Author Archives: Stephanie McGregor

Joke – India

Nationality: Indian-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Louisiana
Performance Date: 2008
Primary Language: English

Joke

An Indian man is driving down the road and sees a Sardar sitting out in the field, staring blankly at the sky. The man asks the Sardar, “What are you doing there?” The Sardar responds, “I’m trying to win a Nobel Prize.  I hear they give them for being out standing in your field.”

Analysis:

R.C.D. first starting hearing jokes like these around the age of 10 or 11.  He heard it on a trip to India to visit his grandparents.  He doesn’t remember the exact time he heard it because jokes like these are apparently very common.  He explained that they are the similar to “dumb blonde” jokes in American culture.  I asked if Sardars in India were stereotyped as unintelligent, and his response was no.  He just said it was someone to poke fun at.  I checked with a second reference, who wishes to remain anonymous as well, to answer my question.  I found out they are indeed seen as dirty, stupid, and not well spoken in English at times. My second source said part of this was due to their physical appearance with their long hair and beards.  The other part was credited it the types of jobs they are normally associated with. Sardars are characteristic with taking more labor-intensive jobs; ones that require more manpower and strength than actual intelligence.

Sardars are people from the Sikh community. They can be easily identified because they wear a Dastar as part of their religion.  There are about 28.5 million Sikhs, most of which reside in Punjab, India[1].  Their group size may seem large, but in reality, they only make up about 2% of India’s population.  This may be reason for why people make fun of them.  Not only do they wear Dastars that many are unaccustomed to, but they also represent a small minority.  Others may also feel intimidated by their increasing population and influence.

I am not entirely sure of the context this type of joke is used it, but one can image it should be fairly similar to that of other blazon populare.  These jokes are fun when done in small groups of friends and peers, but most likely considered rude in public or with a Sardar present.

[1] www.wikipedia.com

Customs/Superstitions – China

Nationality: Chinese, Malaysian
Age: 49
Occupation: Homemaker
Performance Date: 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Cantonese, Hakka

Chinese New Year Customs and Superstitions

Since New Year symbolizes a new beginning, Chinese believe in “out with the old and in with the new” so it’s a time to clean the house up and get rid of cobwebs, dirt and clutter. Decorating the house with auspicious objects like cherry blossoms, potted tangerines, dragons and anything red is a tradition.  The cherry blossom symbolizes love; for people looking for romance, it is believed that if one walks around the cherry blossom a couple of times, they will find love.  Married couples have to refrain from walking around the cherry blossom, as it believed that it might lead to extra marital affairs!

All these is done before New Year and on the eve of New Year, the family gets together for a reunion dinner where auspicious food will be cooked and served.  Reunion dinners are important because it symbolizes unity in the family and eating auspicious food will bring good luck and fortune for the coming year.  Typically, the dinner will have a cooked chicken/duck with its head, feet and everything intact symbolizing a good beginning and end.  There is usually a whole fish as well, symbolizing friendship. Other items that are prepared are noodles for long life, dried oysters and moss for prosperity, and a dish with lettuce since the Chinese sound for lettuce means “alive”.  After dinner, a Chinese dessert will be served in a form of a sweet soup with dumplings symbolizing a sweet and perfect year ahead.  Members of the family will stay up until mid-night to welcome in the God of Prosperity by leaving the lights and front door open.  Offerings are made to the God of Prosperity and a small prayer made to invite him to the house. The Kitchen God is also served a sumptuous meal believing that he will have good things to report back to the higher authority.

On the first day of the New Year, all brooms are put away and sweeping or emptying the trash is not allowed so that the good luck that comes to the house will not be swept or thrown away.  Washing your clothes or hair is believed to wash away all the good luck and fortune that comes your way. It is believed that quarrels and breaking of objects will bring bad luck for the rest of the year.  It is also customary to give out little red packets with money called “lai see” (meaning everything goes well), to children and friends.

Analysis:

Ms. Yong first learned about all this as a child growing up in Malaysia.  “My parents were very traditional and made sure we follow all these traditions/superstitions till now.  I still try to practice since there’s no harm done and it’s a way of preserving our culture.  I personally still enjoy the New Year since it’s a time for family to get together and it gives us hope that the New Year will bring new beginnings”.

My mother spent her whole life in Asia until about ten years ago when my immediate family moved to the United States.  When we were in Asia, I think these traditions were easier to practice, although we still do some of the ones she listed.  I always received, and still do, lai see packets around the end of January, when Chinese New Year started.  Before I was able to get the red packet, however, my mom would always make me say “Gung hei fat choy!”  meaning, “Happy New Year!”  When I was in about third or fourth grade, I remember my Mandarin teacher telling me to add “lai see dow loy” to the end of it, basically meaning “now let me have the red packet!”   This is not usually appropriate to say, but as a little kid one can normally get away with it.  I also remember my mom telling me not to sweep, clean, wash clothes, and the like on actual New Years Day in fear of washing the good fortune away.  She was very superstitious and aware of these things, but I usually forgot. My mother still decorates our entire house with red decorations during the New Year; chocolate gold coins, tangerines, as well as lai see packets are some of the other common embellishments.

It is interesting learning about Chinese traditions, mainly because they all seem to revolve around food.  This doesn’t come as a shock to most people. K.C. Chang in his article Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives notes,

“…few can take exception to the statement that few other cultures are as food oriented as the Chinese. And this orientation appears to be as ancient as Chinese culture itself. According to Lun yu, when the duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius (551-479 B.C.) about military tactics, Confucius replied, “I have indeed heard about matters pertaining to tsu (meat stand) and tou (meat platter), but I have not learned military matters.”

Food often times takes precedence over other issues, maybe because it is essential to survival.  Food also brings people together so holidays are normally celebrated with extended family in Chinese society.  The process of cooking these meals and recipes used is a whole other branch of folklore that can be explored. Since Chinese civilization is one of the oldest to date, they have experimented with different foods, many of which are disturbing to outsiders.  Some of these dishes include dog, snake blood, and cat.  They are also fond of eating every part of the animal, including organs and appendages.

Brooms are also common in Chinese folklore.  They are only used for cleaning purposes in Chinese culture, never for games or playing. Cleaning religious objects with brooms is thought of as disrespectful.  Additionally, beating someone with a broom with bring bad luck upon them.

Some of these Chinese New Year rituals and superstitions are documented in Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons And Reasons. They do not mention, however, some of the superstitions such as walking around the cherry blossom as was pointed out by Ms. Yong.

Annotation:

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons And Reasons. Career Press, 2006. Page 112

Rhyme/Hand Game

Nationality: Ecuadorian, Columbian, Czechoslovakian, Italian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Rhyme and Hand Game

Miss Suzy had a steamboat, the steamboat has a bell TOOT TOOT.  Miss Suzy went to heaven and the steamboat went to HELL-O operator, please give me number nine, and if you disconnect me I will chop off your BEHIND the refrigerator there was a piece of glass.  Miss Suzy sat upon it and it broke her little ASK me no more questions, tell me no more lies.  The boys are in the bathroom zipping up their FLIES are in the meadow, the bees are in their park.  Miss Suzy and her boyfriend are kissing in the D-A-R-K D-A-R-K D-A-R-K DARK is like a movie, a movies like a show, a show is like a television, this is all I know I know my ma, I know i know my pa, I know I know my sister with the 80 meter BRA!!!

Analysis:

Vienna first played this game in the 2nd grade.  “I thought it was so awesome because it was like saying bad words but not really.  I liked that you could sing it in front of the teachers and even though it was sort of “bad,” it really wasn’t. Once you got to the bad part, of course we would scream it”.  She also really liked the hand motions that accompanied it, although she could not remember enough of them to document. Vienna recollects that one would pair up with a friend and sing the song with the hand motions.  She remembered breaking off from large groups and having all the pairs participate.

This is one of my personal favorites in terms of childhood games.  I distinctly remember playing it in Hong Kong.  I know it is found all across the world, but since I attended an international school, I think one of the kids brought it over from the States when they moved.  The version I know is basically the exact same—the variations I came across always happened in the last verse, more specifically the last line.  I used to sing it “I know I know my ma, I know I know my pa, I know I know my sister with a sixty acre bra!”  Most of the time one’s ‘sister’ was described as having large breasts.  Differing versions include, “I know I know my sister with the 49’rs bra. The bra is for the boobies, the boobies for the milk, the milk is for the babies with diapers made of silk” or “Ask me no more questions, tell me no more lies. The cows are in the pasture baking apple pies.”  It was extremely common for children to add verses onto the song.  The context added varied with geographic location as well as time period.  This rhyme was not one of just the nineties—it dates back a few decades before.  Instead of Miss Suzy, I also came across Miss Lucy and Miss Mary.

I think this game was popular because it made children feel rebellious.  Little kids usually want to go against authority and this was a way to do that, for girls at least, without getting in trouble.  Technically, no one is saying any curse words instead continuing the song. Since girls were supposed to be lady-like and play with dolls, I definitely think it was an avenue for them to feel defiant.

Annotation:

Abernethy, Francis Edward. Texas Toys and Games. 1st ed. Dallas, Texas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1989. Pg 177

Contemporary Legend

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: 2008
Primary Language: English

Urban Legend

When I was a little girl, I was always told to unwrap and check my Halloween candy before eating it.  My mother and nanny told me that some people put needles and such in the candy bars.

Analysis:

The first memory I have hearing this urban legend was when I was about seven or eight years old.  It was just after I moved into our new house in Hong Kong and I was getting ready to go trick-or-treating.  My mom and my nanny told me to not eat any candy when I got it because they had to check it first.  I believe they may have heard something on the news warning us about it but I really don’t know if there was any truth behind the claims.  It may or may not have happened to someone first hand, but nonetheless I always checked my candy before I ate any of it.

I grew up in Hong Kong but had an American father and attended an international school where we were taught primarily in English.  This is probably why I was able to hear this urban legend, because some cultures including the Chinese, do not celebrate Halloween.  It is a much more Western tradition thus normally reflected in those areas or areas in close contact with them.  In later years I learned to look out for more than just needles.  There were apparent incidences where razor blades, pins, and possibly even poison had turned up in the candy.

Although documented incidents of this happening are rare, this urban legend was heard throughout society.  The message it sends out is actually quite familiar– Do not take candy from strangers!  Parents are always telling their children this, warning them of the dangers that could happen by talking to strangers.  Halloween is sending out quite the opposite message though.  It is the one time of year when it is okay to go door to door, accepting candy from random people.  I think this urban legend, whether true or not, was spread to remind us all of the potential risk of being so trusting during Halloween.

This urban legend can be found in the book Tales, Rumors, and Gossip: Exploring Contemporary Folk Literature in Grades 7-12.

Annotation:

De Vos, Gail. Tales, Rumors, and Gossip: Exploring Contemporary folk Literature in Grades 7-12. Libraries Unlimited, 1996. Page 69

Proverb

Nationality: Cuban, Mexican
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: California
Performance Date: April 2008
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Proverb

El que tranza, nunca avansa.

He who cheats never advances.

He who cheats never prospers.

Analysis:

Chris heard this as a little kid, probably when he first started school at the age of five or six.  It was said to him in Spanish by his mother. He thinks it is used in parenting or teaching usually, by an authoritative figure to a child. This proverb was influential to Chris at the time because he did not cheat after hearing it.

Although Chris heard this proverb from his mother, I do not think it is necessarily unique to Mexican culture.  The particular wording may be Mexican but not the overall message.  It is an everyday lesson that was told to almost every child.  Teachers, schools, and parents are constantly reiterating that cheating is bad.  They usually threaten the students with harsh punishments, but the message is more effective in this proverb.  By plainly saying, one does not succeed in life if he/she is a cheater, kids realize they are the driving force behind their future.  Most children have big dreams and won’t try to jeopardize that.  Simplicity, in this case, serves the purpose of the proverb better.

‘He who cheats never prospers’ is not only limited to children.  This proverb can also apply to realms outside of school.  One can cheat many ways besides on a test or an assignment.  For instance, cheating someone on a business deal, cheating on someone, or even cheating oneself.  The broader message conveyed is to be an honest person.  Immoral and deceitful ways are never the path for prosperity, regardless of age.  Being genuine will get one much further in life, not only monetarily but emotionally as well.