Author Archives: Tiffany Chang

Superstition – Hawaii

Nationality: White
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Oahu, HI
Performance Date: May 2007
Primary Language: English

Never take pork over the Pali.

Jillian grew up with the Hawaiian culture and accepts most of the superstitions that they believe.  She learned countless superstitions from her classmates that are all tied with various myths and legends involving gods of the island.  She explains the Pali as a windy mountain pass and cliff area in Oahu, Hawaii that connects to the other side of the island.  She says that it is known to never take pork over the Pali; nobody dares to bring it across because of the fatal consequences that could happen.  She heard a story that somebody once ate spam and crashed his care while driving over the Pali.  Even bringing pork in one’s stomach can be considered as taking pork over the pass, yet some people do not believe that carrying pork in one stomach is considered as bringing it over.  In any case, this high cliff area is an ideal place for people to have many accidents, and bringing pork over increases may risks including death.

Pork is a staple in Hawaiian cuisine.  Because any transportation of this popular meat is restricted, it is obvious that it is important to the Hawaiians to stick to these superstitions.  Even though most people will want pork, they are willing to give up an essential food to secure their safety while crossing the Pali.  Hawaiians often believe in the ancient superstitions, even if they do not know why.  It is similar to American superstitions such as “Never walk under a ladder.”  People do not know why they should not walk under a ladder, but it is just an action that people choose not to do.  These accepted superstitions are very common in Hawaiian culture and are followed so that they do not get any bad luck.  Luck is an indispensable part of the superstitions that they have, in which their actions revolve around pleasing the gods of the islands.  In Hawaii, the superstitions are very clear.  Most of the people do not dare to test the waters and see if it is really true, yet there is the superstition to blame if anything goes wrong while crossing.

Proverb/Superstition – Korean

Nationality: Korean-American
Age: 17
Occupation: Student
Residence: Glendora, CA
Performance Date: May 2007
Primary Language: Korean
Language: English

Don’t give shoes as a gift, or else the person will leave you.

Jaywon first heard this phrase from her mother, who has always told her not to give shoes as a gift.  She says that giving shoes to somebody will cause them to walk away from you.  She also says that the giving of shoes is like giving them feet to leave.

This proverb has turned into a superstition, which is why it is listed as both.  Though it originates as a proverb, it is also a superstition.  It has become wrong to give somebody shoes or else it will cause the bad luck of them leaving you.  The stereotype is that Korean women are known to be submissive and the Korean men are known to be controlling.  It is understandable that the Korean women do not want their husbands to leave them, especially if they are dutiful to their husbands.  Thus, a mother tells her daughter to never have her husband leave her.  This action can be avoided by never giving shoes as a present.

This proverb originated as Korean, but being a second-generation Korean-American, Jaywon retold it in English.  It is a proverb because it expresses a truth and is popularly said and repeated in the Korean culture.  Proverbs are a part of folklore because they are widely known across a particular culture and spread from generation to generation.  A mother teaching her daughter about being subservient through proverbs is a very common way for proverbs to be passed down.  The practicality and ease of the proverb makes it very easy to keep in the culture.  Also, the use of proverbs is a way to teach younger generations about the culture and the way that one is supposed to act.  The Korean culture is very traditional and follows these proverbs as rules.  The Koreans, like many other cultures, have their own proverbs and superstitions of how to avoid bad luck. Simple tasks such as avoiding shoes as gifts are easy ways to ensure good luck and a prosperous life.

Game

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 10
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Gabriel, CA
Performance Date: May 2007
Primary Language: English

When the designated “Simon” says “Simon says” before a command, then the people have to do it.  If he or she simply says the command and the people follow, then they lose the game.  The person who can follow the rules best wins the game.

Victoria plays this game in her elementary school and first learned it from her Kindergarten school teacher.  She says that they played the game every week and the teacher was always “Simon.”  She says that it is a fun game and that the meaning of the game is to win the game.

Since Victoria is only a 10-year-old, her interpretation of this game was simply to win.  The motives of elementary school students show that they do not see any more to a game than a winner and a loser.  She learned this game from a very young age, demonstrating that the spread of folk games start from a very young age in American culture.  Even from grade school, all the teachers teach it to their students in order for them to settle down and concentrate on one thing.  This game could have been created to increase the students’ ability to follow directions.  In order to teach discipline, games such as these and the “silent game” are taught from young. The silent game is not actually a game but a way to convince students to be quiet.  These virtues are taught to children and converted into a game so that the children will obey.  By making following directions fun, grade school teachers can trap their students to listening to them.

The “Simon says” game designates a person to be “Simon,” which is the person in charge of the group.  By having an authority for the rest of the group to listen to, this game creates a hierarchy with the students on the bottom and the teacher at the top.  Learning this game is both educational and fun for the children, especially because it revolves around such a simple idea.

Proverb – Chinese

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Pasadena, CA
Performance Date: May 2007
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

Chinese:          ?   ?   ?? ?   ?   ?

Literal Translation:   to have        will          things     will      succeed

Carolyn first heard this quote from a Chinese drama that uses many of these proverbs to convey a positive message.  It was during a scene in a traditional setting between a mother and a daughter, when the daughter was leaving the city to find work.  She says that this is a very powerful proverb that shows that if you put your heart into something, you will achieve your goals.  She further explains this proverb as a way for the adults to teach their children to stick to their goals.

Although Carolyn is a bilingual Asian-American, she was embarrassed to know this proverb from a Chinese drama.  The spread of Asian culture through the media is a very popular to communicate certain messages.  This proverb is similar to the English proverb that “if there is a will, then there is a way.”  The similarity of the cultures between two completely separate countries shows that ideals are often consistent.  The Chinese value hard work and have these proverbs to show that it will all pay off in the end.  Strong willed people will help them succeed.

The Chinese and American culture both emphasize the importance of working hard.  The Chinese have a similar “American Dream” in that they strive for a better life through ambition and struggles.  Therefore, an Asian-American learning proverbs such as these is very practical because it shows the bringing over of Chinese value into American society.  Asian-Americans are very ambitious because they have these ideals and also have the opportunity to put them into use.  Being a second generation Asian-American, Carolyn learned from her parents that hard work pays off.  Short phrases such as these are commonly heard from parents who wish for their children to succeed.

Superstition – Chinese/Korean

Nationality: Korean-American
Age: 17
Occupation: Student
Residence: Glendora, CA
Performance Date: May 2007
Primary Language: Korean
Language: English

Don’t stick utensils vertically into your food.

Jaywon learned this superstition from her parents while growing up.  As she went to school with other Asian children, she also learned that it is known across the Asian culture to never stick the utensil directly into the food.  Her mother said that this superstition started with never sticking chopsticks into the rice, but after she came to America, the superstition was converted.  The chopsticks became any utensil used and the rice became any food eaten.  Jaywon says that sticking chopsticks directly into the rice is inviting death to the table.  In some funerals, the chopsticks in the rice symbolize an offering and is put on the alter of the shrine.

The Chinese culture has many superstitions about death and luck.  In this belief, avoiding putting the utensils in the food is also a sign of good manners at the table.  By improving one’s etiquette and shunning death from the table, this proverb shows much popularity in the culture.  Although the ceremonial sticking chopsticks in rice during funerals is not very common now, the action is now considered rude.  Anybody who does it is looked down on and taught not to do otherwise.  The Chinese are very traditional in their manners and are very respectful of one another.  Respecting their ancestors is also very important to them; the tradition to stick the chopsticks in the rice on the ancestral shrine is an old sacred ceremony that should not be imitated at the table.  The Chinese revolve much of their culture around food, so it is expected that there are many superstitions about avoiding death at the dinner table.  Because of this, the action of sticking any utensil into one’s food is both bad luck and bad manners, a combination that any Chinese would want to stay away from.

Annotation: This superstition was found in Deborah Steinborn’s “Cross-Cultural Training Gains,” in the Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Apr 4, 2007. Retreived from Proquest database.