Category Archives: Folk Beliefs

Soda as Medicine

Text:

The subject informed me that drinking soda could help someone recover from a sore throat or other kind of throat infection.  The subject was told that the carbonation from the soda was deadly to the viruses that cause sore throats, and that therefore, drinking a soda whilst having a sore throat could help them immensely with alleviating the symptoms and giving them some relief from the pain.  Furthermore, they were told that different sodas could benefit them more than other sodas when it comes to sore throats; while sodas like Dr. Pepper and Coke could help somewhat, Sprite and 7-Up helped significantly more, and even could help cure sore throats within a single day.

Context:

The subject, L.D., learned of this cure from their parents, and first learned of it from them when they were young and had a sore throat.  During this time, the subject was told that drinking some soda would be able to help with a sore throat, and that they can have some if they wanted to.  The subject also noted that they were often only given soda during these times when they were young, and that their parents were more lax when it came to them drinking soft drinks and eating junk food when they were sick as compared to when they were healthy.

Interpretation:

It is likely that giving the subject soda when they were a kid was a way for the subject’s parents to provide their child some comfort and support whilst they were sick so that they would be able to feel better whilst being so sick.  Because of their desire to keep their kids from asking for soda more often, the parents likely told them that soda would help with their sore throats so that their kids would only expect them whilst being sick.  They likely also wanted to make sure that their kids had some kind of medication that they could accept that they’d know well, would believe that it would help them, and would be something they would want to drink, as opposed to medication they wouldn’t want. 

Reiki Meets Catholicism

Text: “My mom has been practicing Reiki for a long time. It is an energy healing practice from Japan, also known as hands-on healing. The practitioner places their hands on the patient and uses their own energy and emotion to either detect energy from the patient or transfer energy. My mom does it kind of casually, but she can sense tension and soreness on someone else’s body just by hovering her hands over them. Whenever she knows I’m nervous or tense, she hovers her hands over my shoulders and transfers healing energy into them. I’m not very knowledgeable in Reiki, but it’s a weird thing where you feel warm and tingly in the areas that you’ve had energy transferred into, and the tension does dissolve.” 

Context: My informant – a 21-year-old woman from Los Angeles, California – explained the role Reiki has played in her family and in the relationship she has with her mom. She explained to me that this was something she remembered her mom doing for her whole life, and she cannot doubt the healing power of it because she truly feels that it makes her feel better and it relieves a lot of tension in her mind and body. She went on to explain that her mom is also Catholic and comes from a Mexican family of witches, which she said is a weird mix because in Catholicism, “witchcraft is the Devil’s work.” However, her mom connects her beliefs and cultures because she believes that the healing properties that Jesus had were actually Reiki practices, or some form of it. My informant explained to me that the connection her mom made between Japanese and Mexican culture – along with the role of religion – has shaped her own beliefs regarding Catholicism, and she feels like it has made her feel a bit more connected to her own spirituality.

Analysis: The practice of Reiki within my informant’s family exemplifies a unique blend of cultural beliefs and healing traditions that bridge diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Reiki, originating from Japan as an energy healing practice, has been integrated into my informant’s family dynamics and relationship with her mother as a source of comfort and healing. Her approach to Reiki reflects a personal and intuitive understanding of energy healing, where she uses her own energy and emotion to detect and alleviate tension and soreness in others. This hands-on approach to healing underscores the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit within Reiki practice.

What stands out is my informant’s mother’s ability to reconcile her Catholic faith with her practice of Reiki, despite potential religious tensions associated with practices labeled as “witchcraft.” By interpreting Jesus’ healing miracles as akin to Reiki principles, her mother synthesizes elements of Japanese and Mexican culture with her Catholic beliefs, creating a unique and deeply personal spiritual perspective. For my informant, witnessing her mother’s integration of Reiki into her family’s spiritual and healing practices has shaped her own beliefs and sense of spirituality. The blending of cultural influences and healing traditions fosters a sense of connection to her heritage and spirituality, providing a holistic framework that embraces both diversity and personal growth.

An Auspicious Day

Text: “An Indian superstition I grew up hearing is the belief in starting a new job or aspiration on a Monday or a Wednesday. I think the superstition somehow stems from Vaastu, which is Indian astrology. It involves adding up the numbers of a date to check if they correspond to a number considered lucky for that individual. For example, if the date was 04/21/24, then you would add up all the individual digits in that date: 4 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4. Those numbers add up to 13, and if 13 is one of that individuals lucky birth numbers, then it is auspicious to start your work or your personal journey on that date. Typically, my family would choose Mondays or Wednesdays to commence new endeavors.”

Context: My informant – a 23-year-old man from Bangalore, India – explained this superstition to me that was passed down to him by his parents. It involves calculating the numerical value of a chosen date by adding up its digits and checking if the resulting number corresponds to a lucky birth number for the individual. If the number is indeed a match to that lucky number, then starting work or embarking on a personal journey on that date is considered favorable according to this belief system. This cultural tradition reflects the importance of astrology and numerology in Indian customs, where specific dates and days are believed to have varying levels of auspiciousness based on these calculations. My informant’s family tradition of choosing Mondays or Wednesdays for new endeavors highlights the continuity of such beliefs across generations within Indian families. While my informant said he isn’t entirely of the belief that this superstition carries much weight, he said that the importance of it to his family is the reason why he tends to begin his own work or personal journeys on Mondays or Wednesdays. 

Analysis: In exploring this Indian superstition, I was struck by the profound cultural and familial significance embedded within this belief system. The practice of choosing specific days, such as Mondays or Wednesdays, to commence new endeavors reflects a deeply rooted tradition shaped by astrology and numerology in Indian customs. My informant’s account underscores the intergenerational transmission of folklore and the enduring influence of family traditions. Despite personal reservations about the superstition’s efficacy, my informant continues to honor this practice out of respect for familial customs. This highlights the complex interplay between personal beliefs and cultural heritage, illustrating how folklore serves as a conduit for preserving and passing down cultural values across generations.

The superstition’s association with Vaastu, a form of Indian astrology, adds another layer of cultural depth, emphasizing the importance of harmonizing personal actions with cosmic energies for auspicious outcomes. By aligning with astrological beliefs about favorable planetary influences, individuals seek to enhance their chances of success and prosperity in their endeavors. Furthermore, my informant’s adherence to this superstition reflects broader cultural values of interconnectedness with the cosmos and the belief in personal agency within larger cosmic forces. The choice of auspicious days for new beginnings symbolizes a desire to harness positive energies and navigate life’s challenges in alignment with cosmic rhythms. It highlights the enduring significance of traditional beliefs and practices in shaping individual choices and perspectives, underscoring the rich tapestry of cultural heritage embedded within Indian folklore and the broader cultural landscape.

A Spoon Under A Pillow

Text: “As a kid, me and all my classmates believed in this superstition where if we put a spoon under our pillow before we went to bed, it would mean that school was canceled for a snow day. It was pretty common in Colorado when snow was forecast; everyone would sleep with a spoon facing upwards so that it would essentially “catch” enough snow so that school administrators would call for a snow day in the morning.”

Context: My informant – a 22-year-old man from Monument, Colorado – told me about this superstition that he recalled being very prominent among school children in the place where he grew up. He explained to me that this was something young kids began to believe in from the moment they began their education, and it became a habit for children to sleep with a spoon under their pillow when it was forecast to snow because they wanted to somehow manifest a heavy snowfall so that school would be canceled the following day. I asked him if this was a superstition people continued to believe in, and he said that the majority of people stopped placing spoons under their pillows around the time they moved into high school, but it was and is still talked about among older age groups. He said that he learned this superstition from his older siblings and he began to copy their action of sleeping with a spoon under their heads; however, he explained that it was a superstition that somehow was just ingrained in every child’s mind where he grew up. 

Analysis: The superstition of placing a spoon under the pillow to bring about a snow day reveals interesting insights into the values and beliefs prevalent among school children in Colorado. This tradition reflects a desire for unexpected freedom and a break from the routine of school. By engaging in this ritual, children sought to exert a sense of control over external circumstances, hoping to influence the weather and prompt school administrators to cancel classes. At a deeper level, this superstition highlights the significance of community and shared beliefs among children. My informant’s recollection of this practice being widespread among classmates underscores the social aspect of folklore, where beliefs and rituals are passed down and collectively embraced within peer groups. This shared experience fosters a sense of unity among children, reinforcing their connection to each other and their environment.

Additionally, the eventual decline in the belief of this superstition as children transitioned into high school reflects the evolving nature of folklore and belief systems over time. As individuals mature and gain new perspectives, certain childhood rituals may fade away, yet the memory and discussion of such superstitions continue to resonate among older age groups, illustrating the enduring impact of childhood folklore on personal and collective memory. The superstition also reflects the anticipation and enjoyment associated with snow days in regions like Colorado, where heavy snowfall can disrupt daily routines. The superstition serves as a playful manifestation of the shared desire for spontaneous joy and temporary relief from academic responsibilities, embodying the cultural value of embracing the unexpected and finding delight in communal traditions.

Theatre Pre-Performance Ritual for RENT

Main Piece

“[This ritual] is very common: the whole team tapping a sign before a game. In RENT, we have a plaque hand-carved by Jonathan Larson’s uncle that he carved when he died that his sister gave us. She came in and talked to our cast, and her and his college roommates gave us this plaque for the duration of our show. And it’s this big hand-carved plaque that says “Thank you, Jonathan Larson” on it. It’s hung up backstage, and after our group circle, we all have to go up to it one by one [before every performance] and like, place our hands on it and thank him before we go onstage to perform…Really simple, but we all do it and constantly remind each other of it and it’s really important to our cast.

Some of us like, if we’re feeling especially emotional, will literally sit in front of it and cry. I’m so serious, I’ve done that, ’cause Jonathan Larson is really important to me.”

Interpretation

Informant Interpretation: Informant related ritual to common sports team rituals of tapping a specific sign for luck or protection before a game. They also mentioned that the pre-RENT performance tapping of the sign was a means of “community building” and enabled cast members to “ground themselves” and “remind themselves about why they’re doing this piece of art.”

Personal Interpretation: This is clearly an important tradition to the informant and their cast, furthered by the subject matter of RENT (queer people living in NYC during the HIV/AIDS crisis) and fact that its creator, Jonathan Larson, died one day before the musical’s original opening in 1996. The sign is a physicalized reminder of the humanity and weight the show carries, and gives the cast members a material way to remember the real people it’s grounded in before going onstage. To me, it sounds like tapping this sign is a ritualized remembrance of the responsibility to tell and represent an important, nuanced story to the audience, and for the cast to honor the people around them–cast, crew, relatives, friends, and more–as well as the source of the art they’re bringing into the light.

Background

Informant is a 21 year old college student studying theatre at USC. The performance of RENT mentioned happened this semester, with rehearsals running January-April and performances in April. It was put on by the USC School of Dramatic Arts–informant performed in the ensemble for all performances. Informant is mixed race (white and Pacific Islander), and identifies as queer and fem-presenting.