Monthly Archives: May 2021

Hair of Dog Hangover Treatment

Nationality: American
Age: 55
Occupation: COO
Residence: Chicago, IL
Performance Date: 4/25/2021
Primary Language: English

Main Piece:

Informant: “Oh yes, the hair of dog to treat your hangover. It means drinking the same liquor to get rid of your hangover.”

Background:

The informant is a 55-year-old man from Chicago, IL. Recently, this remedy was brought up when he was out to dinner and someone at the table was still struggling with a hangover and trying to decide whether or not to drink. The general consensus was that a drink of the same alcohol would help to cure the person’s hangover. He also said previously that it had been an effective treatment for himself in the past. The informant heard it in his youth, but does not remember exactly who related the knowledge to him.

Context:

Informant is my father. He recently visited Los Angeles, where I live, on vacation and said this folk knowledge when out to dinner one night.

My Thoughts:

“Hair of the Dog” is a commonly known folk remedy for a hangover, whose basis is in homeopathic magic. It alludes to the fact that like will treat like, so drinking the alcohol that caused your hangover will also be the only thing that can treat your hangover. I have never personally tried the method, see as I am below the drinking age, but many seem to attest to its success.

Mother-Daughter Proverb

Main Piece:

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

Background:

“Your nonna [informant’s mother] used to say this to me often when I was younger and especially as I got older and moved away from her. In 2008 when my family and I moved to London and then didn’t return to Chicago for  like, what, 13 years, the proverb became more powerful as it became more relatable to not being around your loved ones. I don’t know where she first heard it.”

Context:

The informant is my mother. I acquired this information during a Facetime call with her, on which I asked if she had any folk knowledge or beliefs.

My Thoughts:

I think that this a lovely proverb that shows how different phrases can affect you at different phases of your life. It does not mean as much until you actually are physically far away from someone. I assume the proverb would’ve been popularized in eras where families or couples were more prone to be separated. I also think that is shows the global nature of our world, with it being common for closely related or connected people to go far away from each other geographically.

Jade- Taiwan

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Residence: Hanover
Performance Date: 4/19/21

“Hey man, glad you called this is a super cool thing my host family in Taiwan did and I’m glad you got to experience it when you came to visit, but pretty much by gifting a piece of Jade to guests it’s their way of showing first their wealth. It’s a way for them to kind of subtly show off haha, but it’s also supposed to protect you from injury. For example, when my host mother gave mom a Jade bracelet it is supposed to add a sort of extra life. If you fall the Jade is supposed to break and take the force of it so it protects you from harm. I think this Jade symbolism is pretty common in Taiwan and China.”

Context:

The informant, ST, had lived in Taiwan for a year and I was able to go visit him and participate in this custom by receiving a Jade necklace. ST learned this while living with the host family in Taiwan for a year. 

Analysis:

This is a very cool custom that I am very happy I got to participate in, I find it very interesting that Jade, a rare substance can provide safety. My grandmother actually had a Jade bracelet and fell while walking and her bracelet broke and she only had a scraped knee. So this tradition seems like it works. 

White Crysanthemum-Taiwan

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Performance Date: 4/19/21

“ Another Folk tradition or I guess a superstition is that you don’t give white chrysanthemums unless it’s someone’s funeral. If you do then it is considered extremely rude and you wish death on the person. While I was in Taiwan I don’t think I saw them in a normal flower shop but you have to order them specifically for a funeral.”

Context:

The informant found this information out while living abroad in Taiwan and asking his host father what flowers to get for his host mother’s birthday. He warned him anything but the white chrysanthemums.

Analysis:

I find it odd that a flower can symbolize such a harsh meaning, and typically when I think of a funeral I think of dark colors, black usually, not a beautiful white flower. This is a very unique folk custom that I believe is mainly tied to Taiwanese culture. 

Ghost Month- Taiwan

“This is another folk superstition that I found very odd while living there [Taiwan]. It was this thing called Ghost month, I believe it was September, but essentially it’s a month when you don’t leave your clothes out to dry, you don’t look over your shoulder,  and you don’t leave the house at night too often. They also do some things like surgery, no swimming, no moving houses, and no weddings. I think it’s everything you can do to hide from the ghosts and not to reveal your home’s address. Taiwanese believe the ghosts haunt the island for the whole entire month.” 

Context: 

When the informant was in Taiwan his host family made sure to reveal these practices to him in order to prevent him from being haunted by the ghosts on the island. His host family was pretty relaxed on the custom but many people still take this folk superstition very seriously. 

Analysis: I found this superstition extremely interesting, all of the practices and things you’re not supposed to do seem to be kind of excessive, but I do see how the Taiwanese people can hold onto this tradition on the chance the island does become haunted during ghost month.