Category Archives: Folk Beliefs

Superstition – USA

Nationality: American
Age: 51
Occupation: Director of Interactive TV
Residence: New York, NY
Performance Date: February 26, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: French

Superstition—USA

“When pregnant, you must not physically change your house, set up any furniture, or otherwise alter any room in preparation for your child.  You may have things ordered or purchased, but nothing can be set up or altered for the baby’s arrival.”
Nancy told me that she first learned this superstition when she was pregnant with her first child in 1987.  She was nervous over the whole process and her only prayer was that she would give birth to a healthy child.  She recalls a phone conversation with her mother Elaine Lieberman, living in St. Louis, Missouri who informed her of a Midwestern folk belief that her mother told her when she was pregnant with Nancy.  She was careful in her instructions; nothing in the house should be changed, and she should do no renovation or other alteration for the baby.  As Nancy described her conversation with her mother; “this was a jinx to the pregnancy and could complicate it, or god-forbid, otherwise affect it.”  She went on to state that things could be purchased or ordered form a store, but nothing was to be set up nor  were any physical accommodations to be made to any room in the house.  Nancy says that she did not ask questions and went along with the superstition.  Nancy can’t express how thankful she was that the pregnancy went smoothly.  Of course, she followed the same superstition in giving birth to her two other children, both pregnancies went very well she is overjoyed to report.

This is a terrific example of folk superstition.  Though we know that Elaine heard it from her mother and thus it can be traced back to the Midwest, we will never know the true origin with certainty.  Strangely enough, there are several “jinx” based folk superstitions very similar to this one.  While I was in high school in Scarsdale, New York, the school-wide superstition for those waiting to hear back from colleges was that they could not wear any paraphernalia from any of the schools that they wanted to get into or they would get rejected.  People could buy or order hats, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. from the schools of their choice (they frequently did this after visiting the gift shop on a college tour), but could not wear it until they had officially got in.  I know I refused to wear anything “USC” until I was officially accepted as not to jinx my fate.  It is interested recognize the similarities between these two folk superstitions.  We will never know if they are the results of two cognates that were created in two different places and evolved differently, or if the superstition really comes from the Midwest but spread and evolved into a different form as it traveled to the east coast.

Folk Medicine – Transylvania

Nationality: American
Age: 52
Occupation: Real Estate Developer
Residence: New York, NY
Performance Date: April 1, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Hebrew, Chinese, Russian

Remedy—Transylvania
“Ocean and Sea water have special healing and curative powers.”

Philip informed me that he learned this folk remedy from his grandfather Adolph Katz, who was born and raised in the mountains of Transylvania, what is present day Rumania.  Perhaps it was because Pop (as Philip referred to him) was born in the mountains, he believed that the oceans and seas (he was familiar with the Black Sea and the Mediterranean especially) had mystical curative powers.  Philip used to travel with him every morning and they would walk along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean at Jones Beach, and Adolph would make sure that Philip’s feet were in the water.  He would also make sure that Philip scooped ocean water into his hands and “snorted” it up his nose—especially if he had any type of cold or cough.  Through Adolph’s eyes, this was sure to clean out the throat and nasal passageway.
This is a great example of a folk remedy because there has been no proven scientific research that seawater or ocean water can cure individuals of their illnesses.  However, through what his family and members of his community in Transylvania told and showed him, snorting such water was an assured way to be cured through the eyes of Adolph Katz.  It is a form of folk medicine both because it is only believed to be true and because it isn’t written anywhere in any popular medical publications, but has been passed down through word of mouth.

Folk Belief – Thailand

Nationality: Thai
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Bangkok, Thailand
Performance Date: April 21, 2008
Primary Language: Thai (laotian)
Language: English

Belief—Thailand

“People who have long earlobes live long, fulfilling lives.”

Ben told me that he first learned this belief from his aunt when he was 6 years old.  He was living in his hometown of Bangkok at the time.  He informed me that this is a very common belief amongst his friends and family.  While it may have Thai origins, the belief itself, has Buddhist roots.  Ben has extensive knowledge of Buddhism.  He is an avid Buddhist and event spent a small portion of his life studying to become a Buddhist monk.  At age 12, he studied the religion at a temple outside of Bangkok.  He lived this way for almost an entire year, abiding by a strict code of rules and conduct. He says it was a great experience and it helped him gain a more profound understanding of the religion.

The theory behind this folk belief comes from Siddhartha Gautama (a.k.a. Buddha) himself.  Because worshipping Buddha and his teachings have resulted in an abundance of statues, paintings, and other forms of decorative art, Buddhists pay particular attention to his physical appearance.  In virtually every representation, he is shown with these great big drooping earlobes.  As a result, Buddhists have come to believe that massive earlobes is an indicator that an individual is destined to have a strong, prolonged existence.  Ben informed me that there are some who believe that Buddha is depicted this way because it was and is a sign of royalty and power to wear earrings that stretch one’s earlobes.  This theory however, is not nearly as common.  Ben told me that his entire family sees earlobes as an important indicator of the length of an individual’s life.  His older brother was born with enormous earlobes so his family is always praising this physical trait and telling him to cherish the gift he was born with.  This belief is a unique example of folklore because it is extremely common amongst Buddhists—many wouldn’t know that it isn’t formally written anywhere, but has been accepted as truthful and ordinary because Buddha is constantly depicted in this manner and the theory has offered an answer to why Buddha appears the way that he does.

Tradition – New Orleans, LA

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: New Orleans, LA
Performance Date: April 6, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Japanese

Folk—Tradition

“In the city of New Orleans, a body is never buried below ground.”

Michael told me that he has been familiar with this tradition all of his life.  As he explained to me, it is customary in New Orleans for bodies never to be buried underground.  This is in part due to the fact that New Orleans is below sea level, but also in part to a tradition, and to voodoo.  Because New Orleans is located below sea level and is frequently flooded, coffins that were buried below ground would sometimes get pushed upward through the ground.  This occurs because the coffins are filled with air and science has proven that oxygen rises in water.  After a while, bodies were everywhere and a solution was needed.  The only one that worked at the time was to bury all bodies above ground.  Though most people are familiar with this reasoning, less know that the first settlers to New Orleans had a custom of burying bodies exclusively above ground.  The reason for this custom is unknown but it was a tradition among the founding fathers of New Orleans.  As if that wasn’t enough, there are all sorts of legends and stories about Marie Laveau, the alleged “Voodoo Queen” who may or may not have been buried in a New Orleans Cemetery (Cities of the Dead).  While there are all sorts of legends surrounding her life and death, no one is sure whether or not her remains are present in one of the cities’ cemeteries.  In not wanting to wake her or disrespect the “Voodoo Queen” it has become a folk tradition in New Orleans to burry bodies above ground.

I would consider this a folk tradition, but interestingly enough, the tradition has a legend (the “Voodoo Queen”) within it.  In this respect, folklore has resulted in more folklore.  Other than the physical problems with burying bodies underground, no one knows for sure why the tradition has been kept.  There are theories, but nothing is definite.  Still the tradition keeps running strong and the city has come to respect and embrace this tradition instead of continuing to look for solutions to change the burial system.

“Cities of the Dead.”  Experience New Orleans! Compucast Web Design, 1994-2002.

Custom – USA

Nationality: American
Age: 24
Occupation: Student
Residence: Scarsdale, NY
Performance Date: April 2, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Custom—USA

“The public bathroom hand washing technique…”

Alexander learned this custom from his grandfather when he was in the 7th grade.  His grandfather, a passionate and devoted doctor, often found and acquired ways of bringing some of his medical skills and habits into the world outside of medicine.  The perfect example of this comes in the form of the “public bathroom hand washing technique” as Alexander calls it.  The theory behind the custom is that bathrooms are filthy beds of bacteria.  Alexander’s grandfather believed that a sure way of getting sick or picking up germs was touching something in a public restroom.  As a result, he taught Alexander this technique as a means of avoiding skin contact with anything in a public restroom.  If you’re lucky, the bathroom operates on automatic sensor devices, in which case you don’t need to touch anything to begin with.  In the event that you do need to touch something, you begin by locating the paper towels.  If there is a fresh stack on the counter, you can pick up the top towel and use that to turn on the faucet as well as dispense soap into your hand.  In the event that there is a knob or roller that you must touch to dispense paper towels, you have to move to plan B.  If you are wearing a long sleeve shirt, you can pull you sleeve down and cover your hand with that.  If not, you can use your elbow to crank the lever (if your elbow gets bacteria on it it’s ok—your elbow doesn’t come in contact with your eyes, ears, nose, mouth very much, just be sure to wash your elbow when you get home).  After using paper towels to get soap and turn on and off the faucet, you need to perform the same operation with the door handle.  To avoid contact with it, use a paper towel to pull it open, and hold it in that position with your foot.  Throw the paper towel into the garbage and walk out.  If the garbage bin is far away, do your best to throw it in but do not sacrifice putting in the garbage by touching something.  Throw it on the floor if you have to.  If you really know what your doing, as my grandfather does, carry around paper towels or tissue at all times so you don’t have to go about the whole paper towel routine, you can just use your own in not touching anything and going about your business.

This technique was taught to Alexander’s grandfather by one of his colleagues.  While it’s a useful way of avoiding bacteria and other germs, it’s almost comical to think about someone using the technique.  His grandfather has made it a custom of his because he finds it extremely significant in maintaining good health.  The extent to which avoiding bathroom germs in a such a manner really keeps us healthy we may not know, but doctors certainly have folkloric customs such as these that they swear by.