There’s many ghost stories about her like that. Like there is stories about an old lady asking for hitchhiking on like a highway and they ignore her and keep going, but after a few minutes the guy looks in his rearview mirror and he sees Pele sitting in his back seat and he freaked out. Yea there’s like a lot of stuff like that. “

Have you seen this ghost?

T-“No I haven’t but I have some friends that experienced some ghost or something during a 6 grade camp trip”

Do you tell this story?

T-“I only share it when I have in depth conversations about my culture, which isn’t often”

 

Analysis- The fact that the informant does not share the story to others proves that he does not really believe in it. He, however, understands and considers it as part of his culture. The story is also meant to show the power that the Hawaiian gods have, according to the local people. The driver is not able to escape from Pele even if she is alone in the middle of nowhere and appears to be helpless. It is a demonstration that people are nothing when it comes to the gods and that you should make them angry.

Maui and the creation of the islands

Nationality: Japanese
Age: 19
Occupation: Industrial Systems Engineer
Primary Language: English

The informant, T, is 19 years old. He was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. His parents were also born and raised on Oahu. His grandparents on his mom’s side came from Japan and from his dad’s side were raised on Oahu. He is majoring as an Industrial and Systems Engineer. He considers himself American and is full Japanese.

T- “There was this regular boy named Maui who went out with his teacher and they went out on a boat and his teacher told Maui to throw his fishing line into the water and hold it but not look at it. So he would pull at stuff but he would not look at it. He would pull at heavy things and he would fight it and fight it but he would not look, and then like after a while he gave in and looked back and realized he pulled out the islands”

Where did you hear this story?

T-“I’ve heard it many times. I think the first time was in fourth grade we had Hawaiian history class and I think this is one of the histories they went over”

Where do you think the story came from?

T-“There is a lot of fishing in Hawaii and that’s one of the biggest sources of food that they had before the westerners came.”

Is this story more common than other myths about the creation of the islands?

T- “Yea this one is more common. I think so”

Analysis- As mentioned by the informant, Hawaii consists of a lot of fishing, which provides food to the people. During the earlier times, when the stories were beginning to be told, fish would have been a main supply of food. The figure of the child Maui is originally known to be a trickster demigod figure in Hawaiian mythology. The form of the teacher in Hawaii is very common, especially as hula teachers. This is mirrored in the myth combined with the idea of fishing to explain a natural event, the creation of the islands.

For more information see:

Westervelt, W.D. (1910). Legends of Maui, A Demi-God of Polynesia. Retrieved from http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/maui/maui04.htm

The fight of the goddesses and creation of Hawaii: Pele and Hi’iaka

Nationality: Japanese
Age: 19
Occupation: Industrial System Engineering
Primary Language: English

The informant, T, is 19 years old. He was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. His parents were also born and raised on Oahu. His grandparents on his mom’s side came from Japan and from his dad’s side were raised on Oahu. He is majoring as an Industrial and Systems Engineer. He considers himself American and is full Japanese.

T- “I did a hula performance a couple years ago and it was based on the story of Pele who is the goddess of volcanoes and her sister Hi’iaka, the goddess of the ocean, and they’re fighting because I think Hi’iaka had a boyfriend, and Pele took him away from her and Hi’iaka got pissed at her. So she chased her around and that is how the islands were formed. Pele would make an island because she is the island of volcanoes and her sister would go there and then Pele had to leave and she had to make a new island and yea”

How did you hear this story for the first time?

T-“My hula teacher or hula kumu”

Is that a common story that everyone knows or is it just a hula thing?

T-“Pretty much just hula people or people who are immensely into Hawaiian culture. Not a lot of people know that story”

Analysis- While this myth is known as an explanation to something as big as the creation of the islands, it is odd that only a small group of people really know the tale and actually tell it. This could be due to the fact that the traditional Hawaiian dance is meant to tell stories of the past as well as to be a way for the people to connect and give something to the Hawaiian gods. In the islands, one can see the constant change of the islands as they are formed by volcanoes and how the lava pours into the ocean to create steam and land. This constant and real fight of the land and the ocean is depicted as the two goddesses fighting.

Wise Devil

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 18
Primary Language: English

The informant, J, is 18 years old born and raised in Coachella, California. His mom is from Delano, California, while his dad is from Indio, California. He is majoring in Print and Digital Journalism with a Media, Economics, and Entrepreneurship minor. He also considers himself Mexican.

J-“My family really likes proverbs and saying. We many times have arguments through just proverbs. One of them is ‘mas sabe el Diablo por Viejo que por diablo’(more knows the devil for age than for devil)”

What does that mean to you?

J-“It means that older people have more wisdom since they have gone through more. They have more experience”

When would you use this?

J-“It is mainly used by parents on their children when the child argues. They tell them that to tell them that they know what’s best because they have already experienced something like that”

Do you use it?

J-“I rarely use it since I am not that old, but I do tell it to my younger siblings when they argue with my parents or even sometimes when they argue with me”

Analysis- The proverb shows that the Mexican culture is one that respects its elders and that has high respect for them since they are the ones with the wisdom. They also like to test their wisdom and ability through all the different proverbs that they have. The family is even teaching the young children by telling them the proverbs and using them on them.

Two loving volcanoes

The informant, J, is 18 years old born and raised in Coachella, California. His mom is from Delano, California, while his dad is from Indio, California. He is majoring in Print and Digital Journalism with a Media, Economics, and Entrepreneurship minor. He also considers himself Mexican.

J-“In Mexico city there are two volcanoes known as Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl. These two volcanoes have been there for as long as everyone can remember but the story behind them is what makes them special. A long time ago during the Aztecs, one of the tribes was at war with another one. At the same time, Popocatepetl, one of the tribe’s warriors, saw and fell in love with Iztaccihuatl, who was the king’s daughter. Popocatepetl asked the king for Iztaccihuatl hand in marriage if he lead the king’s army against the other tribe and defeated them. The king agreed and Popocatepetl left. Iztaccihuatl, meanwhile, was worried the whole time and was thinking about Popocatepetl and how he was doing. At the same time, one of Popocatepetl’s enemy, Tlaxcala, was jealous of his achievements and popularity. Tlaxcala decided to go to the king and tell him that Popocatepetl had lost the battle and had died. Iztaccihuatl heard the news and quickly fell into depression and into a sad death. Later on, Popocatepetl returned victorious from battle and was ready to marry Iztaccihuatl until he found out she had died. With a broken heart, Popocatepetl took her body with a torch to the top of a hill where he would weep over her body. Meanwhile, Tlaxcala, wanting to avoid the fury of the king and Popocatepetl left the tribe and traveled back to his homeland where he would soon die. The next day the tribe woke up to see two new giant volcanoes next to the tribe. One of these resembled a woman laying on the ground asleep while the other a man kneeling down looking down at the woman with smoke coming out of the top. On the other side of the tribe further away, another volcano had appeared as if it was facing the two volcanoes. The tribe realized that the two volcanoes were Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl. Iztaccihuatl was the sleeping woman while Popocatepetl is always active with smoke from the torch mourning the death of his loved one. The third volcano was Tlaxcala, who now had to face the two lovers for the rest of time. The volcanoes were named Iztaccihuatl, Popocatepetl, and Pico de Orizaba since its located in Orizaba”

When did you hear this story?

J-“I think it was in 3rd grade in class we learned the history of the volcanoes. Although I did not find out about the part of Tlaxcala until much later on when I was in high school”

Is this a common story in Mexico?

J-“Yes, I think pretty much everyone knows this story by word of mouth or through school”

Do you tell this story?

J-“I sometimes tell it to my friends, but I don’t really talk about. The only time I do is with my family. We like to talk about them a lot especially since we pass by them when we go and visit my family in Mexico”

Analysis- The legend has some truth in it as it incorporates real people and real tribes like the Aztecs. The part of the characters becoming volcanoes could have appeared from the traditions and beliefs of the Aztecs, who worshiped all different aspects of nature. It is clear that the country wants to maintain its traditions and culture as it teaches its students not only history but also legends and myths. It also helps create a fun and creative explanation to the children about a natural effect such as the creation of volcanoes. Even though the informant does not really talk about the legend, the fact that it is still being taught in schools means that it will not disappear.Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl