Author Archives: Luka Karaman

Legend of Lokrum island

Nationality: Croatian
Age: 68
Occupation: retired
Residence: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Performance Date: 4/19/2017
Primary Language: Croatian

Legend of Lokrum island

NK is my grandmother who was born and raised in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Being a local she knows a lot about the city and its folklore. She first told me this story in elementary school right before I went to Lokrum for a school trip.

“Did you know that the island of Lokrum is haunted?”

 

No, why is it haunted?

 

“well to know why its haunted you have to know the history of the island. Once upon a time, a huge fire spread in Dubrovnik. The fire was so vast it posed a threat to the city and all the citizens in it. In desperation and sorrow, the people of Dubrovnik turned to prayers and promised to build a monastery if they survived. Suddenly the fire stopped. The citizens of Dubrovnik held its promise and built a Benedictine monastery on Lokrum. The monks took care of the island and, for centuries, have turned Lokrum into a paradise. But interest Lokrum aroused by Dubrovnik rich families who wanted the island all to themselves and their own personal benefit. These rich families drove the Benedictines of the island, but before they left the island, they cast a curse on Lokrum.”

 

What was the curse?

 

“After the holding the last mass on the island, right before they left they surrounded the island 3 times in the dark mysterious procession, the persons buried deep inside the hoods lit candles and held them upside down. During the procession, quietly repeated, “Damn everyone who gets Lokrum for personal enjoyment!” And so it was. From that that day on any one who owned Lokrum has died a mysterious death.”

 

After doing some research other versions are really similar and historically the story happened. All owners of the island did die in a mysterious death or had some big tragedy happen in their life. To this day no one owns the island, and I find it interesting how people still believe in the curse.

 

For another version of this story visit http://anavie.net/lokrum-the-cursed-island/

ko nema u glavi ima u nogama

Nationality: Croatian
Age: 18
Occupation: student
Residence: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Performance Date: 4/23/2017
Primary Language: Croatian
Language: English

Ko ne radi glavom radi nogama (ko nema u glavi ima u nogama)

Informant: MK was born in New York, but raised in Dubrovnik, Croatia. He is a senior in high school. He has an older brother, and a younger sister. While growing up our grandparents would teach us valuable life lessons and most of the time they would use a proverb in doing so. Proverbs are a huge part of our family’s culture. MK heard this proverb multiple times weather it was from family members and schoolteachers.

 

What does this proverb mean?

 

“Roughly translated it means one who doesn’t have it in his head has it in his feet. Another version of it is one who doesn’t work with his head, works with his feet.”

 

Does this proverb have any meaning to you?

 

“Yes, it does. My grandmother tells me this almost on a daily basis haha. I got so use to hearing it that it became almost like a joke between me and my grandma.”

 

The proverb explains how if you don’t think, you will have to go back to where you started and do the same thing you should’ve done already. For an example my wallet is in my room and I already left the house to go for lunch, I have to go back home (work my legs) because I forgot it (didn’t think). All in all the proverb is clever and like most of them it teaches a lesson.

Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani

Nationality: Croatian
Age: 18
Occupation: student
Residence: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Performance Date: 4/23/2017
Primary Language: Croatian
Language: English

Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani

Informant: MK was born in New York, but raised in Dubrovnik, Croatia. He is a senior in high school. He has an older brother, and a younger sister. While growing up our grandparents would teach us valuable life lessons and most of the time they would use a proverb in doing so. Proverbs are a huge part of our family’s culture.

 

My informant heard this proverb from his grandfather and his teacher back in elementary school.

 

What does “bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani” mean?

 

“The literal translation is better a sparrow in a hand than a pigeon on the branch. The English equivalent of this proverb is “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” This means something you have for certain now is of more value than something better you may get, especially if you risk losing what you have in order to get it.”

 

I think this proverb has a good message to it; don’t selfishly throw away something good just because you think you deserve better. However, I also believe you should never settle. If you truly think something out there is better and you can achieve it, I say go for it. The proverb is applicable sometimes, and not others.

Ginger tea for headaches

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 3/17/2017
Primary Language: English

Ginger tea for headaches

Informant: TF was born and raised in Villa Park, California. His father works in commercial real estate and his mother working as a manager for Choc Hospital. He has one older brother, a twin sister, and one younger brother. TF is half Lebanese and strongly connected to his Lebanese background. He is a first year student at USC. The informant heard this type of medicine from his mother who learned it from her mother who used this kind of medicine all the time when she was a child.

 

Where did you get this information?

“From my mom and she got it from her mom and so on.”

 

So how do you prepare it, and how does it work?

 

“So ginger is traditionally used to treat headaches. You’ll want to mix half a teaspoon ginger powder into a glass of water and drink. Or pour 1 cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of freshly ground ginger. Let it cool slightly and then drink it. Simple as that. Ginger is particularly effective against migraine, and also helps control the nausea that often accompanies migraine.”

 

Does this folk medicine mean anything to you?

 

“It does, my family has been using this recipe for generation. It became a traditional cure for headaches in my family.”

 

It’s interesting how even with today’s medicine folk medicine is still used. This is proof of that. The recipe so simple and healthier than taking a pill. At the end of the day it’s cool to know that my informants family has been using the same recipe for headaches like his ancestors before him.

Jugo

Nationality: American
Age: 49
Occupation: financial manager
Residence: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Performance Date: 4/19/2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Croatian

Jugo

Informant: SK is my mom. She was born and raised in New York, but moved to Croatia in 2002 and has been living there ever since. Living in Dubrovnik she noticed how weather can have an effect on people. She heard this peace of folklore from a colleague at work.

 

Briefly about jugo:

Jugo or Sirocco is a mild, gentle and worm wind. It blows from the sea towards the mainland. During the winter in Dubrovnik, it can blow up to nine days, and sometimes it can take up to three weeks. When the ‘jugo’ wind drops, the sky becomes dark, cloudy, and it begins to rain, while the waves grow rapidly.

 

What’s so special about this particular wind?

 

“People are struggling with time changes, especially if ‘jugo’ is involved. In the old days and even today in some areas, the people of Dubrovnik did not marry or make important decisions during the ‘jugo’. If someone committed a crime, he would not be punished harshly.”

 

It’s was interesting to learn about jugo. It’s fascinating how superstition can go this far. Even today people still believe they are affected by jugo, but of course without the “if someone committed a crime, he would not be punished harshly” part