Author Archives: Stephanie McGregor

Myth – Hawaii

Nationality: White, Japanese
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Hawaii
Performance Date: 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Japanese, Hawaiian

Myth of the ‘Ohi’a Lehua plant

There was a man named ‘Ohi’a and a woman named Lehua. They met and fell in love with each other. They were inseparable because they loved each other so much. One day however, ‘Ohi’a walked past the Goddess of fire, Pele. Pele liked ‘Ohi’a and wanted him to be with her. When ‘Ohi’a told Pele that he was in love with Lehua and could not be with Pele she got very angry. Being a very powerful goddess, Pele turned ‘Ohi’a into an ugly tree. When Lehua found out she was crushed. She went to Pele and begged her to turn ‘Ohi’a back into a man, but Pele refused. Lehua then went to the gods and asked them to turn ‘Ohi’a back into a man but they could not and so instead they turned Lehua into a flower on the tree of ‘Ohi’a. Because of this, it is said that if you ever pick a flower off the ‘Ohi’a Lehua plant, it will start raining because you separated the lovers and they are crying.

Analysis:

Alisa first heard this story during the second grade when she went on a field trip to the Big Island.  The Ohi’a Lehua plant is usually only found on the big island, so this legend is distinct to them.  It is a fairly common story but more well known to Big Island residents because of its relevance and proximity.  It is also found in many travel brochures and magazines.

The message of this story gives hope.  It tells people that true love will prevail.  When two people love each other, nothing can come in the way between that.  Not even the most powerful goddess or tampered physical appearance because the couple will do anything for each other.  Stories that involve love are very popular tend to be circulated more.  This is apparent in modern day media but also ancient tales.  It provides a feeling of comfort that many can identify with.  These stories are almost addictive because they give a sense of fantasy to humans, which they in turn deem as ideal and long to obtain.

The legend of the ‘Ohi’a Lehua plant has premise in ancient Hawaiian mythology.  This comes as no surprise because mythical Gods and Goddesses are a very common aspect in Hawaiian culture.  Unlike Americans or Europeans, Hawaiians give meaning to objects, creation, and everyday life by relating it back to stories of the Gods. Some of the legends from these Gods have such an impact that they can actually be a basis for government, religion, and science.[1] Legends, myths, and folklore are common to a society but in Hawaiian folklore, it seems to define their culture.  Most Hawaiian mythology has similarities with Polynesian culture, as well as other Pacific islands.

[1] Native Hawaiian http://www.nativehawaii.com/hawaiianlegends.html

Joke

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Maryland
Performance Date: April 2008
Primary Language: English

Joke:

There are these three guys on a road trip driving thru the country.  They run out of gas and get stranded by this farm. They decide to walk to the farm and ask to stay there for the night. They knock on the door and the farmer comes to the door, asking what they want.  They respond “our car broke down and were looking for a place to stay.” The farmer agrees and tells the first guy to go sleep in the pig pan with the pigs.  He tells the second guy to sleep in the barn with the cows. He tells the third to go sleep in the bed with his nine daughters.  The boys all go to their assigned spots and go to sleep. The next morning at breakfast the farmer asks, “How did you all sleep?”  The first guy says, “Man I stink! I feel like a pig”. The second guy says “Man I feel bloated! I feel like a cow”. The farmer then turns to third guy and says “What about you?” He replies, “I feel like a golf ball”. Farmer asks “Whys that?” The guy replies, “How would you feel if you’d been going in and out of 18 holes all night?”

Analysis:

Kahniley heard this joke told when he was at summer camp. It was a day camp for younger kids.  Kahniley was hanging out with some of his friends, going around the circle telling dirty jokes. At first he didn’t get this one because he was still learning about sex in school.  It stuck in his head though and he was able to understand it later.  He likes this joke because it was memorable to him and easy to retell.   The context in which it is performed is a group of kids or younger people. Because it could be viewed as offensive and rude, it was typically told only around males. Usually there were no girls or adults there in case of judgment.

I think this joke is pretty funny. One does have to be a little older to understand it but it is probably best that way.  Unfortunately, these types of jokes are much more popular with tweens and young teenagers.  I do not know many college students that still tell them.  I think it satisfies children’s desire to “be cool” and impress their peers.  Most kids want to be all grown up so they tell these types of jokes to make them seem mature and experienced.  It also enables them to express their repressed desires and fantasies on a canvas which is deemed socially acceptable.

This joke is typical to American society.  We like to arrange things in sequences of three. In our culture, the third time is the charm.  On a multiple choice exam is it is always best to guess the third answer when one is unsure.  Similarly, in American jokes, the third attempt is the punch line.  Before three it is too soon but after three the audience just wants to know what happens. This leads me to infer that this joke is western because not all societies go by three. Native Americans use four representing the four directions on a compass.

Urban Legend – Jamaica

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Maryland
Performance Date: April 2008
Primary Language: English

Jamaican Urban legend

There is a place in Jamaica called Fern Gully.  It is swampland that is supposedly haunted. At night they say that the spirits of people that have died there, like that of slaves, come out and walk through the swamp. They are supposed to be angry spirits because they were poorly treated as slaves.

Analysis:

Kahniley said he would never go to Fern Gully at night. When he was visiting his grandma in Jamaica, she told him this legend as they were driving by it. He was about ten or eleven years old and it immediately scared him. He thinks ghosts are real, so takes the cautions seriously. Although Kahniley doesn’t think its 100% true, he is still too scared to go there and doesn’t understand why anyone would. He hasn’t heard any personal horror stories and even doesn’t know anyone that’s gone there. It is not specified what happens to someone if they do interact with a spirit. The legend of Fern Gully is told more as a cautionary tale from the older to younger people. Most kids wouldn’t tell it between themselves.

The basis of this myth could have developed from Jamaica being one of the first Caribbean places to receive slaves from West Africa. Back in the day, Jamaica had a prevalent slavery culture. The slaves worked in the gully and are thought to come back to haunt it in revenge for all the terrible things that were done to them.  Another possibility is the urban legend being completely fabricated. It could have been created by the British who colonized Jamaica in an attempt to prevent people from going onto the land.

Superstition – Cuban

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

Superstition:

At midnight on New Years Eve, you are supposed to throw a bucket of ice water out of your front door. You are also supposed to eat 13 grapes at the stroke of midnight– for fortune, health and wealth. The number thirteen is for the past twelve months and one extra one for the year to come.

Analysis:

Chris first heard of this superstition when he was little kid, catching onto the Cuban traditions. He was probably around the age of five or six. It is performed only on New Years Eve and one is supposed to have a bucket ready to do this in case he or she is going out. Chris thinks this a cool tradition; he only believes it to a certain extent but still does it every year out of tradition.

I actually spent this past New Years Eve with Chris.  We went to a nice house party in which mostly Cubans were in attendance.  Chris told me all the guests were eating grapes and throwing buckets of water at midnight, although I didn’t notice probably because unaware of its significance.

This tradition has contrasting details compared to other cultures.  The Cubans almost all dump buckets of water out into the street at midnight, which is symbolic of throwing out the dirty water of the past year and starting fresh and clean.  On the contrary, the Chinese consider this extremely bad luck.  They believe that on New Years Day, washing or cleaning anything will actually take away all the good luck that the gods have brought one’s way.  This is an interesting comparison because the two cultures have completely divergent views on the same action.

After researching this superstition, I came across some variations.  Many people are accustomed to eating only twelve grapes.  They wait until exactly 12 pm and eat a grape for each of the next twelve seconds.  Many people don’t actually finish the grapes because it is fairly hard to do with the time constraint.  Furthermore, if one of the grapes is sour, one will have a bad month sometime that following year and if one has a sweet, the corresponding month will also be sweet.  I’m not sure if Chris is aware of this version, but his may be a cognate to his family’s origins.

This superstition seems to be more of a Spanish tradition.  It is believed the tradition dates back many years.  In the olden days of Spain, any large harvest was rare and thus celebrated when it happened.  At the turn of the century, Spain experienced a huge grape harvest.  The king gave all the citizens grapes to eat and the tradition has continued even until today.

Slang – Jamaica

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Maryland
Performance Date: April 2008
Primary Language: English

Jamaican swearing and slang

Bombaclaat

Ass cloth

“Fuck”

Analysis:

Kahniley heard this swear word when he went to Jamaica.  Him and his grandmother were looking for a bus to ride and the bus drivers were drinking and smoking outside their vans.  They would say this phrase to each other but Kahniley didn’t know what it meant.  His grandmother wouldn’t tell him what it meant besides that it was bad so he asked his Jamaican cousin. She explained that it is used as a swear word, to insult people or even just when joking around.

Some people take great offense to this while others say it on a regular basis.  It can translate to the effect of “mother fucker” or “fuck” in American culture.  Some people also translate it as a woman’s bloody tampon, although others disagree with that meaning. Kahniley doesn’t feel like it is as bad as people make it out to be.  However, he wouldn’t use in Jamaica because he’s considered an American there so it would not be appropriate.  He also wouldn’t say it that much in America because it only has context within Jamaica. “Bombaclaat” is also found in a lot of reggae songs, more modern ones though, like Elephant Man and Beenie Man.

I feel like this word has more meaning then just a swear word.  For example, using the word “fuck” in American culture is not considered that bad, but should rather just not be used in certain settings.  For this to be considered really offensive, there has to be an additional interpretation.  Kahniley has the impression that it was worse than saying “you mother fucker”; he said it was more equivalent to calling someone literally a “douche bag”.  Some references said that it is considered so vulgar, that it is banned from being said in certain public areas.  I’m not sure if there is truth behind that claim or even how to investigate it further. I also believe it can be used as an adjective to describe someone.  In one blog it said, “..some bombaclaat kids in our area had nicked a care stereo.”