Author Archives: Helen Kong

Mailman

Nationality: Korean-American
Age: 18
Occupation: undergraduate student
Residence: LA
Performance Date: 2017-4-26
Primary Language: English
Language: Korean

Main piece:

The mail man one, “Mailman mailman do your duty here comes a lady with an african booty she can do the pom pom she can do the twist most of all she can kiss kiss with her red hot lips k i s s i n g”

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

It was one of the rhymes the kids knew. It wasn’t a favorite but it sticks because it’s the most ridiculous one out of them all. Learned it in 1st grade from some female peer in her class. Informant thinks this one is ridiculous and doesn’t know why little kids sing it because it’s a little inappropriate.

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

It’s a hand clapping game for little kids to sing together.

Personal Analysis:

The “african booty part” is kind of racist. Even the informant said that it’s a weird song to think about. As a kid, she just went along with what the others were doing. I think it has a lot of strange connotations that kids don’t know about. I don’t think this has anything to do with Africa, but I wonder why American kids sing it. Why is it the mail man’s duty to kiss the lady? It’s actually really uncomfortable to think about. “do the pom pom” isn’t even proper grammar. I wonder who was the first person to start this song.

Menehune

Nationality: Vietnamese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: undergraduate student
Residence: Hawaii
Performance Date: 2017-3-20
Primary Language: English
Language: Vietnamese, Chinese

Main piece:

There’s a hawaiian troll called Menehune. They’re knight soldiers, but they’re also small and tiny. They look like oompa loompa but they’re dangerous. They march in the night to check on things.

 

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

The informant learned about Menehune in her public elementary school in Hawaii. It is part of the material for the mandatory hawaiian culture class.

 

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

It is part of the Hawaiian culture that’s taught to kids who live in Hawaii.

Personal Analysis:

It’s ironic that these trolls are small but dangerous. The juxtaposition of these opposites is what makes these unique and unexpected. It seems like it was made for entertainment purposes and a story that has been passed down. It gives more life to Hawaii during the night.

 

 

Kabir ke dohe (Kabir’s couplets)

Nationality: Indian
Age: 20
Occupation: undergraduate student
Residence: New Delhi, India
Performance Date: 2017-3-18
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

Main piece:

Kabir ke dohe (Kabir’s couplets) are couplets from India.

Here is one of them:

“Pehle Agan Birha Ki, Pachhe Prem Ki Pyas

Kahe Kabir Tub Janiye, Naam Milan Ki Aaas”

Translation:

“First the pain of separation, then the thirst for love

Says Kabir, only then will you know joy of the union.”

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

Informant’s grandmother used to teach her these couplets because they were popular.

The informant believes that this couplet means first you experience the pain of separation then you can feel love. Only from the pain of separation do we feel the pangs of love. Then there is hope of union. This is the story of life – lovers meeting, separating, and realizing their love for each other then holding the urge for union and an eventual union. In Sufi tradition, it is a reflection of man and God – realization of the separation from God, the pangs of love and urge for union with God, and the eventual joy of union.

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

It is shared with children in school.

 

Personal Analysis:

I never grew up with couplets, so it’s strange that other cultures see this as regular. The meaning is universal though and it can be said for lovers, family members, God, and anything else we love.

 

Door ke dhol suhaavne lagte hai

Nationality: Indian
Age: 20
Occupation: undergraduate student
Residence: New Delhi, India
Performance Date: 2017-3-18
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

Main piece:

“Door ke dhol suhaavne lagte hai”

The drums sound better at a distance

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

Informant learned this in grade school when she was studying in India.

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

It has a similar meaning to “the grass is always greener on the other side”.

Personal Analysis:

I don’t know if drums actually sound better at a distance, because it might sound very loud and messy. In a rhetorical sense, I can see that something that’s loud and entertaining might seem good from far away. It might mean that the small details of the drum is not that pleasing to the ear, or maybe the drums from up close is too loud that it’s not that great. The American version of grass makes me think of the american dream and having a nicely mowed green lawn. I think that cultural differences make one more relevant to another area. I grew up in the States and don’t really know if the sound of a drum is as meaningful in a proverb.

Anarkali

Nationality: Pakistani
Age: 20
Occupation: undergraduate student
Residence: Pakistan
Performance Date: 2017-3-18
Primary Language: English
Language: Urdu

Main piece:

The story is called Anarkali, which is the name of the main character girl. There is an emperor called Jehangir. When he was the prince and his dad was king, he had a court entertainment. The prince saw a beautiful dancer Anarkali but she was poor. The king ordered to have Anarkali buried alive in a wall as a sign to show others what happens if lower class tries to intermarry or associate with upper class. Now there’s a famous tomb.

 

Background information (Why does the informant know or like this piece? Where or who did they learn it from? What does it mean to them?):

Nobody knows if it’s a real story, but there’s a movie based on it. Apparently people broke the wall and found a skeleton. The moral of the story is that love is reserved for rich people and there should be no inter caste marriage because social class is important.

Context (When or where would this be performed? Under what circumstance?):

He watched the bollywood movie Mughal-e-Azam, but he also heard a similar version from his family growing up.

Personal Analysis:

This sounds very harsh. I could see how it could be adapted from a real story or at least fabricated and distributed so that the poor people will be too scared to think about marrying rich. It’s very different from children’s stories that are very G rated, because Anarkali’s punishment was so severe.