Category Archives: Folk Beliefs

Apples & Honey: Jewish New Year Ritual

Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
Language: English

Informant Information:

Age: 63

Date of Performance: 2/18/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text:

“Both my parents were Jewish, and at the new year—which, in Judaism, is a holiday in the fall when apples are in season—you cut apple slices, dip them in honey, and that will give you a sweet, prosperous new year.”

Context:

The informant, a California native from a fully Jewish background, grew up celebrating the Jewish New Year with her parents.

Analysis:

Eating apples dipped in honey is a Jewish tradition during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Their round shape symbolizes the cyclical nature of the year, while the honey’s sweetness represents hopes for a prosperous and joyful future.

Before eating, participants often recite a blessing expressing their wish for a “sweet new year,” reinforcing the ritual’s symbolic nature. For the informant’s family, this ritual was a celebration of their Jewish identity and means of passing down traditions to future generations. The timing, coinciding with apple season in the fall, also reflects the natural alignment between cultural customs and the regional produce available in California.

Fox Window Hand Sign

Age: 20


Date of performance: 2/22/25


Nationality: Chinese


Occupation: Student


Primary Language: Chinese & English


Residence: United States

Context:

The interviewee believes that the hand sign provides a window for the user to see someone close that’s deceased. They originally heard it from other kids while growing up. Despite this knowledge, and influence as a kid growing up, they have never tried the hand sign as a result of superstition. This superstition stems from the fact that they believe that if it’s done incorrectly, the dead will haunt them instead. According to them, they believe that its origins stem from Japan. Furthermore, this concept is also seen in general throughout Asian Literature

Analysis:

I found this concept to be interesting as I feel like I’ve heard of this hand sign before in media. Despite having a faint memory of previous references, I’ve never encountered one with a concept such as this one and its connection to a dead loved one. I feel like I’ve naturally heard of ones with similar ideas that are all connected to some vision of the dead. Much like my interviewee’s interpretation, I’ve heard of one that serves as a lens to the world of the dead in general, with the consequences serving from staring at the ghosts or certain animals.

Mexican Fork – Joke

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Undergraduate Student at the University of Southern California
Residence: Icon Plaza Apartments in Los Angeles, CA
Language: Chinese

Text:

Use your “Mexican Fork”

Context:

“Sometimes, when my family is eating food–and of course we are using chopsticks–someone will try to pick up something difficult to balance with their chopsticks, and we’ll tell them to use their ‘Mexican fork’… aka their hand. Our grandpa used to say it all the time. It is a little… uh… race-y so we only ever say it around family.”

Analysis:

The performer is a 3rd generation Chinese-American, and their grandfather came to America (specifically Lousiana) as a teenager around the 50s. This joke is interesting because it has an America-centered perspective. After all, the default eating utensil is a fork. By saying Mexican “fork” instead of “eating utensil”, it implies that the Chinese “fork” is a chopstick while, in this case, the Mexican “fork” is one’s hands. This could be heavily influenced by the American go-to utensils being spoon and fork and is an interesting reflection of their grandfather’s assimilation into the American folk culture. Additionally, it’s interesting that the performer prefaced that the joke is controversial and only said it in private as it reflects the attitude around the saying changing to be less acceptable over the past 7 decades.

Parking Karma

Age – 18
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Bay Area, California

Text: When the informant is looking for a parking spot in a crowded area, she says “parking karma” repeatedly. She learned this from their mom when they were younger and would ride in the car with her. Their mom would say it whenever they were trying to find parking, believing it would help bring good luck.

Context: “I always do this whenever I have to find parking so I can manifest a good spot.” “It’s a superstition that my mom taught me and it works most of the time.”

Analysis: The “parking karma” phrase is a small ritual that helps the informant stay positive in a stressful situation. Saying it gives her hope when finding parking in order to also be less frustrated. The fact that it was passed down from her mom makes it more than just a habit and connected to her family. It can also be used in stressful times when parking lots are more on the busier side and saying this brings hope and positivity to the situation.

Italian cross tradition

Age: 20
Language: English

My roommate comes from Italian heritage, and he wears a cross necklace everyday. The cross has an added horn on top of it. He got it from his Grandma, who told him that the horn wards off the “evil eye.” His grandma believes that if you wear the cross with the horn, certain people can’t look at you and curse you. This could’ve come from a belief that religion will save you from certain people. A small tradition like this probably added to the comfort of italians who were scared of different people who weren’t native to that area.