Author Archives: atzhang

Saebae

“Every new year, I visit my grandparents on both sides for saebae— the ritual bowing to elders. I lay two cushions for my grandmother and grandfather to sit on, before kneeling and bowing (usually alongside my brother) while uttering the words: ‘Have many blessings in the new year’. This is a full, deep bow— not the usual dip of the head and upper body in greeting, but one in which we kneel and briefly bring our heads down to the floor, along with our folded hands. We sit as our elders deliver a few words of advice for the new year, before they usually bring out a small envelope of saebae-don (money) as a gift. Parts of the tradition have already been lost in our household; for instance, saebae is supposed to be done in hanbok (traditional clothing)— yet I have not donned hanbok in close to a decade.”

Context:

This conversation was had with a friend and fellow classmate of mine, over text. This quote was lifted verbatim from part of our conversation.

Interpretation:

This ritual of saebae, or bowing to elders, is part of Korean custom, and also appears similarly in other East Asian cultures (i.e. in Chinese culture). With the revelation that this participant doesn’t do saebae in the most traditional manner (no hanbok), this is a testament to how rituals and practices can adapt to one’s circumstance or situation—perhaps his lack of a hanbok meant he performed the ritual identically, only without that one aspect. AsI know he also grew up in the United States rather than Korea, this environment might also have an impact on the ritual. Furthermore, the offering of advice and gift of money cement the important relationship between elders and youth in Korean society, as elders offer both advice and support to younger family members.

Madonna Della Cava Feast

“Growing up in Boston we had a lot of festivals, and a few jump to my mind–there’s an Italian feast that everyone goes to in late August, like in middle of the streets in Boston, and you can get Italian food and listen to live music! It’s great. It’s called the Madonna Della Cava Feast, and my whole neighborhood (the North End) is totally transformed during the festival. I think the festival coincides with one in Pietraperzia, Italy, which is cool because an immigrant community halfway across the world has this intimate thing in common with its roots!”

Context:

This conversation was conducted in person at a dining hall, and I transcribed as faithfully as possible our conversation into written form.

Interpretation:

This also highlights how festivals can have a cultural element where even in another nation, similar aspects are celebrated. Boston has a significant Italian population, so this isn’t surprising, but it does illustrate how these immigrant/motherland communities might be closer than one may imagine, given that immigration to a new cultural context might induce changes in the way festivals are celebrated.

Dia de los Muertos

“I think you know about the Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, which is a big deal in Mexico. Usually it happens in late October or early November, and the whole day is a celebration of those who aren’t with us–when I was back in Mexico, there were a lot of rituals, like how we’d build altars for the deceased and offer flowers, drinks, and food. Otherwise, it was a nice moment of celebrating rather than mourning the dead, which I don’t see an equivalent for in American culture.”

Context:

This conversation was conducted in person with my roommate in our shared room, and I transcribed the text from an audio recording of our conversation.

Interpretation:

This conversation reveals a bit more about the origins and function of the festival—the origin stems from the Catholic church, and then due to other political and social factors in Mexico, became separated from that and eventually became its own separate thing, as a way to honor ancestors. The idea that there isn’t really an equivalent celebration in American culture further contextualizes in Mexican culture and tradition.

Topsfield County Fair

“In middle school and high school, I really enjoyed going to the local county fair, Topsfield County fair. The fair is in Mid-October, around Columbus Day, so we’d have the day off from school to go. I enjoyed it, and my friends and I made it a sort of tradition to go to the festival! There were a lot of good food options, a lot of fried food, exhibitions in barns, etc. Also, there was a pumpkin weighing contest, where people, usually farmers, would bring in pumpkins that were outrageously large (weighing hundreds of pounds) and everyone loved to stick around and check out who won!”

Context:

I had this conversation with a friend of mine over the phone, through video call, so I was able to record and later transcribe what was said

Interpretation:

County fairs or state fairs are quintessentially American, and usually happen sometime in the summer, acting as a perfect ritual to transition from the school year to a relaxing summer, for students. It’s also a way for entertainment and commercial endeavors to be exhibited together (in the forms of merchants, rides, and other forms of amusement) to reach a wide audience! This particular fair is the oldest in the US, being a few hundred years old, standing as a testament to the long history of these events in American culture.

Doljabi

“There’s a ritual in Korea called “Doljabi,” which happens on the baby’s first birthday. For my first birthday, my parents tell me that we invited all the close family friends and that I was dressed in hanbok, traditional dress. They put objects in front of me, like books, a paintbrush, a toothbrush, a soccer ball, money, etc. to represent what I’d choose as a career path or value (teacher, artist, dentist, etc.) I think the idea is really cool, but it’s not really 100% accurate. Apparently, I chose a toothbrush, but I’m not studying to become a dentist, so life works out in different ways.”

Context:

I had this conversation with a friend in person, and mostly wrote down and paraphrased what she said.

Interpretation:

This festival marks an important change in the baby’s life, as a very early coming of age. Having completed one full year of being in the world, they get the agency to “choose” their own life path, and while this might not actually be the one they pursue, it highlights the social importance of one’s career in Korean as many others are invited to watch this event.