Monthly Archives: May 2016

Dia del Indio

Age: 19

Traditional Dance

 

Primary Language- English

Secondary Language- Spanish

Occupation- Student at LA Cal State

Residence- Los Angeles

Date of Performance- 4/19/16

My dad is from Salvador and has a dance tradition his people do every year. It is called Dia del Indio where a bunch of people get together and dance. It basically the same thing as a festival because they have a lot of food, games, and dances. Everybody dresses up as an indian, the girls wear big colorful dresses that reach their feet, men wear shirts with shapes as a design, their shoes are made out of thick rubber, and they have straw hats. The point of the festival is to coronate the new queen of the region in Salvador. She represents the state and has to show her people that she is more than just a pretty face. The tradition is repeated every year and ends with the queen dancing with the king.

Anderson’s father told him about this dance when his father was looking at videos of the dance. He was intrigued and wanted to know what it was about. His father told him about the tradition and that he used to go to many festivals while he was in Salvador. Anderson has never been to Salvador but he has learned quite a bit from his parents. He likes hearing about the traditional dance because it is strange and interesting to hear since his father and mother have lived through it while has lived through something completely different.

When performing the dance or attending the festival, you have to be wearing the correct attire which consist of big dresses for girls and straw hats and rubber shoes for men. If you do not wear the correct clothes, people will think you are weird or disrespecting the day.

I always find these types of traditions immensely interesting because it’s fascinating to see how a dance or ritual can cement something sacred. Although the salvadorians dress up as Indians, according to some of my high school peers, they also have a similar dance but it is used to increase their chances of having rain for their agriculture. While one dance is used to ask a god for rain for their plants, another is used to coronate the next queen of a region. Anderson has no idea how to actually perform the dance and has never seen it in person but still knows the meaning behind it and can recognize it if he ever saw it. Chances are he will not pass it on to his children because he might never see the need or want to, his parents might end up educating them about it since almost anyone who is from Salvador knows about Dia del Indio.

 

San Simon

Age: 44

Tradition

 

Primary Language- Spanish

Secondary Language- English

Occupation- Factory Worker

Residence- Honduras

Date of Performance- 4/11/16

There is saint named San Simon that came from Guatemala. It is said that he grants your wishes if you pray and praise him. So what I do is buy a candle in his honor, typically in a store that sells a ton of candles, put it on top of a pan with leaves and burn the leaves along with the candle. I then have to walk around the whole house repeating my wish in order for him to hear my wish. I have to make sure I spread the smoke around the house in order for it to work. This then leaves his aroma and leaves good luck, fortune, and money for anyone in the house.

Wendy is from Honduras but currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She learned this ritual while researching saints that grant wishes. Her family was in a tough financial situation and she could not do enough to support them so she decided to praise and pray for San Simon. Her daughter’s father was from Guatemala and he told her about the saint and his powers for wish granting. She bought candles for him and began to praise him hoping that he would help her. After her first attempt, she ended up getting a better job where she would clean office buildings. The job was not magnificent but it was enough to help her family in Honduras more. Coincidence or not, this opportunity founded her faith for San Simon and has made her perform the ritual for years on.

When performing the ritual, you must acquire the materials and spread San Simons aroma around the entire household so when you walk around the house, little by little, your chances of San SImon answering your prayers increase.

Although many know that it may not work all the time, people still keep attempting the ritual until it does because their hope never fades. If it happens once, then people will take the slightest chance they can get and keep performing for San Simon. The ritual is mostly performed by people from Central America. Countries like Guatemala where it originated, Mexico, Honduras, and Salvador. The belief within saints spreads as some people believe or do anything to get a wish granted. The ritual did not pass on well to a person such as myself because it seemed as you were playing the lottery. There seemed to be no difference between wasting money for the slight chance of money or fortune when you also have a small chance for the same earning when you buy a lottery ticket. It is thoughts like these that can end rituals of this type with the next generation, but the folklore will always still be present in countries like Guatemala.

Reeves, Benjamin. “The Drunken, Devilish Mayan God Still Worshipped in Guatemala | VICE | United States.” VICE. N.p., 18 Dec. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.

http://www.vice.com/read/worshipping-at-the-altar-of-maximn-the-drunken-devilish-mayan-god-beloved-in-guatemala

Another iteration where San Simon is revered as a devilish mayan god.

 

UC Merced, The Gina

Age: 19

Superstition, Tradition, Ritual

 

Primary Language- English

Secondary Language- Spanish

Occupation- UC Merced Student

Residence- Los Angeles, CA

Date of Performance- 4/23/16

At our school in UC Merced, California, we have a tradition where we have a cave that is called The Gina. In The Gina, freshman are supposed to walk through it to receive good luck. The tradition does not end there. Once we walk through The Gina, we have to attend the ascend where we all go to a field, have a balloon parade where they are let go to the sky and have time to meet new freshman on campus. Once we complete the entire ritual, the good luck will set in and increase our chances to receive higher grades.

Lucy is from Los ANgeles, California but currently resides in UC Merced which is still in California but different from Los Angeles because of the community. She learned this tradition because her school practically enforced it upon the students. Every freshman student had to attend this ritual where they walk through the The Gina and then attend the ascend. The tradition is special to her because it gave her the chance to make great friends at the school. She herself thought the tradition was silly but it is what makes her a unique bobcat, which is a mascot of UC Merced.

During the ritual of The Gina, you are supposed to walk through a cave, attend an ascend, make good friends, and bam, you instantly receive good luck. You of course have to attend the school. Lucy has lived through and told quite a few people of the ritual that she performed.

I think that school traditions are great. It shows us that it isn’t just USC that has rituals and traditions like kicking the pole before a football game. Other schools like UC Merced have traditions they almost force upon the students. It may sound a little cynical but it a fantastic way to integrate the new students into the community in order for them to fit in well. This tradition can improve morale, performance, and feelings for the school. Traditions at school can display their values. While some schools have delved into traditions with athletics, other schools like UC Merced have become embedded in a tradition that represents their desire for thier students to become a close community and believe in themselves. I also have other friends who attend the same school and had the same experience. The Gina is a unique location for all UC Merced students to embody and cherish.

 

Step Over, Step Back

Nationality: Indian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Libertyville, Illinois
Performance Date: April 27, 2016
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi, French

Main piece:

If you step over somebody, they will stop growing until you step backwards over them in the same way you stepped over them in the first place.

 

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

I don’t remember why I know this, I think my parents told me at some point. Do I like it? Its cute, that’s it. I learned it at home, my parents just told me not to. It’s cool. It becomes a problem in college when people constantly step over you when you’re laying down, and you have to explain this weird Indian custom.

 

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

It would just happen if you’re stepped over. If someone steps over any part of your body, you have to do the ritual. I abide by it, oh yeah.

 

Personal Analysis:

I have been personally involved in this act of folk belief. I made the mistake of stepping over Ankur, and he chased me down until I stepped backwards over him. He is a rather tall man, over 6 feet, so he shouldn’t be too worried about not growing anymore. He doesn’t need to get any taller!

Annotation

This tradition is similar to a Russian tradition:

“It is often considered taboo to step over people, or parts of their body, who are on the ground. It is often said that it will prevent the person from growing (if they are not fully grown already). It is better to politely ask the person to move or to find a way around them. If one accidentally steps over a person (or people), it is sometimes standard to step backwards over them.”


“Russian Traditions and Superstitions.” Weird Russia. Weird Russia, 31 Aug. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.

Hair is Luck, Don’t Cut it Away

Nationality: Moldovan
Age: 28
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 27, 2016
Primary Language: Russian
Language: English, Romanian

Main piece:

You can’t cut your own hair because you’re going to cut your own luck away.

 

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

My mom I think told me. I don’t like it, I don’t care about it. I never cut my hair anyways. It doesn’t affect me anyways. I’ve had bangs all my life, and sometimes they get hard to keep up. It’s easy to look and think that you can cut just a little bit off, but I would never do that. I just make a hair appointment. I take all of this with a grain of salt but if I can avoid losing the luck, then I will avoid it. It’s not like I have no other choice.

 

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

I was told when I was little. My dad usually gave me a haircut for my bangs- which turned out awful always- but I still wouldn’t cut my own hair.

 

Personal Analysis:

This seems like a way to deter children from cutting their hair by themselves. I personally have cut my own hair more than I would like to admit, never quite succeeding in making it look professional. Then again, I was told not to cut my hair after I had already done the deed- after I found out how fun it was! Ana, who was told her luck would go away if she cut her own hair, has literally never attempted it- even with the nuisance of overgrown bangs. Either she has incredible willpower, or this mild warning was very successful in deterring her from cutting her own hair. I should have asked why someone else cutting her hair didn’t also cut the luck away, but I think I can assume the answer is no. Otherwise, she would have some pretty long hair!