Monthly Archives: May 2018

Disney Folklore: Naming Animatronics

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student, former Disneyland cast member
Residence: California, United States
Performance Date: 4 April 2018
Primary Language: English

Transcription: “All the animatronics in Disneyland have a name. For example, the snake in Indiana Jones is named Fluffy. The Yeti in the Matterhorn is named Harold. Cast members aren’t supposed to pose with the animatronics, but we do and post them in our Facebook groups.”

The naming of the animatronics signifies a way to give life to the mechanisms. Similar to the way we use human names, the rides become more personalized when an individual knows the names of the machines contributing to the ride’s atmosphere.

By giving each machine a unique and specific name, the cast members can create a dichotomy. Those who know the names are on inside the group, while those who do not know the names are outside the group. Overall, knowledge of the animatronic’s names evokes a sense of group identity. The cast members can exemplify their group identity by name dropping the machine’s name.

As Van Gennup said, transitional or unsettling moments in one’s life often become paired with jokes. The ironic nature of the names function as a joke shared between cast members. For example, the snake on the Indiana Jones ride is supposed to jump out and scare people. However, with a name like Fluffy, the snake can hardly be considered daunting. The joke counteracts the tension created at the moment the snake appears.

During times when the ride is powered down, cast members pose and take pictures of each other with the animatronics. The behavior qualifies as breaking the rules, but the cast members are not deterred since it has become apart of their group culture. Not only are their pictures a form of rebellion, they are shared over social media. The Facebook groups on which these photos are shared facilitate the multiplicity and variation of the folklore.

 

Disneyland Folklore: The Jungle Cruise

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: California, United States
Performance Date: April 4, 2018
Primary Language: English

Transcription: “At the end of every night, the Skippers yell, “Goodnight, Jungle Monster.” If you are a new skipper, you must throw a banana over the gorilla camp as a sacrifice. It used to be an actual garbage-panda-possum. Now, we think of it as a spirit…There is even a blog called, ‘Capturing the Jungle Monster’ where people can post stories about the Jungle Monster.” You also don’t want to scare the Jungle Monster by talking too loud or coming into your shift late. Whenever something bad happens on the ride, it is because someone angered the Jungle Monster.”

 

My informant used to be a cast member on Disney’s Jungle Cruise. As one of the park’s oldest rides, the attraction is associated with several forms of folklore. I asked my informant to describe the folklore. The ride takes visitors around to look at animatronic animals. However, the ride is also said to feature a specimen that is neither animatronic nor a visible. The creature is known as the Jungle Monster. Over the years, the myth of the Jungle Monster has varied. Originally, the creature was thought of as a hybrid animal, but the folklore has since evolved into spirit.

The folklore is lived out on a daily basis when at the end of each day, one lucky cast member gets to whisper goodnight to the Jungle Monster. My informant mentioned that saying goodnight to the Jungle Monster was seen as a privilege because it demonstrated seniority. The myth of the swamp monster has also become an initiation ritual. When a new skipper is added to the team, he or she must throw a banana into the gorilla camp as a sacrifice to the Jungle Monster. Once the new skipper completes this task, they have become an official Jungle Cruise skipper.

As with other mythical subjects, the Jungle Monster becomes a way to explain the world, in this case, the Jungle Cruise. Whenever something Malfunctions on the ride, the skippers reason that someone must have upset the Jungle Monster. One can upset the Jungle Monster by lacking on their duties or forgetting to say goodnight.

Sports Tradition: Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid

Nationality: Spanish
Age: 19
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Madrid, Spain
Performance Date: 31 March, 2018
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Transcription: “The rivalry is intense. If Real Madrid wins a big game, fans go to Cibeles, and if Atlético wins, they go to Neptuno. The players come too and will jump in the fountains if it was an important game…The only time I will cheer for Atléti is when they are playing Barce.”

 

Similar to how Americans have several traditions surrounding football, Spaniards have many fútbol centered traditions. Two teams in particular, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, have inspired colorful victory celebrations.

Elaborate sculptures and fountains are scattered throughout Madrid, often times centered in the middle of large roundabouts. Each of the soccer teams has their own fountain that functions similar to a mascot. Real Madrid’s fountain is named Cibeles and Atlético Madrid’s fountain is named Neptuno. When one of the teams wins, especially if it was an important game, fans hurry to the respective fountain where they are joined by the team. The team members will even jump into the fountain depending on the importance of the game.  

Since Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid are rivals, the fountain celebrations following their games are chaotic. The fact the fountains are only a few streets apart amplifies the intensity of the celebration. Overall, the tradition signifies a coming together of a community to honor the athletic achievements of their soccer team.

I would compare the rivalry between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid as the Spanish equivalent to the rivalry between UCLA and USC. Both are “cross town rivals,” and when the two teams play each other, the game brings out much tension between fans on each side. The only time Real Madrid and Atlético support each other is when one of them is playing against Barcelona, a common enemy.

 

Urraca Mesa

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Phoenix, Arizona
Performance Date: 7 April, 2018
Primary Language: English

Transcription: “New Mexico is probably the most haunted state in America, especially Colfax County. I went camping at a ranch in Colfax County. The ranch and forest had a weird, eerie feeling. I felt like I was being watched at all times, like something was not right. When we were leaving, we passed this place called Urraca Mesa, which has the most lightning strikes in New Mexico. According to Navajo legend, Urraca Mesa has a gate to Hell. The Navajo also claimed the forest felt eerie…their shaman felt something was wrong and sent out warriors to investigate. They ended up at the Mesa and found a short, glowing being who claimed to be the last of the  Anasazi who mysteriously disappeared in 1500 BC. The Navajo brought the glowing creature back to their shaman. The last Anasazi told the Navajo that the Anasazi were fighting back the forces of evil at the gate of Hell. All the Anasazi went into Hell to stop the demons and save the rest of the world. The last Anasazi stayed behind to seal the gate and guard the entrance. He created cat totems to scare away magpies, which were prophesied to re-open the gate. The campsite was eventually closed because of all the sightings. People who go exploring the area claim to see a blue light that chases them if they get too close to the Mesa.”

This collection is noteworthy since my informant combined his own personal narrative experience with existing folklore. The story has various components and spans multiple timelines. The speaker began the story in present time, traced the narrative back to the Navajo, jumped even further back with the Anasazi plotline, then returned to present.

I doubt that the Navajo referred to the Mesa as the gate to “Hell.” Therefore, the speaker’s use of “Hell” to describe the portal to the underworld signifies his projection of his own Christian beliefs onto the story. In other words, he translated one element of the story into religious terms he understood. Despite his adaptation of the terminology, the speaker established the setting using elements that are familiar. For example, an “eerie feeling” is a common term associated with the supernatural, and lightning strikes identify the land as unnatural and filled with powerful energy.

This story can be classified as a legend since the it takes place in a real location, includes the legendary figure of the Anasazi, and relates to Native American religious legends. Both the Native American and Anasazi legends live on today as people visit the Mesa in search of a blue light.

 

Roosevelt Hotel Ghost Story

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Arizona, United State. Used to live in California.
Performance Date: 7 April 2018
Primary Language: English

Transcription: “I once was attacked by a ghost…I was staying at a haunted hotel with my girlfriend. I was asleep and something grabbed my arm. I think it was the Roosevelt in L.A. around midnight.”

This collection is a ghost story, which falls under the category of a legend since the story takes place in a real world setting. When I asked my informant if he had any folk stories to share, he quickly responded that he “was attacked by a ghost.” The setting is important to this story since my informant and his girlfriend chose to spend the night in a supposedly haunted hotel. The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California is known for its ghost sightings.

The time that the event took place is also a key part of the story. Most people, I would argue, feel less comfortable at night than during the day time. Moreover, the night is supposed to be the time most ghost activity takes place. The timing of my informants “ghost attack” at midnight follows with the traditional ghost legend.

My informant started his story dramatically by saying he was “attacked by a ghost.” His wording was intended to intrigue the listener and pique their curiosity in the story. Ironically, the meaning behind “attacked” was really “grabbed.” He likely exaggerated the violence of the situation to communicate the surprise he felt at the time.

The Roosevelt Hotel’s reputation as a haunted hotel could have contributed to my informant creating a preconceived idea of what would happen during his visit. Since he knew of the hotel’s history, he could have interpreted any unexpected movement or sound as a ghost. For example, his girlfriend could have bumped his arm while he was sleeping, but his fear could have translated the movement into a ghost sighting.