Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Nationality: Indian
Age: 52
Occupation: CPA
Residence: Glendale, CA
Performance Date: 4/25/17
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

Om Jaye Jagdish Hare,

Swami Jaye Jagdish Hare

Bhagt Jano Ke Sankat,

Khshan Mein Dur Kare

Jo Dhaywe Phal Pave,

Dukh Vinshe Man Ka Sukh Sampati Ghar Aave,

Kasht Mite Tan Ka

Maat-Pita Tum Mere,

Sharan Gahun Kiskee Tum Bin Aur Na Duja,

Aas Karun Jiskee

Tum Puran Parmatma,

Tum Antaryami Par-Brahm Parmeshwar,

Tum Sabke Swami

Tum Karuna Ke Saagar,

Tum Palankarta Mein Moorakh Khal Kami,

Mein Sewak Tum Swami,

Kripa Karo Bharta

Tum Ho Ek Agochar,

Sabke Pran Pati Kis Vidhi Milun Dayamay,

Tumko Mein Kumti

Deenbandhu Dukh Harta,

Thakur Tum Mere Apne Hath Badao,

Apni Sharan Lagao,

Dwar Para Tere

Vishay Vikaar Mitao,

Paap Haro Deva Shradha Bhakti Barao,

Santan Ki Sewa

Tan Man Dhan,

Sab Hai Tera Tera Tujhko Arpan,

Kya Lage Mera

 

“Om Jai Jagadish Hare” is a well-known prayer in Indian culture. It is sung often, and most often on celebratory events, like Diwali. My maternal grandmother introduced my brothers and I to this prayer when we were very young. She gave us bells to sing, and it essentially translates to listing god’s praises, asking god to bless us, and offering god foods and gifts. It’s supposed to be a happy prayer, though. Both my maternal and paternal grandmother, however, enforced the idea that this prayer was important for us to learn, and it was interesting to see that this is a prayer that breaches most of the cultures within India. My maternal grandmother speaks Sindhi, and my paternal grandmother speaks Punjabi, which are different dialects in India, but both of them sing the “Om Jai Jagadish Hare” prayer in Hindi, the overarching language, as a unifying prayer. My dad and I were talking about the prayer recently, and he was testing me to see if I remembered the lyrics from my childhood, but I didn’t. It made me upset, because it’s a large part of my childhood, but not something my family personally practices often. He then tried to remember all of it, but it’s a long prayer/song, and he couldn’t either, so we looked up the words together.

Indian Wedding Tradition

Nationality: Indian american
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Performance Date: 4/22/2017
Primary Language: English

Informant:

Shehan is a sophomore aerospace engineering major from Atlanta, Georgia,  

Piece:

So ummm it is an indian tradition that when you have the bride and groom like the week prior to the actual wedding day they have this thing called a pithi. That’s a word in Hindi. But what they do is they get the groom and he sits on a chair all of his like bachelors like hang out and chill with him for a little bit and then they just like start throwing eggs at him and like ketchup mustard, mayo. really the plan is to like get him as dirty and gross as possible .the tradition is is like cleansing your body at the same time. They do the same thing to the bride, but with her they just put some sort of oil on her face, but for the groom it’s always like eggs yolks and always turns into a big food fight. And its like really fun, really gross and it happens before every wedding

Collector’s thoughts:

The most interesting part of this wedding tradition to me is that the informant says it is a indian bachelor party tradition, yet mustard, mayo, and ketchup are all very american condiments that are not traditionally indian. This reveals that while the tradition may come from the informant’s hini background, it has taken on a distinctly american twist in what foods are used to throw at the groom.

The Buddhist Shrine

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: USC Campus
Performance Date: April 19th, 2017
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

13

 

-As told by of an immigrant from Hong Kong, China

 “This specific type of shrine is to make offerings to the god of the land. 
I was taught that if I accidentally kick it or in any way mess with it, it will be really bad for me. 
 A story I heard was, someone was peeing next to one, and he accidentally pissed a little onto the shrine and for months he couldn’t sleep,  his face becoming more pale by the day.
In the end, he had to go to that specific shrine on the street with a priest and apologize to be cured. 
I was told this by a teacher of mine when I was in 6th grade in Hong Kong.” 
-Ivan Tsang, in person, walking to class.

Eye Contact

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student (Nursing)
Residence: Boston, Massachusetts USA
Performance Date: 2/12/17
Primary Language: English
Language: French

Background:

My informant is a twenty-one-year-old college student in Boston, Massachusetts. She is studying to be a nurse and has worked in the emergency room at both Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Performance:

“I heard this when I was in Australia for the summer. It was just before junior year, I think…yeah, that sounds right, but anyway I was at a party kind of near Melbourne and these guys were pouring shots. So I took one and was about to take it and this one guy like grabbed my wrist and was like ‘Wait! Stop! We all need to make eye contact otherwise we’ll all have bad sex for seven years!’ Like that thing with breaking the mirror or something, you know? So we all made eye contact and took the shots and that was that. Weirdly I heard that a ton in Australia, like in Sydney and Cairns and all over. Not just from guys either, like from girls I made friends with and everything. It wasn’t just some gross dude…like, being gross, or whatever (laughter)  I’ve done it ever since. I mean, obviously it’s probably not a real thing, but like, why risk it? (laughter).”

Thoughts:

It seems appropriate that this superstition is prominent amongst young people, a demographic which in all likelihood sees a close connection between sex and alcohol. The ritual itself invokes a certain intimacy; one must look into their companion’s eyes, “the gateway to the soul” before consuming alcohol with them. Since the superstition is present amongst both groups of single-sex, heterosexual friends and mixed-gender social groups, it may not necessarily have much to do with sexual intercourse; the eye contact and intimacy may speak more to the idea that drinking is a social activity and means through which people can develop new relationships.

El Salvadorean Proverb

Nationality: Hispanic
Age: 48
Occupation: Payroll Administrator
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: March 26, 2017
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

I went home for dinner. During a conversation with my mom, she mentioned the following:

Proverb

“Ponte Las Pilas.” translated to “Put You Batteries [On].”

I then asked my mom what that meant, she responded:

“Ponte las pilas means ponte las pilas. It means to put on your batteries but I always say it to remind you guys to work hard, be alert, and be attentive. The whole statement is used as a quick pick me up, or like a mini motivational speech. Ponte las pilas is a way for me to remind you and your sister to be more responsible, to get up, and to go get what you want. That’s how I use it. Some people use it differently. I’ve heard it been used like lets say you have a couple and the boyfriend isn’t giving the girlfriend enough attention then you’d say ‘Ponte las pilas’ like ‘Hey, be more attentive or someone may steal her’.”

Collector Analysis:

At this point, this proverb is ingrained into my mom’s brain. She was raised listening to this proverb. I have heard my grandma say it in the past, and my grandma has definitely said the proverb to me as well. This proverb is very generational, as my grandma told my mom and now, my mom has told my sister and I. To my mom, this proverb is obviously a way of telling my sister and I to work harder. She believes that just saying “work harder” is too blunt and that no one would listen. ‘Ponte las pilas’ is a more generous way of saying “get it together”.

Just like my mom, I have been hearing this proverb my entire life. I have heard it for a wide array of reasons. Normally, if I am complaining to my mom about how much school work I have she’ll merely respond, “ponte las pilas”. Another circumstance is if I’ve been in bed all day, my mom might come into the room and say the proverb. This proverb is the type of statement I’ll probably hear or say for the rest of my life.