Author Archives: Andria Toloraia

A Georgian Beginning to a Fairy Tale

Interviewer: How did you start the fairy tales you used to tell me as a kid? 

TK: I’m disappointed that you can’t remember. The same as everyone, I heard it as a kid from my mom, and the way she heard it from hers. Every story i remember my mom or my grandma telling me started exactly like this.

Translation:

“A tale of things that were and things that were not.” 

Original:

“იყო და არა იყო რა”

Context:

The informant is my mother, who grew up in Georgia. She recites a common Georgian introduction to a fairytale.

Analysis:

Every language has its own version of this opening formula. This is the Georgian variation of the common “once upon a time” trope. It creates an environment where the story is told. Once the phrase is said, the story is about to begin. Additionally, it creates a sense of liminality to communicate that the story lies somewhere between reality and make-believe. We see characteristic attributes of oral folklore such as intergenerational transmission of vernacular tradition.

A Georgian home remedy for the flu

Interviewer: Do you have any special healing practices in your family? 

NJ: Yes. My grandma used to wrap garlic cloves in bread, put a little honey on them, and feed them to me to protect me from the flu.

Interviewer: I can’t decide if that sounds delicious or disgusting to me.

NJ: Oh, believe me, the honey didn’t help. It was still mostly garlic.

Interviewer: When was the last time she fed you this medicine? 

NJ: Not in a long time because I’ve learned how to say no to her, but she continues to try.

Context:

The informant is 22 years old and lives in Tbilisi, Georgia. The conversation was recorded over a video call. He lives in a large home with his parents, two brothers, and his grandma. 

Analysis:

This is an example of folk medicine. This preventative home remedy is meant to protect from the illness. In this case, the grandmother acts as a tradition-bearer and a domestic healer within this large household. The remedy uses ordinary home ingredients such as honey, bread, and garlic, which are common in folk medicine. The remedy has a performance of sorts associated with it. It is always fed by hand from the healer to the receiver. In this way we can think of this simple practice as a caregiving ritual performed by the elder woman of the household.

Don’t Whistle Inside The House

Interviewer: Is there anything you used to tell me as a kid that you inherited from your family? 

TK: Sure, I used to tell you that you shouldn’t whistle inside the house. Do you remember?

Interviewer: Oh yes, I do. I never understood the logic behind that one.

TK: Neither did I. I guess I was told this so many times as a kid myself that it developed into a habit. 

Interviewer: Wow, I could have been a whistling prodigy if it wasn’t for you. 

TK: Sure you could have, sweetie. It’s never too late. 

Interviewer: To tell you the truth, I used to secretly whistle all over the house when you weren’t at home. 

TK: Funny, I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. 

Interviewer: What do you think is the logic behind this belief? 

TK: I think it has to do with upsetting house ghosts, but I can’t be sure. My grandma told me once, but I forgot.

Context: 

This conversion happened with my mother over a phone call. She grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia. This rule was passed down to her from her mother and grandmother. She doesn’t believe in the rule, but anytime I whistle inside the house to this day, she gives me the stern “stop that” glance. 

Analysis: 

This is an example of a household superstition. This taboo against indoor whistling is common in Georgia to this day. Whistling taboo is a good example of intergenerational transmission where the taboo is passed down throughout generations. One interesting detail is that the rule is enforced even if the original motivation behind it gets lost. The habit that forms through customary repetition regulates behavior and connects generations.

A Georgian Good Luck Superstition

Interviewer: What is something you do for good luck?

MK: Well, whenever you see a new moon, you must take a large banknote and show it to the moon. I was taught this by my grandpa when I was younger, and it’s supposed to bring good luck for the following month.

Interviewer: How exactly do you show money to the moon?

MK: Well, you take the note out of your wallet, unfold it, and tell the new moon to bring you wealth and prosperity in the following month. 

Interviewer: Has this practice brought you good luck in the past? 

MK: Well, I don’t know if I fully believe it, but it can’t hurt to try, I suppose. 

Context:

The informant is my grandfather, and the conversation was recorded during a walk in the park. He currently lives in Georgia, where he grew up. He is a secular person and does not allow many superstitions for himself but continues to perform small rituals such as this one that he inherited from his family. 

analysis:

This is an example of folk belief meant to bring good luck. The new moon is a marker for a transitional period. Prosperity-oriented traditions often are performed during transitional periods to break a pattern. The moon functions as a symbolic force that connects lunar cycles to economic cycles. This practice can additionally be read as sympathetic magic. The idea of “like produces like” is apparent. Showing money to the new moon will attract more money in the following month.

JJ DID TIE BUCKLE

Interviewer: What phrases are a part of your life that most people would find interesting or strange? 

S: Yes, I’d do it. It’s from my time as a marine. Have you heard the acronym JJ DID TIE BUCKLE?

Interviewer: What does it stand for? 

S: It’s a mnemonic to remember the 14 essential leadership traits. 

Interviewer: Would you be willing to name them?

S: Oh yeah, here we go: Justice, judgment, dependability, initiative, decisiveness. Tact, integrity, enthusiasm, bearing, unselfishness, courage Knowledge Loyalty Endurance

Interviewer: Wow, do you use this a lot in your life?

S: Whenever I need to remind myself of these values. The mnemonic really helps, and it’s a great thing current and past Marines can bond over. God knows we’ve all had to repeat this thing countless times. 

Context: 

The informant is a student at the University of Southern California. Before starting his undergraduate education, he served in the United States Marine Corps. 

Analysis:

This acronym is a marker of group identity. It teaches the members of the group where it is practiced about what values they are expected to internalize. In this form, folklore can communicate moral instructions. The phrase has both formal and informal qualities, which heightens its ability to act as a bonding object. The informant continues to use this acronym during times of need even in his civilian life. Although “JJ DID TIE BUCKLE” comes from a formal institution, it becomes folklore through repeated performance and insider recognition.