Author Archives: Melanie Grindle

Easter Folk Belief – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

“On Easter, you need to go and swing on a swing or otherwise the mosquitos are going to bit you all summer long.”

“I learned it from my parents. I definitely believe in it. If I don’t go swing—I’m really scared mosquitos are going to bite me during the summer.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. In the spherical calendar, which Paganism observes, Easter is situated in the midst of spring equinox, so needing to swing to prevent the mosquitoes is a kind of homeopathic magic to affect the future season. It is also a form of protection magic because through swinging, the person is protecting themselves from mosquitoes.

Summer Solstice Tradition – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

Summer Solstice:

“It’s also called John’s Day – because it’s the most common name. It’s really geared towards young adults, for them to find their second half. It’s all about celebrating the sun. We stay up all night to greet the sun. At night we dance around the fire, singing songs, drinking beer, eating cheese; and then jump over the fire with man and woman—if you accidently hit the fire, and it stirs, the pictures will tell you how you would be as man and woman.”

“I learned through doing it. I learned it through family member and friends. The older people just pass it on to the younger. I think it’s a very important activity; not that it’s going to show future, but really brings the community together. If you’re brace enough to do it, it shows that you care about your culture and tradition.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism. Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs.

The summer solstice is an important time in the cyclic calendar, which Paganism observes. Also, the festival is meant to bring together younger couples, a characteristic typical of summer festivals. Festivals are often characterized as “not normal time” and as such “new normal” behaviors are practiced and accepted. By jumping over the fire together, they are testing what their future would be together. This is an example of sign folk magic.

Summer Solstice Tradition – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

Fern Flower

“You look for the fern flower on Summer Solstice. Young couples—man and woman—go off into the forest to find the fern flower. There is actually no such thing as a fern flower, but it might not be an actual flower because there are a lot of sexual connotations to the stuff going on during the solstice. But if you magically find it, you will have the greatest luck for your whole life. It only appears on Summer Solstice. And you can never look back when you’re looking for it because evil spirits will follow you. And when you find it, evil spirits will still try to take it from you. So when you find it, you must take a stick of wood and draw a circle around you with it while singing or just saying a folk song—I don’t remember it. But no one can come in the protective circle. It’s like Pagan religion, you either set yourself up to be afraid or not—because you can feel safe if you trust that no one can come in your circle.”

“Learned in elementary school and before school from tales and from parents and grandparents. Also from TV a little bit. Officially in school.”

“I think it’s a very nice tradition, keeps it fun. I don’t think it really acutally physically exists, but it exists as a symbol of something else—symbolizes love between man and woman. I think it’s a very important activity; not that it’s going to show future, but really brings the community together. If you’re brace enough to do it, it shows that you care about your culture and tradition.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. The summer solstice is an important time in the cyclic calendar, which Paganism observes. Also, the festival is meant to bring together younger couples, a characteristic typical of summer festivals. Festivals are often characterized as “not normal time” and as such “new normal” behaviors are practiced and accepted. These behaviors are typically a way of performing identity; in the case of the youth during the Summer Solstice, they are performing the fact that they are looking for a life partner as well as the fact that they are in a liminal phase between childhood and adulthood. Also, the connotations of the tradition can not be overlooked– flowers typically represent the feminine or virginity. Walking into the woods to find it and coming back without having found it can be seen as a reference to intercourse. This tradition also features the use of protective folk magic, for it one finds the flower, one is supposed to draw a circle around oneself.

Summer Solstice Tradition – Latvian

Nationality: Latvian
Age: 26
Occupation: Graduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Current)
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Latvian

“During Summer Solstice, it’s like June 23 to the 24, women wear flower crowns—but only non-married women and kids. It represents virginity. If the next morning you don’t have it… something happened. So on the 24th, women are supposed to throw their crowns up on the oak tree and the number of times it falls down are the number of years before you will get married.”

“I think it’s silly. It’s fun but it’s silly. That’s not going to affect how many years I’m going to get married, only really shows my throwing skills. I learned in elementary school and before school from tales and from parents and grandparents. Also from TV a little bit. Officially in school. I think it’s a very important activity; not that it’s going to show future, but really brings the community together. If you’re brace enough to do it, it shows that you care about your culture and tradition.”

The informant is originally from Latvia but has been living in Los Angeles for more than five years. She practices Latvian Neo-Paganism.

Paganism is a religion that is passed down from generation to generation through folklore, and as such it is rich in folk beliefs. The summer solstice is an important time in the cyclic calendar, which Paganism observes. Festivals are often characterized as “not normal time” and as such “new normal” behaviors are practiced and accepted. These behaviors are typically a way of performing identity; in the case of the women throwing their crowns, they are performing their social status.

According to The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols, oak is associated with masculinity (137) while the flower symbolizes femininity (74). Throwing the flower crown on the oak tree is the meeting of the male and the female. Thus it makes sense that when the throws are unsuccessful, it is aligned to another year away from marriage.

Tresidder, Jack. The Watkins Dictionary of Symbols. London: Watkins, 2008. Print.

Joke – American

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2011
Primary Language: English

“Three blondes were driving in a car to Disneyland and they saw a sign that said Disney Left. They turned around and went home.”

“I think it’s funny. I learned it somewhere in high school. That’s pretty much it.”

The informant is a Los Angeles college student originally from Tampa, Florida. She is not blonde–she’s a brunette.

The joke is an example of blason populaire of the stereotype of blondes. Blondes are stereotypically considered dumb and this joke mocks them for that. However, unlike some blason populaire, the dumb blonde joke has become so widespread that it is okay not only for blondes to tell them, but all of society. It also uses the number three which is very important in American culture.