Author Archives: Kaylee Hou

Breaking a coconut for new beginnings- Superstition

Text:
Informant: “If you get a new car or you’re starting something new, you’re supposed to crack a coconut in front of it. For example, when my brother opened a new office he broke a coconut in front of the building. The shell is supposed to represent your ego and past karma, and the white part inside represents purity and your inner self, so then breaking the coconut represents breaking the ego and starting fresh. It’s symbolic, like a sacrifice. In India the coconut is also known as God’s fruit.”

Interviewer: “When was the first time you saw this done?”
Informant: “The first time was when we got a new car when I was seven or eight. My dad broke a coconut in front of the car. After that we did it for every car we’ve gotten.”

Interviewer: “Is this common where you’re from?”
Informant: “Yes, everyone I know back home in India does it. It’s very common. Even people who move abroad still do it usually when buying something important or starting something new, like a car, a business, or another new beginning.”

Context:

The informant is from India and first witnessed the ritual when their father broke a coconut in front of their family’s new car when the informant was about seven or eight years old. Since then, the informant’s family has repeated the practice whenever they purchase a new car. The informant explained that the ritual is widely practiced in India and is still performed by many people who move abroad, especially when starting something significant like a business or purchasing a vehicle.

Analysis:

This example reflects a superstitious ritual connected to ideas of luck, protection, and new beginnings. The act of breaking the coconut is believed to symbolically remove obstacles or negative karma before starting something important. Like many superstitions, the practice is performed at specific moments of transition, such as purchasing a car or opening a business.

While the specific practice described here involves breaking a coconut in India, many cultures have similar rituals that serve the same symbolic purpose of blessing a new beginning. For example, ships are often christened by breaking a bottle of champagne on the hull before their first voyage, and in Chinese traditions there are various house-blessing practices, such as boiling water when moving into a new home. The specific actions vary across cultures, but the underlying idea remain the same. Taking a functionalist lens, we can interpret these moments as uncertain and carrying a lot of anxiety and tension, so ritual actions help people feel that they are beginning a new venture with good fortune/protection.

A second ___ has hit the ___ – 9/11 Jokes

Age: 21

Text: “A fourteenth button has hit the north jar.”

Informant’s Context: Informant explains, “It has to follow this structure, ‘a second ___ has hit the ___.’ I think George Bush’s chief of staff came up with this one. The internet loves joking about tragedies now that a long time has passed. So for example, when you sent me a video of someone putting a fourteenth button inside of a jar and there was a second jar in the background, I responded, “a fourteenth button has hit the north jar.” The joke kind of writes itself, which is why it’s funny.”

Analysis: 

9/11 jokes like this one often follow a familiar and formulaic structure and push the boundaries of what is considered socially acceptable, which is typical of folklore humor. Because even figures such as George Bush’s chief of staff have made 9/11 jokes, this type of humor can begin to feel more socially acceptable. If someone in a high government position can joke about it, the average person may feel more comfortable doing the same. Humor can also make tragic events feel less immediate or overwhelming. As more time passes, these events become less shocking, making it easier for people to find humor in them.

Chinese Red Date String Game- Children’s Folklore

Age: 54

Text:


Informant: “It’s something you say while doing a string trick. You use a piece of string and form a shape that looks like a date. The string represents the fruit, and through different movements it changes shape and eventually disappears while you say the rhyme out loud, ‘大枣大枣，越吃越小，吃了剩核，一拍没了。(Dà zǎo dà zǎo, yuè chī yuè xiǎo, chī le shèng hé, yī pāi méi le.)’. It’s meant to be a little like a magic trick. The phrase translated in English is something like, ‘Big date, big date, the more you eat it the smaller it gets, then you clap and nothing is left.'”

Interviewer: “When did you first learn it?”
Informant: “My mom taught me when I was very young. There weren’t that many things to do for fun back then, so we did a lot of hands-on activities like this, and all you need is a piece of string, it’s pretty easy to do.”

Interviewer: “Did you teach it to anyone else?”
Informant: “Yes, I taught it to my kids.”

Context:

The informant learned this string game from their mother during childhood while growing up in China in the 1980s. They explained that there were not many forms of entertainment available to children at the time, so simple hands-on activities like string tricks were a common way to play. Because the game only required a piece of string, it was easy for families to share and teach to children. The informant later passed the game on to their own children, continuing on the tradition.

Analysis:

This example can be interpreted as a form of children’s folklore, specifically a children’s game that combines a rhyme with a small physical activity. The game also demonstrates the folkloric concepts of multiplicity and variation. Similar string games appear in many cultures using the same simple materials but different shapes and rhymes. For example, it is similar to the string game cat’s cradle I learned as a kid, which also involves manipulating a loop of string to create patterns. Because the movements are difficult to understand without seeing them performed, games like these are usually learned directly from another person rather than through written instructions, which helps preserve their oral and performative nature.

Onam- Indian Festival

Age: 22

Text:
Informant: “Onam is a festival about King Mahabali returning to visit his people once every year. One thing people do is make pookalam, which are flower carpets placed at the entrance of the house to welcome Mahabali. My grandma makes them and that’s where I first saw them. People usually get together to make one and it can take two to three hours. There’s also a big meal called Onasadya which we eat for lunch. People sit in rows with a banana leaf in front of them and volunteers serve the food. Someone will bring a big bucket of rice and scoop it onto everyone’s leaf, then another person comes and gives things like bananas. Everything is vegetarian and there is 25 different dishes, the number of dishes is important and you eat with your hands. There’s also boat races called Vallamkali with 100-foot snake boats. I’ve watched them on TV before.”

Interviewer: “How long have you been celebrating Onam?”
Informant: “Pretty much since I was a kid, maybe when I was six or eight. My family celebrates it and that’s how I learned about it. I don’t celebrate it as much anymore, but my parents still celebrate it.”

Context:
The informant grew up in India and learned about and participated in Onam through family celebrations during childhood. Their first encounter with the traditions was watching their grandmother prepare pookalam flower designs at home. The informant explained that their family regularly celebrated the festival when they were around age six or eight. Although the informant does not celebrate Onam as frequently now that they have moved to America, their parents still celebrate in India.

Analysis:
Onam is an example of festival folklore, which combines storytelling, ritual practices, food traditions, and communal gatherings. The festival is centered around the legend of King Mahabali and his annual return, showing how narratives help explain and structure cultural celebrations. The traditions practiced during Onam also express important Indian cultural values such as hospitality, cooperation, and community. Activities like making pookalam or sharing the Onasadya meal require many people working in tandem, which turns the festival into a collective experience rather than an individual one. The large vegetarian meal served on banana leaves and eaten in rows reinforces a sense of equality, since everyone receives the meal in the same way.

금시초문 (Geum shi chomeun)- Korean Proverb

Age: 21

Text: 금시초문 (Geum shi chomeun)- hearing something for the first time

Informant: “It’s a four-character proverb or idiom. Each syllable has meaning, like “gold, time, first, escape,” but together it means hearing something for the first time. People say it when they are surprised by something they just heard. I like to use it as a joke, but most people use it as a surprised exclamation. Not all Koreans use it. It’s something more educated people tend to use It’s part of the culture. It’s something people in Korea say, especially when speaking to older people. If you use it with older people they might be impressed. I first heard it in 8th grade Korean school, we were learning four word proverbs.”


Interviewer: “Can you give an example of how you would use it?”
Informant: “If someone said, ‘Oh I heard this person is transferring to UCLA,’ someone could respond, ‘That’s a geum shi chomeun,’ meaning this is the first time they’ve heard that news.”

Context:

The informant learned this four-character Korean idiom while attending Korean language school in eighth grade. The phrase was introduced as part of a lesson on traditional four-character proverbs that are common in Korean speech and writing. The informant explained that although the expression is not used by everyone, it is often associated with more educated speakers and can be especially appropriate when speaking with older people. The informant mostly uses the phrase humorously among friends.

Analysis:

This example is a proverb or idiomatic expression, a form of verbal folklore that circulates through language and everyday conversation. Four-character idioms are especially common in East Asian traditions and are valued for their ability to carry complex meanings in only a few syllables. Although each syllable has its own literal meaning, the phrase can only be fully understood when the words are interpreted collectively. This shows how certain forms of folk speech require shared cultural knowledge to understand beyond a direct translation. The informant notes that the phrase is often associated with educated speakers and can be used to impress older people, showing how language can carry cultural prestige. In this way, the idiom reflects not only surprise, but also the value placed on education, tradition, and respect for elders in Korean culture. At the same time, the informant mentioned that they sometimes use the phrase jokingly with friends, which shows how folklore is dynamic and can take on new meanings in different social contexts.