Category Archives: Magic

Ritual actions engaged in to effect changes in the outside world.

Cracked Mirrors in New Orleans

Text:

Interviewee: “I’ve just heard that cracked mirrors are bad, and they look scary.”

“Can you tell me about it, please?”

Interviewee: “There’s a lot of mirrors in New Orleans. With lots of, like, strange patterns of glass.

“Why?”

Interviewee: “I mean, New Orleans is a funky place.”

“But, like, what’s the belief around the cracked mirrors?”

Interviewee: “People think that they (the cracked mirrors) can trap, slash, distort your spirit, like, your reflection isn’t fully you.”

“But why are they funky looking?”

Interviewee: “Why is the mirror funky?”

“Yeah.”

Interviewee: “I mean, I guess they’re eerie because of how locals, locals believe in like Louisiana voodoo. They can be seen as portals between the living. You could get stuck inside a mirror. I have no idea why that ties to why they are like different colors and different shapes in New Orleans, but it definitely has to do with the culture.”

Context:

The interviewee was originally born in Mississippi and has an apartment in New Orleans with his family. They go to the city often. He is a white male aged 22-23.

This conversation comes from a discussion about local beliefs in New Orleans, a place known for its strong cultural traditions and spiritual practices. Cracked or decorative mirrors are seen all over New Orleans, so the interviewee is trying to explain ideas they’ve heard about mirrors.

Analysis:

This is an example of belief-based folklore related to mirrors. The idea that cracked mirrors can trap or distort the soul reflects a magic superstition, where an object is believed to have power over a person’s spirit. In places like New Orleans, ideas about spirits and the afterlife are culturally significant, reflecting the culture.

Overall, the “funky” or eerie appearance of the mirrors adds to their perceived power, blending design with spiritual meaning.

Cursed Objects on an Arizona Reservation

Text:

Interviewee: “When I was on the reservation, one of the days instead of helping out on the farm and like with the water and everything, they took us to this canyon that was like two hours away.

That’s where we saw those drawings on the mountainsides from the Hopi and earlier groups, and there were also a bunch of houses that were like hundreds of years old.

They also had this thing where a lot of the objects there were kind of like cursed, but only if certain conditions were met. Like, we found some arrowheads in the ground, and we were allowed to pick them up and look at them. But they said if you took them out of the canyon or away from where they were found, you’d basically be cursed and could even die.

It reminded me of how in Hawaii they say if you take rocks from volcanoes you get bad luck. It was kind of like that, on the reservation they said if you tried to take anything off of the reservation, you’d be cursed.

They also had a lot of rules that mainly applied depending on whether you were Native or not. Like, they said there were certain things you can’t do if you’re not Native. There was one example where some of the objects we could hold as non-Native people, but they wouldn’t touch them because they said they would get extremely bad luck. Like one of the arrowheads, none of the Native people were allowed to touch it because it had some kind of history with them, but since we had no relation to it, we were fine.

But then there were other things where we weren’t allowed to touch them or take them home at all, because we as non-Natives don’t really understand the significance.”

Context:

The interviewee was on a service trip to Arizona with school peers. He is a white man aged 18.

During this service trip, he went on a visit to a reservation where the interviewee was spending time with a local community in Arizona and learning about the land, its history, and its cultural practices. The canyon visit included exposure to ancient sites connected to groups like the Hopi, as well as interaction with physical artifacts such as arrowheads. The beliefs about curses and rules around touching objects were explained directly by community members, especially in relation to whether someone was Native or not.

Analysis:

This is an example of material folklore. The idea that objects become dangerous or “cursed” only when removed reflects a magic superstition, where specific actions (like taking an object off the land) trigger consequences. These beliefs discourage people from removing artifacts and help protect culturally and historically significant sites.

The distinction between what Native and non-Native people can or cannot touch shows that meaning and rules depend on identity, relationship to the object, and cultural knowledge. The belief that some objects carry history that affects certain groups differently highlights how folklore is tied to ancestry and cultural connection. Folklore in this story regulates behavior, preserves respect for the land, and reinforces boundaries around cultural understanding and ownership.

Wishing on an Eyelash (Top or Bottom Fingers)

Age: 38
Hometown: Menlo Park, CA
Location: N/A

Context:
I learned this from my mom. She learned it as a child but doesn’t remember exactly where she got it from. She does remember that is was a common thing among her peers and they would all do it to each other.

Content:
Interviewer: “What do you do when you find an eyelash?”

Interviewee: “So you have to take the eyelash and you put it between your pointer finger and your thumb and hold it together and then you lift up your pointer finger and your thumb in whichever side the eyelashes on well.

Interviewer: “Why do you do that?”

Interviewee: “You’re supposed to guess which side first before you do that, and then if it lands on the side where you guess top or bottom then your wish will come true, and then you can blow it to make the wish.”

Analysis:
This is act is a form of everyday folklore and superstition, where a small ritual gives meaning to a random event. It has spread through peer groups, especially children, and has been passed down through generations like it has in my family. This also feels like something kids do together, which makes it more about bonding and sharing than just the wish itself. Overall, it shows how people take something simple and turn it into a meaningful moment, even if they don’ fully believe it will work.


Itch Saying Folklore

Age: 39
Hometown: Enid, Oklahoma
Location: Oklahoma

Context:
My dad was born and raised in Oklahoma and often heard these phrases from older family members and friends.

Content:
“If nose is itching someone’s thinking about you”

and

“If palms are itching you’re about to get some money”

Analysis:
These sayings show how people try to turn random body sensations into signs of something bigger, especially things they care about like money or relationships. The idea that an itchy nose means someone is thinking about you or that itchy palms are a signal that money is incoming, reflects a relationship between the body and external outcomes.

The short and memorable nature of these phrases allows for them to be passed down through generations. The fact that they also seem to be regionally specific to Oklahoma highlight that certain beliefs are more common in specific areas due to demographics such as race, class, and gender.

Shoes, Bad Luck, and Disrespect

Age: 19
Greenwich, CT
Location: N/A

Context: My friend brought this up when I was talking to her about specific things our families do/believe in. She is originally from Connecticut but now lives in Los Angeles to attend USC. She informed me that this belief was taught to her by her parents and assumes that it might be a part of her Indian heritage.

Content:
Interviewer: “Can you explain to me what you were mentioning about your shoes and their significance?”

Interviewee: “This is something that I saw my parents do growing up. I’m not sure really if it’s a culture thing or just maybe respect thing, but I was always taught that when you’re sitting down to always point your feet at the ground like the bottom of your foot.

For example, I’m sitting down and crossing my legs, the leg that is crossed over should not be pointing at anyone like the bottom of my shoe should not be facing the person next to me or like facing upwards.”

Interviewer: “When you were taught this as a kid, did your parents explicitly tell you why the bottoms of your shoes shouldn’t be facing anyone?”

Interviewee: “I think this is just a sign of disrespect, but also just know bad energy that’s just being put out towards another person.”

Analysis:
This belief functions as a folk custom that reinforces ideas of respect in everyday interactions. The bottom of the shoe becomes a marker of impurity and negativity, so pointing it at someone communicates disrespect or bad energy. Even without a clear origin, the rule seems to be learned through observation and then repetition on the observer’s part. This shows how cultural values are often transmitted implicitly through families. Overall, it reflects how folklore shapes body language and social etiquette by attaching morality to ordinary actions such as crossing your legs.