Author Archives: Eric Jimenez

El Caballo Dorado Dance

Age: 20


Date of performance: 4/25/2025


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Mexican American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: California

Text: “El Caballo Dorado” AKA ‘The Golden Horse’

Context:

My informant recalled a dance they learned as a child during a party, which they associated with ‘ranchero’ culture. The dance, known as “El Caballo Dorado,” is commonly performed at indoor parties, sometimes even during public celebrations outdoors, and features traditional clothing. It derives its name from traditional Mexican song under the same name that plays during the dance Similar to the “Cha Cha Slide” in American party culture, my informant added that it’s a group dance with synchronized movements. A signature move among the male dancers includes holding one hand on their cowboy hat and the other with a thumb tucked under their belt, reinforcing its cowboy-related theme. The dance starts at a manageable pace but increases in speed, turning into a sort of informal competition where participants must keep up with the rhythm. Those who fall behind are seen as having “lost,” though there isn’t a single winner—multiple people can succeed if they maintain the pace. The informant emphasized its role as both a cultural expression and a competitive party activity.

Analysis:

I listened to this song growing up under a Hispanic household, in doing so I hold a similar interpretation to my informant. Much alike my informant, I never learned the actual history about this dance just its background. This has made me arrive at the conclusion that—though it might’ve initially had a significant historical value upon its commencement—it has ultimately evolved to the traditional point of serving as just an entertainment value for Hispanic communities. Despite this, it has held on strong due to its levels of complexities people in the community take it and have continued to pass down throughout generations. Music is a strong foundation for most Latin communities, and this song and dance has served to cement this ideology of bringing generations of diverse individuals to continue to share the dance floor and enjoy their culture.

3 Reyes Mago & Rosca de Reyes

Age: 20


Date of performance: 4/25/2025


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Mexican American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: California

Context:

My informant shared their experience with the celebration of “3 Reyes Magos,” or “Three Kings Day,” a tradition rooted in the biblical story of the Magi visiting the infant Jesus. Celebrated on January 6th during the Feast of the Epiphany, this holiday marks the end of the Christmas season. While the original story involves the kings bringing symbolic gifts such as gold, the modern tradition has adapted so that the Three Kings now bring presents to well-behaved children. Families typically wake up to find gifts left by the kings, much alike Christmas. One key tradition associated with the day that my informant shared, is the sharing of Rosca de Reyes aka, ‘The Kings Cake‘, a round, sweet bread with a hidden baby Jesus figurine inside. Finding this figure comes with the responsibility of hosting a future family party, a duty that applies even if the recipient is a child—placing the hosting obligation on the parent. This celebration blends religious meaning, family bonding, and festive customs that are passed down through generations.

Analysis:

Though distinctively different traditions, a similar meaning behind the Hispanic holiday is shared with my informant. I believe this holiday, shares a lot with the American traditions Christmas holds, so it acts like a second one for most. I’ve witnessed that sometimes it even hold more value than the traditional day of Christmas considering its the exact date that Jesus was supposedly born. I found it interesting how my informants background changed some of the traditions acted during this holiday and the meaning behind them. For example, as a Salvadorian, upon finding the hidden baby Jesus, the recipient makes tamales for the family. Making tamales is a heavy and arduous task that can take an entire day, which further amplifies the significance and value of this action and event.

Mothman

Age: 19


Date of performance: 4/5/25


Language: English


Nationality: British American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: United States

Text:

The Mothman is a cryptid described to be dark and significantly big winged figure.

Context:

Located in West Virginia, there was a bridge built that the people adored, the Silver bridge in Mason County to be exact. So when the bridge collapsed into the river, theories begun to spur. Individuals, speculated that a cryptid known as the Mothman was to blame, claiming to have seen and heard the creature moments before the incident. Some even claimed to have been told by the Mothman himself that he was gonna take down the bridge.

Growing up, my informant heard a joke about Mothman, unaware of the cryptid until he asked his dad about the legend.

My informant doesn’t inherently believe the Mothman exists, but is intrigued about the amount of stories brought forth by the community that made it feel so real and almost believable.

Analysis:

I believe that the Mothman sightings are an interesting concept that can be perceived as real to those mislead by some of the stories spread around by it. The abundance of it all can be seen as overwhelming to those new to the cryptid, which I would be inevitable due to all of the person statements declaring his presence

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox

Age: 19


Date of performance: 4/5/25


Language: English


Nationality: British American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: United States

Text:

Paul Bunyan is a 40 foot tall man. He is known to have an exponential amount of strength and work alongside hid ox, babe the blue ox.

Context:

One of the stories my informant brought up was one where Paul Bunyan was asked to cut a bunch of trees down alongside Babe the blue ox. This took place in the Midwest which Paul Bunyan and Babe the ox is used to explain the amount of trees cut down in flat land.

Informant grew up in the Midwest to where he had a book about Paul Bunyan filled with stories about his involvement in the Midwest. Furthermore, they researched more about it after discovering some of the statues commemorated to the Folk Legend in Wisconsin.

They interpreted Paul Bunyan’s story to just be a story rung around by lumberjacks back in the day to pass the time and explain some of the oddities of the forests and landmarks.

Analysis:

Personally, I’d have to agree, much like some of the stories past down amongst workers during long periods of time, there stories were made out of pure entertainment. They really expressed this medium through the more fictional attributes added to Paul Bunyan, much like his height and exponential strength and sometimes magical abilities.

‘El Cadejo’

Age: 48


Date of performance: 4/5/25


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Latino/a


Occupation: Caregiver


Primary Language: Spanish


Residence: United States

Text:

‘El Cadejo’ are two huge dogs, one white, the other black, one representing good and the other evil.

Context:

My informant heard the story of ‘El Cadejo’ from their father who encountered one of the two dogs returning from work at night. According to their father, upon walking back home from a long day of work, he encountered the huge white Cadejo. Aware of the tales of the creature, he remained calm upon its presence, turning away from it and walking forth home as it guided him back through the night.

Deriving from their father’s story of ‘El Cadejo,’ my informant interprets the white Cadejo to reveal themselves to people in place of their spiritual animal companion, there to guide them through difficult times. On the other hand, they interpret the black Cadejo to reveal themselves to those who do wrong in the world, present to punish them for their actions.

Analysis:

I agree with my informants interpretation, as I’ve personally heard the Cadejo were sent down to manage and help balance the world from the malice accumulating from peoples actions. Nevertheless, I believe it is also another folktale about being careful at night and to avoid at all wandering at night from factors that can be unavoidable.