Author Archives: Baldur Tangvald

Family Holiday Tradition

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Camas, Washington
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

Family Holiday Celebrations

Tradition

 

My informant invited me to join in a ceremonies for a Jewish Holiday, and immediately followed up saying it wasn’t a big deal because he has had non-jewish friends join him before. He explained it was part of a family tradition. The following is a transcript from out interview:

 

“Informant: I’m Jewish duh, but since I live in an area with few Jews where almost all of our family friends are not Jewish, we embrace a culture where whenever there is a major Jewish holiday like Hannakuah and Passover, our family invites the “pagans” over to experience our holiday with them. Rather than be with all Jews(though I go to temple once or twice during each holiday period), we isntead enjoy sharing our culture with our friends and in return we get invited to X-Mas/Winter Solstice/ other parties

 

The informant claimed, “It represents the American Melting Pot. I think it shows my parents are trying to be tolerant of other people and their religions and really just want to get together and have fun.”

 

The informants family is trying to create a larger community by inviting more people rather than being restrictive. By sharing their culture and getting involved with other people’s culture, they create better relationships with those around them.

Life’s a bitch, and then you die!

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Camas, Washington
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

“Life’s a bitch, and then you die!”

Folk saying

When I complained about upcoming exams, my informant told me, “Life’s a bitch, and then you die!”

My informant explained its importance to him: “My dad and his dad said this. It has been the quote I’ve associated with both of them because it represented their easygoing view on life and it conveyed the message to me to not take life too seriously and instead roll with the punches and accept it for what it is.”

 

Used to put people’s troubles in perspective, this proverb assuages people’s worries by illustrating that pain is prevalent in life, but since death is inevitable, there is no use in worrying about things (especially trivial things).

Paper Shredder Mascot

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Camas, Washington
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: English

Paper Shredder Mascot and Toilet  Paper Throwing

Tradition

 

When talking about silly mascots, my informant said his school’s nickname was the Papermarkers, since the town was built around a Georgia Pacific Paper mill in the 1930s. He claimed that their mascot was a ”big-ass shredder” and that students “throw toilet paper on the court/field/etc in order to celebrate rather than throwing confetti (since the mill makes paper, which is close enough to toilet paper). It is kind of odd, but definitely cool how a mill that is probably going to shut down in a few years defines our high school’s culture and pride as the ’Papermakers’. “

 

 

Thus, the mascot commemorates the town’s history. Moreover, the tradition of throwing toilet paper does the same in a way that students can get involved and revel in their towns past glory. Also, throwing toilet paper—which is often associated with fecal matter—when beating an opponent suggests that the school is cleaning up the opponents, comparing the other team to poop. Thus, the tradition of throwing toilet paper reinforces their history/their identity  as a community while celebrating their dominance over the opposing team.

Photo courtesy of: http://coachesaid.com/Content/ContentImages/Camas-mascot-25.jpg

Mums

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Dallas, Texas
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

Mums

Tradition/folk object

 

My informant notified me that, in texas, girls receive a folk object from their homecoming dates. He reported that in the past guys bought girls mums to pin on their dresses instead of corsages. These mums evolved into large ornaments, necklaces made of a variety of materials like beads and cowbells. Each features a teddy bear in a costume. The costumes resemble uniforms associated with certain extracurricular activities, like cheerleading outfits for cheerleaders or band uniform for band members. If the girl accepts the boy’s invitation to go to homecoming as a couple, the boy buys the appropriate bear that represents the girls activity in school.

These can be expensive, usually sold for at least $80.00 and can go well over $200.00.  My informant said that this money generally goes to the school and helps fund the dance, explaining that the school rents space nearby to make the mums.

 

My informant was largely against the idea of mums. He thought they were “stupid” and a “giant waste of money.” His girlfriend during Junior and Senior year requested that he did not buy her a new one, saying she would just recycle hers from the last year (so that they could save money). He also said it was supposed to be cute, and somehow represent Texas through the cowbells, but also expressed general distaste for their aesthetic value. He said that the girls also buy guys “garters”, which are less expensive, are smaller, and fit on the boy’s upper arm.

 

The cowbells, a symbol of rural spaces, symbolizes Texas and reinforces the Texans identity. Mums, like corsages and boutonnieres, are a means of expressing thanks (for going to the dance as a couple). The mums various levels of detail and ornateness reflect how thankful a date is or the level of the family’s wealth. Also, it reinforces girls identity’s, allowing them to conform to a certain group by wearing a uniform that symbolizing that group.

 

 

An article on Mums can be found at : http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/25/us-homecoming-mums-texas-idUSTRE78O2Z420110925

 

Women Day

Nationality: Russian/Ukrainian/American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Las Vegas
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

My informant told me of a holiday that his family celebrated. The following is a transcript of our interview:

 

“informant: Every year on March 8th, we celebrate Women Day. Its from Ukraine, where my family is from. Basically men get the important women in their lives (wives, girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc) flowers. Like valentines day but you just honor women. Our family does more than flowers though; gifts to show our appreciation for women. It is pretty big over in Europe, like if you don’t celebrate it as a man you’re the biggest piece of shit. It is very important over there to celebrate women.”

 

My informant  reveres the holiday, and says honoring women is important to his family and their culture, claiming they are all brought up as “momma’s boys.”

 

This holiday empowers a underprivileged group (women do not share equal rights with men in many places). Thus, the outrage towards men who don’t celebrate it aimed towards their insensitivity and disregard for the female gender. This celebrates the female identity, reinforcing women’s identities.

 

An article on this can be found on wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women’s_Day