Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

SABADO DE GLORIA

Nationality: Mexican American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angelez
Performance Date: 04/19/2018
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Tradition

Sabado de Gloria is  whole week or two weeks I believe. This tradition is from Jerez, Zacatecas Mexico. It’s dedicated to Holy Week, Everyday is a different day for a religion which is Catholicism and dedicated to Jesus Christ. It is Special to my pueblo because its a special pueblo   its considered a magic pueblo. And do do it because I like the relay JustFab is turned into like a little Advanced more like you can go out and have fun and do the bunch of like musicians and stuff like that. People from all parts of Mexico come over and enjoy all of the festivities like a carnival in the fair. You can ride horses in different parts of the city either a bunch of music and decisions it gets really crowded they have pinatas which is like symbols of the different  disciples. When one of the disciples Betrayed Jesus He hung himself so it’s a representation of bringing the disciple  in piece. They turned it into a positive thing but have a religious meaning behind it. Sacrifices to remember him and his sacrifice for us.

My family is involved with the fair they sell alcohol they sell food and tacos and one of my uncles has a ranch of horses so they will take their horses and start making them dance and dress all coach cultural and with traditional suits.  The dances are tamborazo and banda. The guys dress in Charro suits and the girls  where  traditional dresses but different because they like to ride horses. On fridays they have a reenactment of jesus carrying the cross all the way to church and everyone goes into church and celebrate. Sabado de gloria is a mix of culture and relgion of Jerez Zacatecas

 

Background info

Since the informant is from here he really feels close to this event from his hometown because he goes every year to celebrate it with his family and brings him closer to his culture and his religion. This tradition that happens is very important to that specific town and it makes him feel proud of where he’s from and that part of Mexico. This event is really meaningful to him not just because he gets to be close to his hometown but also to celebrate with everybody from the town and get to know them as well.

 

Context

Sabado de gloria is huge in zacatecas and has elongated because it has become very touristy

According to a cultural website “ hundreds of riders travel the main streets of the city proudly wearing the charro suit and inviting women to ride their horses and take a walk. The importance of this party is such, that you can find riding or in some tapanco to personalities of the political or artistic life of national level that adorn us with their presence.”

 

maxresdefault

MAL DE OJO

Nationality: Mexican American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 04/20/18
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Superstition

Superstition that runs in my family. Basically if you look at a baby you have to touch it because then you will give them the evil eye or in Spanish it’s called “ dar ojo” I don’t know I guess it’s kind of like putting bad vibes towards the baby in the baby feels bad vibes. Kind of like giving the baby MV or showing Envy towards them. The baby’s stomach will start to hurt and they will start gets to get sick. Babies in the Mexican culture usually wear bracelets that protects them against those bad vibes that people can give them like some people can give I buy more than others.

 

Babies usually that have the bad eye are usually very restless and can get very fussy. They’re always uncomfortable they get nightmares. Embracement protect them from those bad vibes. I have a bracelet and it has a little Saint on it that protects them. I have one. Another thing that people do is they put on egg under their bed which absorbs all of the bad vibes and you might also have to light a candle but I’m not sure.

 

I’ve had my bracelet and have changed it because I’ve gotten big which also symbolizes how much ive grown.  Luckily me and my brothers have never gotten the evil eye because we have won the bracelet since we were babies and also I heard that you can get the evil eye even if you’re not a baby so one time a person came up to me and started touching my hair because they didn’t want to give me the evil eye because if they hadn’t touch my hair it would stop growing.

 

Background info

They send form it feels really protected and believes in the Superstition just in case it’s real so she always Where’s her  bracelet Wherever She Goes. She really feels like with her bracelet it means a lot to her because of how much she’s grown and it’s a symbol of faith as well since the bracelet has a little saint on it. It also helps her to not give em be towards others.

 

Context: In an article it explains “the evil eye, is a widespread superstition rooted in medieval Europe and rampant in Latin America. The idea behind the superstition is that a look can literally curse people, particularly children, making them sick. Across Latin America and Spain amulets are employed to protect against the evil eye, and folk remedies and witch doctors are relied upon to cure its curses.  It has been widespread in many places and in mexico it is connected with faith since the amulet has a saint on it

 

 

 

Wedding Cake Charms

Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: 58
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)
Performance Date: 4/8/18
Primary Language: English

Title: Wedding Cake Charms

Category: Charms/Magic

Informant: Lisa L. Gabbard

Nationality: American, caucasian

Age: 58

Occupation: Housewife

Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)

Date of Collection: 4/8/18

Description:

Wedding Cake charms are served in a woman’s bridal shower cake. The charms may include: A baby, plane, ring, etc. These charms are attached to ribbons and pushed into the cake before being iced. At the bridal shower, each woman attending, or bridesmaids in particular, will stand around the cake during the specified time and grab ahold of a ribbon at random. When instructed to do so, each woman will pull on their ribbons to unveil the charm attached to their ribbon.

Context/Significance:

Wedding charms are placed into the cake by whoever makes it, in this case, the bride in particular. The cake charms are pulled out by the bridesmaids or women close to the bride-to-be. The symbols of the cake charms are meant to represent what a woman will experience in her future. If a woman pulls out a baby it means that she will be expecting a child soon, a plane symbolizes future travel, and a ring may symbolize that the individual will be getting married soon. Each of these symbols represents something that will happen in future events.

Personal Thoughts:

I believe that wedding charms are a fun and interesting way to incorporate your friends and loved ones into your wedding ceremony. The charms themselves are used as magic token that have the ability to read your future. Because they are hidden in the cake, they are representative of how no one knows what their future may hold. The charms themselves also only seem to include optimistic and ideal situations of future events. This seems appropriate since the occasion they are used at is a celebration in preparation of joyous occasion. Marriage itself is a milestone and each of the charms also represent milestones (Marriage is even represented in the charms via a ring symbol). The charms give the bride a sense of control over the unpredicted future post marriage and allow for her friends to be both involved in the celebration of her union while also having something to look forward to in their personal lives.

Wedding Cake— Top Tier

Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: Upper 50s
Occupation: Princeton Seminary—Vice President of Business Affairs/Financial Consultant/CPA/CFO
Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)
Performance Date: 4/8/18
Primary Language: English

Title: Wedding Cake: Top Tier

Category: Food

Informant: Kurt A. Gabbard

Nationality: American, caucasian

Age: Upper 50s

Occupation: Princeton Seminary—Vice President of Business Affairs/Financial Consultant/CPA/CFO

Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)

Date of Collection: 4/8/18

Description:

The cake of the wedding is supposed to be served in primarily white icing and with few/no other colors included. The wedding cake is to be served from the bottom layer up. The top layer should not be served to party guests. The top layer of the wedding cake is supposed to be saved from the wedding, wrapped up, and placed in the freezer of the couple until their first wedding anniversary.

Upon the first wedding anniversary, the couple is supposed to eat the cake. Alternatively, the couple could also take a bite out of their wedding cake upon each wedding anniversary and continue the tradition until the cake runs out or spoils. The flowers adoring said wedding cake are supposed to be either all white or in the color of the bridesmaid’s dresses.

Context/Significance:

The wedding cake for married couples is significant for it’s religious implication of the first meal shared together. It is white so that it matches the color of the bride’s dress and sometimes hints at the bride’s personal preferences. For the most part, the wedding cake is meant to be white as a representation of the bride’s dress and presents itself as a virginal object. After the married couple cuts into the cake, the pieces are served to party guests and those in attendance of the wedding. The top tier of the wedding cake is saved for the bride and groom alone and is an object of food that the couple is meant to eat exclusively by themselves.

Personal Thoughts:

The reason behind the couple eating the cake upon each wedding anniversary is meant to symbolize the circular bond the couple has together and their “continual” commitment to each other. The circle of the cake tiers is similar the circular theme else identified in the wedding rings of the couple (Although a variety of cakes are served now-a-days in a variety of shapes and configuration).

The Christmas Pickle

Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: Upper 50s
Occupation: Princeton Seminary—Vice President of Business Affairs/Financial Consultant/CPA/CFO
Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)
Performance Date: 4/4/18
Primary Language: English

Title: The Christmas Pickle

Category: Ceremonial Object

Informant: Kurt A. Gabbard

Nationality: American, caucasian

Age: Upper 50s

Occupation: Princeton Seminary—Vice President of Business Affairs/Financial Consultant/CPA/CFO

Residence: 5031 Mead Drive/ Doylestown PA, 18902 (Suburban Home)

Date of Collection: 4/08/18

Description:

The Christmas Pickle is a tradition that takes place on the eve of Christmas. After returning from Christmas eve mass, the children are sent upstairs while the parents hide the pickle within the branches of the Christmas tree. The ornament in the shape and color of a normal pickle. After the pickle has been hidden in the tree, the children are then called downstairs to search for it. The first child to discover the pickle is then granted the first gift of Christmas.

Context/Significance:

The Christmas pickle is believed to be a German Christmas tradition but has recently been proven to have originated in the United States sometime around the late nineteenth century. The tradition is for a specific child to win the first gift of Christmas. The gift is usually a smaller preemptive Christmas gift that can usually be shared between children (i.e. a coloring book, or family board game). The tradition was passed down from my Father’s side of the family and our family has participated in the tradition for at least the past twenty four years.

Personal Thoughts:

My family has been involved with the tradition ever since my eldest brother’s birth and has evolved with our ages. When we were younger, the pickle was usually on the lower branches of the Christmas tree and was more easily located. As my brothers and I have gotten older, and since my family did not want to abandon the tradition, my parents have begun to hide the pickle more strategically to make the game more difficult to win. In recent years, the pickle has been found in the Christmas tree, in both indoor/outdoor wreaths, outdoor trees/bushes, and hidden within Christmas garland or within our Department 56 Christmas village.

Additionally, the Christmas gift has evolved into more adult items that we would like, for example: a gift card, a DVD, etc.

Image: 

Unknown