Author Archives: naskinne@usc.edu

Galumpkies

Nationality: American
Age: 52
Occupation: n/a
Residence: California
Performance Date: 4-1-18
Primary Language: English
Language: French

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other language(s):  French

Age: 52

Occupation: n/a

Residence: California

Performance Date: 4-1-15

 

What it is: Galumpkies

“Galumpkies are a traditional Russian/Ukranian dish where you boil cabbage and then peel the leaves a apart. Then you pan fry ground beef, rice, onions, red and green peppers (chopped super finely) salt and pepper, and you then put a dollop of the mixture in the middle of the cabbage leaf and you seal the leaf (kinda like a dumpling). Put in a 9 x 13 pan. And then coat the top in tomato sauce and cook in the oven. Intensive labor. My great aunt would smell the meat and the rice to see if it was flavored correctly. There were no measurements. Done by smell.”

Why they know it:  My mother’s Great Aunt Mary would make this dish on special occasions and remembers watching her make it. The recipe is quite simple and there are no measurements, so the recipe is not typically written down, it’s shared in person.

When is it made: This dish takes a long time to make and is thus made on special occasions. It is not made in a specific season or for a specific event, it just is not made for a weekly dinner. My mother says it typically made around the holidays.

Where did it come from: Ukraine/Russia

Why its done: Special events require special dishes. It is made because everyone tends to enjoy it and they are easy to share, its just the process that takes a while…and a good sense of smell.

How they know it and what it means: Mary was raised in a family were this was a traditional dish and was made on the special events. Thus, it was passed down from her mother and so on and so forth.

Thoughts: I have personally never tried this dish and don’t think I would like it as I am not very fond of cabbage but my mother tells me it is delicious and beautiful. I am not very adventurous when it comes the food I eat, and I tend to stay away from red meat; however, with my prior knowledge of Russian dishes and dishes in my family I can imagine that this dish would smell amazing.

The Shark

Nationality: American
Age: 55
Occupation: Banker
Residence: California
Performance Date: 4-15-18
Primary Language: English

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other language(s):  

Age: 55

Occupation: Banker

Residence: California

Performance Date:-4-15- 18

 

 

What it is: The Shark

“One evening when we were at a traditional Hawaiian Luau, you would’ve been around seven, we met a very nice man. He was showing us how to catch fish with this massive net… throw it over one shoulder, a bit in your mouth, then toss it into the water. Anyway, we got talking and he shared with us a legend, one that he believed to be true, something he claimed to have witnessed. He told us: ‘One day my grandmother walked to this pier just outside of her house with a bucket of fish and be greeted by a shark. She ended up feeding the shark. The next day, sure enough the shark was back. Everyday, she would walk to this pier and feed the shark, telling me this is my ohana, this is my mana, when I asked her why she was feeding the shark. The last time we ever saw the shark was the day she died.’”

Why they know it:  Robert knows this legend because of the man who was working at the luau, who told him the story.

When is it said: This was conversed because he and Rob gained a deeper connection throughout the day. This was a symbol of trust between the two men.

Where did it come from: Maui, Hawaii

Why it’s said: This is not typically stated but when it is, it represents the Hawaiian’s strong ties to their ancestors and their appreciation for their island and all that live there.

How they know it and what it means: The man that was talking to Rob at the traditional luau had personally witnessed these events and talked to his grandmother about it.

Thoughts: I personally really like these types of legends. The ones that you read and think, oh they’re with they’re family now, or they’re in a better place. Having gone through a similar situation myself I understand that connection to something. While I am not sure if the shark was actually the same shark or if the events above were purely coincidence, I choose to believe that it was the same shark and it was her mana. Hawaiian culture is all about their connection to the land and to their ancestors and in doing so they have created, continued these beautiful traditions and legends.

Abraham, the barrel maker

Nationality: Russian
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 4-3-18
Primary Language: English
Language: Russian

Nationality: Russian

Primary Language: English

Other language(s):  Russian

Age: 22

Occupation: Student

Residence: California

Performance Date: 4-3-18

 

What it is: Abraham the barrel maker

“At the turn of the century, my whole family left Russia (18th  century I’m guessing). They were Jewish during the anti-Semitic time in Minsk. My great grandfather was a barrel maker with a long beard. One day a Russian Cossack, a guy that’s a ‘warrior’,  says an anti-semitic slur and pulls my grandfather’s beard. My great great great grandpa replies “thanks for putting me in my place”… basically and reaches out his hand to shake (thank him for telling him he’s a Jewish person) the Cossack broke his hand by shaking it so hard.”

Why they know it:  This is a legend that Whitney has been told since she was a child.

When is it said: This is the type of legend that is told when exchanging family stories or legends. There isn’t a philosophical or deeper hidden message.

Where did it come from: Her family after the fled Russia

Why it’s said: She isn’t entirely sure why it’s said just that she has heard it several times.

How they know it and what it means: She isn’t quite sure if it’s true or not.

Thoughts: Every family has that legend where someone is cursed or goes off and comes back beaten. Typically, these vents happened long ago and have been embellished or over exaggerated. While we may never know if the legend above, or any one like it, is true or not, they provide good table sharing moments and amusement for all that witness it. One may take the legend above and interpret it to be a warning, don’t give so much of yourself so willingly, and others may interpret as merely a way to show how horrible anti-Semitism was (and sadly still can be). Regardless, there is a special impact the legend has on those that can understand having to flee due to outside pressures and the Abraham’s family that succeeded him and keep his memory alive.

Ohana

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 3-20-18
Primary Language: English
Language: French, a bit of hebrew

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other language(s): French, a bit of Hebrew

Age: 18

Occupation: Student

Residence: California

Performance Date: 3-20-18

 

What it is: Our Mana-ray Mana (Ohana)

“It was an ordinary day during our summer vacation on the Hawaiian Island, Maui. My sister and I decided to go for a swim in the ocean with our Aunt and cousins, we were all in inner tubes. All of the sudden we started hearing ‘SHARK! SHARK! Come back in!’ from a man on the beach. My sister and I looked back and saw three black fins pop out of the waves. My sister grabs my arm and we kick ferociously back to show, losing the inner tube on the way in. I was perfectly fine but my sister was freaking out. So our parents had our friend, John (who was a native Hawaiian), come over and explain the Hawaiian legends of experiences with wildlife on the Island. By the time he came over, we had realized they were mana-ray (completely harmless) not sharks. None-the-less, John went on to explain that in the Hawaiian culture an experience lie this is actually very rare and special. He said to not be scared of the wildlife, that the mana-rays were our mana (family spirits) and that we were blessed to be surrounded by so many.”

Why they know it:  This was something Amanda and I personally witnessed years ago and were told about the mana and the legend behind them.

When is it said: The legend of the mana is something that is told often. It is told to those who were blessed with their presence and just as a part of the Hawaiian culture as a whole. There is not one specific event or time period that makes the mana a topic of conversation.

Where did it come from: Hawaiian, Polynesia

Why it’s said: Often, the legend of the mana is said when an experience like the one above has occurred. It is also, however, told to those who seek to gain more knowledge about the Hawaiian culture. To be visited by your mana is a great sign of luck and a great blessing.

How they know it and what it means: John knows this knowledge because of his life on the island, the fact that he is native Hawaiian, and ultimately his cultures great incorporation of their myths, legends, and traditions. Amanda and I now know this knowledge, not only because of our lives on Maui, but because of John who is our Ohana.

Thoughts: I was the girl freaking out in the story above, and well, I was terrified. However, after John told us of the mana that surrounds us and that this is a blessing and a sign of good luck, my fear lessened. I didn’t exactly get back in the water the next day but I learned to love my Mana and I know seek for them everywhere. Mana means spirits, which is thought to be the spirits of your ancestors and they help guide you through life’s greatest (and not so great) adventures. While the experience was terrifying at the time it has made me feel more connected to the island that I love and to my ancestors.

Names

Nationality: American
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 3-17-18
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish, bit of Hebrew

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other language(s):  Spanish, a bit of Hebrew

Age: 16

Occupation: Student

Residence: California

Performance Date: 3-17-18

What it is: Names into the Fire

“At Santa Barbara Middle School, SBMS, we went on these outdoor trips three times a year. Every night we would have a campfire and sing songs, tell stories from the day, and discuss tomorrows activities. Before we were dismissed for bed, we would be asked if we wanted to put anyone’s name into the fire. This was a tradition from the very first campfire. You would stand up and say ‘I want to put (whoever it was) name in the fire’ and explain why. Most of the time it was a person who was encouraging or made you laugh, etc. Then at the end of the night the ash from the fire was collected and put into a jar. That very ash (that had been collected since the first fire) was then used in the fire the next day.”

Why they know it:  A tradition they partook in

When is it said: After every campfire

Where did it come from: SBMS

Why it’s said: Its done to incorporate those that came before us. All the memories, names, adventures they went on that are in so many ways similar to the ones just stated.

How they know it and what it means: Koby partook in this over four years.

Thoughts: Having also partaken in this activity, I believe its almost like having a scrapbook. We didn’t need to see the people or hear their words to understand what was being continued and conveyed. There is a deeper history that is being conveyed when this is done.