Author Archives: jcsaaved

Lunar New Year: Holiday

Context:

MT is of Vietnamese descent and discusses their experience with the Lunar New Years celebration growing up.

Interview:

Growing up, I was always confused about why we celebrated Lunar New Year about a month after the actual year began. As it turns out, in ancient times, Asian countries revolved around the lunar calendar and consequently celebrated New years at the start of the lunar calendar. It was a time of celebration, with dances and endless foods, as well as rejoicing with family members from all over.

While the culture around the lunar new year is one of superstition, which I found pointless as a kid, I see the importance of it to my family as it is no different from faith. It’s a way of life that encourages honor and integrity. The notion that our ancestors come to celebrate lunar new years with us keeps us in high spirits, and on our best behavior. As I meet my family less and less due to new life situations, I find myself looking forward to the good fortunes of gathering together on Lunar New Year, catching up on each other’s lives, and blessing one another with wisdom.

Analysis:

MT discusses how Lunar New Year’s celebrations evolved from the lunar calendar used by ancient Asian nations, highlighting how important it is as a time for lavish celebrations that include dances, large quantities of food, and get-togethers with family. These customs have a strong cultural foundation because they are based on principles and ideals that are similar to those of faith, such as honor and integrity. The idea that ancestor spirits take part in the celebrations draws attention to the folklore element, establishing a feeling of continuity and appreciation for the past, which shapes behavior and promotes a sense of community. As MT becomes older, there is a clear understanding of these customs as fundamental cultural practices, highlighting the way that folklore functions as a living tradition that reinforces societal ethics and family values.

Harana: Folk Customs

Context:

AP is of Filipino descent and talks about their experience with their tradition of serenading their partners in front of their parents as a cultural tradition.

Interview:

In Filipino culture, serenading your partner in front of your parents is a tradition to signify the seriousness of the relationship. It is often a long song that is accompanied by an instrument. it symbolizes open love and commitment to not only one’s partner but their family as well. This tradition fosters strong family bonds and creates memories that last a lifetime. It embodies the Filipino cultural values of love, unity, and respect. This cultural practice is mandatory for some families to take their relationship seriously, in a sense it’s like asking a woman’s parents for their marriage blessing.

Analysis:

The Filipino tradition of harana, or serenading, embodies traditional values and culture and is a symbol of dedication and respect in a public, family-oriented setting. This practice emphasizes a common theme in folklore: the importance of family acceptance in romantic relationships. By fortifying ties to one’s family and culture, harana uses traditional music and public performances to help keep these customs alive for future generations.

Tết Trung Thu: Festival

Context:

AV is of Vietnamese descent and dives into a festival native to his culture and how it has impacted his life.

Interview:

When I was young, I eagerly awaited the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, or Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese. Streets would be lit up with lanterns of all colors, and families would come together to celebrate the harvest season as well as the full moon. The lion dance, which I always found mesmerizing and exhilarating both for its novelty and its roots in ancient Chinese culture, was one particular highlight of this holiday.

    With age came an understanding of the festival’s underlying significance beyond mooncakes and lanterns. It is not only a time when we can give thanks for plentiful crops; it’s also an opportunity for individuals within communities to consider what they mean to one another about themselves and their environments during this bountiful period. This event holds dear in my heart because it represents unity among people who may otherwise never contact or interact with each other on any level – let alone in such large numbers – while facing difficult times together.

     Yet despite society having become more modernized over time, I strongly believe that traditions like Tết Trung Thu should be preserved at all costs. These customs serve as reminders of what connects us to our roots. Every autumnal equinox evening, as my family celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival, I am filled with pride for being born into these customs that have been passed down through many generations before mine, as I have the privilege of continuing them.

Analysis:

AV shares his appreciation for the Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu) from a personal perspective, highlighting the cultural significance and community aspects that come along with the celebration. AV recalls childhood memories with the festival’s visual and performative elements like colorful lanterns and the lion dance, which are steeped in ancient traditions. Through time and maturity, AV shifts the understanding of the festival’s broader implications—recognizing it as a time for community introspection and unity, particularly in celebrating the harvest and reflecting on collective and individual identities within the environment.

Dia De Los Muertos: Holiday

Context:

BS is of Mexican descent from Michoacan, Mexico. BS shares his experience growing up with the Dia De Los Muertos Holiday, what it means to him, and how it has impacted him growing up.

Interview:

Growing up, I have always had to celebrate the death of my family members whether I knew them or not. I always questioned my mother, the one who would set up the ofrenda (offering) as to why we had to celebrate those who are dead if they are no longer with us and I was always scolded and told that it was our way of celebrating their life and what they stood for. Celebrating the 1st of November was always the saddest for me. The 1st is the day that we celebrate the death of children and typically there are a lot of toys and action figures put up on the offerings. As for the 2nd of November, that day is used to celebrate the adults that have passed. Usually, this ranges from 18 and up. The central idea of Dia De Los Muertos is to invite those who have passed back to the land of the living. A great example of this is in the movie COCO where those who have passed travel through a bridge of marigold flowers to the land of the living where they reach their destination, usually their past home or tombstone, where they can pick up and take back what is left out for them. Although my idea of Dia De Los Muertos has always been like any other holiday, I didn’t take it seriously until my father passed and I found that the only way to honor his life is to remember him by setting his picture up and placing items that he enjoyed during his time on earth. Dia De Los Muertos is a holiday used to reconnect with those who you want to remeber, whether that be a close loved one or anyone you believe is worthy of being remebered.

Analysis:

BS ties his connection with Dia De Los Muertos to his personal life and explains how they didn’t take the holiday seriously until they found a way to benefit it for their personal use. According to the interview, Dia De Los Muertos is a way to connect with spirits and give them humanistic/living traits to image the idea that they are still living and traveling to visit from the afterlife.

Cross-Cultural Medicine: Folk Medicine/ Superstition

Context:

The informant SY is of Cambodian descent and dives into the beliefs of his culture and explains the beliefs of keeping spirits away and medicine used to maintain good health

Interview:

Growing up, my parents would always tell me that some things can’t be done because it can bring bad luck to me and my family. I never doubted them and listened to their advice to protect myself. They would inform me about the good and bad spirits that are around every day. For example, cutting nails at night is not allowed because it can invite evil spirits into your home. They liked telling me, “Those spirits can bring misfortunes and bad luck that can harm you or make you sick.” Some people don’t really believe in this, but they still follow the rules just because they don’t want evil spirits or bad luck around them.

In Cambodia, people fear the evil spirits that roam around. They are said to cause bad luck and bring you misfortune. According to an article written about Khmer beliefs and superstition, “Among these phenomena are khmoc (ghosts), pret and besach (particularly nasty demons, the spirits of people who have died violent, untimely, or unnatural deaths)… they can cause trouble ranging from mischief to serious life-threatening illnesses” (Hays). These different kinds of spirits are the ones that bring fear to those who have khmer beliefs. This gives these people a reason to listen and follow beliefs/superstitions so that they can keep these spirits away from them.

When it comes to warding off these evil and unlucky spirits, there are different types of people who can get in touch with the spirit world. These shamans and healers have their own methods of keeping evil spirits away from people who seek their help. A culture-profile written about the Khmer lifestyle, beliefs, and background states, “A Khru Khmer (traditional healer) may be sought who will often travel into the jungle for herbs, roots and plants for healing… Traditional healers or spiritual healers will be sought for illnesses thought to be caused by spirits” (Wetzel, Kemp). These healers can use their knowledge to find the right ingredients that can keep the spirits away. They can also give people protective artifacts that can also help ward off the evil that is following or after someone. Different healers can provide people with different things like medicine, fortune telling, artifacts, and magical tattoos. 

Whenever I would get a cold or fever, my mom would tell me to lay down so that she could do some coining. This is a process where a coin is used to scrape the “bad wind” away. I was always reluctant to do this because it would hurt a little. She would always say, “endure through the pain, it will make your sickness go away.” 

Another method of curing illness that could’ve been caused by these evil spirits is by maintaining balance within your physical body and spirit. A research study conducted on the topic of traditional Cambodian medicine states, “maintaining “hot/cold” balance, and herbal medicines. Specific examples include use of tattoos/religious medals; healing ceremonies; dermabrasion; and consumption of “hot” or “cold” foods/medicines” (Richman). This study includes the idea of yin and yang used for healing and balancing your spirit. Hot and cold foods are also a way that you can get sick. Hot foods can be foods that are fried, baked, and mostly unhealthy. While reading through the culture profile and background of Cambodian beliefs, it quotes, “Cupping, pinching, or rubbing (also known as coining) are the most commonly used and are thought to restore balance by releasing excessive air” (Wetzel). Methods like cupping and coining can be related to the belief of balancing in your body. Coining is supposed to release the unhealthy hot air in your body and is said to be able to cure people who are feeling ill or have fevers/colds.

Analysis:

YS explains in great detail the ideas of superstitious beliefs that are fundamental to Cambodian culture with a focus on how these beliefs affect daily life and medical procedures. As mentioned, the fear of bad spirits called locally “khmoc,” “pret,” and “besach,” which are believed to bring misfortune and disease, is central to the fundamental concepts. This fear drives devotion to customs and beliefs, like not cutting nails at night to keep these spirits out of the house. YS also mentions the function of traditional healers, or “Khru Khmer,” who treat people for illnesses brought on by spirits by using spiritual rituals, herbs, and roots. Among these customs are coining, which is said to drive away evil spirits that appear as illnesses, and keeping a “hot/cold” equilibrium in the body, reflecting an indigenous understanding of health akin to the yin-yang concept.