Category Archives: Folk Beliefs

Golden Cicadas and Good Luck

“So basically, there were cicadas, especially, like, golden cicadas.

In Chinese culture they are, like, a symbol of good luck, because cicadas, I think are silent for, like, 100 years, or something crazy.

Like, they’re silent for their entire life basically, but then during one, one specific year, they’ll chirp, but it’ll be really loud.

So it’s kind of, like, you’re biding your time, but then, when it’s your time, you can, flourish. That is the kind of vibe.

And so, I’m not sure if this is just something that, like, my parents do, but they always, like, have these little cicada statues, and they are golden.

And I have everything at college, and basically, anytime I have, like, a big test or, like, big, important, decisions or, like, things that I’m, like, waiting for, I’ll just, like, rub the top of its head for good luck.

So I remember when it was college decision time. During that time, we would, me and my sister both, like, sit with it in our lap, basically. But, yeah, we basically just rubbed its head for good luck, and, like, before I take a test, I always do that as well.

I just think that the cicadas represent good luck and, like, prosperity. I think rubbing the statue is just something that’s kind of like a physical thing that you can do to make yourself feel better.

Um, so, yeah. I don’t know if that’s like a real thing, though. She’s something that, like, we’ve always done.”

Context: The informant is a Chinese-Vietnamese-American female USC student whose mother is Buddhist. Although she grew up in the U.S., her family maintains cultural traditions, including keeping small golden cicada statues that symbolize luck and prosperity. Now she has brought a golden cicada to college to continue the tradition.

Analysis: This is an example of folk belief combined with a personal ritual and material culture. The cicada statue itself is a physical object that carries symbolic meaning, representing patience and eventual success in Chinese tradition. The act of rubbing the statue becomes a small, repeated behavior for good luck. Even though she’s unsure if it’s a formal tradition, it still holds meaning for her, showing how folklore can be adapted and maintained across generations.

Sedona, Arizona “Vortex’s”

Text:

Informant : “So in Arizona theres this place called Sedona, and its wehre like, the Red Rock Mountains are. Its like near Flagstaff.

And growing up, my parents got married there, so we went there, like, a lot. And there was, like, there’s, like, this ledge and this story that there are vortexes in Sedona.

And I never understood what there are, but you can literally buy a map where it’s, like, the vortexes and Sedona, and I never understood what it was. I thought it was, like, people were teleporting from different places, but apparently, it was, like, people believe it’s, like, these energy of the Earth, like, are concentrated there, and you could have, like, spiritual awakenings or just, like, healing. So a lot of people go there to meditate or stuff.

And there’s, like, a lot of indigenous population stuff that went on there.

And I do know when I was there, like, you can see water lines of when it was underwater, like, millions of years ago. So it is, like, very magical feeling when you’re there, but that’s just, like, because it looks so upworldly.

But, like, one of the main sites is called, like, Bell Rock, and it’s one of these you can hike. I’ve hiked it before, and it was really fun. And maybe I felt, like, inspired and invigorated, but I don’t know. But apparently, that’s what it is, like, before Texas and Sedona.”

Context: The informant is an Italian American USC student whose parents were married in Sedona, so she’s visited many times. She’s familiar with local ideas about “vortexes” and has seen things like maps marking these sites, and has hiked places like Bell Rock. Her understanding comes more from tourism and repeated visits than from cultural knowledge.

Analysis: This is a folk belief about certain places having spiritual energy. In Sedona, people believe vortexes can bring healing or inspiration, which is why visitors go there to meditate. Even though she’s not fully sure what they are, the landscape itself feels “magical,” which helps reinforce the belief. It shows how environment, tourism, and word-of-mouth all work together to keep these ideas going and evolving.

Clapping to Reverse Bad Luck: Eye Twitch

Text:

Informant: “So, like my mom is very superstitious. She’s, um, Vietnamese, and she has a Buddhist background.

So, like, she heard from her parents that if your eye twitches, your right eye twitches, it means something bad’s gonna happen, or, like, more bad luck for the day. So, to reverse the bad luck, you have to clap twice until the twitching stops.

And then the thing is, like, if the left eye twitches, it’s good luck. Something good is going to happen.

I don’t know where she learned that from, or how that happens, but she told me that.

Whenever my eye twitches, I perform the clapping. Which is all the time.”

Context: The informant is a Chinese-Vietnamese-American USC student whose mother has a Buddhist background and is very superstitious. She learned this belief from her mother, who heard it from earlier generations. Even though she grew up in the U.S., she still follows the practice when it happens.

Analysis:
This is an example of folk belief and a protective ritual. The idea that an eye twitch signals good or bad luck functions as a sign, where the body is seen as predicting future events. The act of clapping twice to stop bad luck is a simple, repeated behavior meant to reverse or control that outcome. Even if she doesn’t fully understand where it comes from, she still does it, showing how superstitions are passed down and continue through habit and family influence.

Navajo folklore

Text:

Interviewee: “The family I was with (on a service trip to Arizona) owned around 8,000 acres of land. They told me that about 200 years ago, their ancestor, who was Navajo, helped the U.S. government locate other tribes. In return, the government gave their family that land, and they’ve been living on it ever since.

When I was on the mountain with them, they told me about this snake god that protects the land. The mountain we were on in Arizona had many small gemstones on it. They said that if you try to take anything from the mountain, you’ll be cursed for generations.

They also talked about Wendigos in the wooded areas of their property. From what I understood, they described them as people who were cursed or did something terrible, and after death, they transform into these beings that hunt or harm others.

They also explained that the land had been occupied by different tribes over time, including the Anasazi and the Hopi, before their Navajo lineage. There were stories about caves in the mountains that had been used by earlier groups.

On the reservation, there was also a lot of talk about aliens. We visited a national park with ancient drawings on the walls, which were said to represent a creation myth from the Anasazi, but many people today interpret those images as aliens.”

Context:

The interviewee is a white male aged 18. He was on a school service trip to Arizona, where he spent time with families residing in the area.

This narrative comes from an experience of visiting a reservation. The interviewee is recounting stories, beliefs, and historical explanations shared directly by the people living on the land. These include spiritual beliefs (snake god, Wendigos), historical memory (land ownership and tribal succession), and interpretations of ancient sites (cave dwellings and rock art).

Analysis:

The snake god and curse function as a protective legend tied to the land, discouraging people from taking from it. The Wendigo represents a moral warning figure, reflecting fears of greed, violence, and transformation, which reinforces social norms.

The references to different tribes, such as the Hopi, as well as stories about caves and past inhabitants, show how folklore is tied to the historical landscape. The interpretation of ancient rock art as aliens reflects a modern reinterpretation of traditional symbols.

Fortune Cookie Ritual

Age: 19
Hometown: Rifle, Colorado
Location: N/A

Context:
This ritual came up when I was eating Chinese food with my friend. I read my fortune before eating the fortune cookie and my friend let me know that since he was little he had a very specific way of eating the cookie. He is originally from Colorado and doesn’t remember where he first learned this but he thinks he got it from his friends or older siblings as a child.

Content:
Interviewer: “Can you repeat what you just said about how you eat fortune cookies?”

Interviewee: “So my fortune cookie ritual folklore is that in order for the fortune to come true I need to eat half of the fortune cookie first and then I can look at the fortune and see it but then I have to I have to eat the other half or else it’s not gonna come true”

Interviewer: “Interesting, where did you learn this?”

Interviewee: “I actually don’t remember exactly where I got it from but I know I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

Analysis:
This is a ritualized folk belief that explains how to interact with an object associated with luck and prediction. The specific sequence of eating half of the cookie, reading the fortune, and then eating the other half of the cookie creates a rule that must be followed for the outcome to “work”. It’s interesting how something that’s really just random ends up feeling controlled because of that routine. It also shows how folklore can turn a normal activity like eating into something more meaningful by connecting it to the future and its outcomes. Overall, it reflects how small rituals reinforce belief in luck and give people the feeling that they can control their future in one way or another.