Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

Kama od?

Nationality: Israeli
Age: 25
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 4/20/2016
Primary Language: English
Language: Hebrew

Original Script: ?כמה עוד
Phoenetic Script: Kama od?
Transliteration: How much more?
Translation: How much more?

It is forbidden for a soldier who has been in the Israeli army for less than 2 years to utter the phrase “Kama od?” or “How much more?” If he does, he will be punished by the older soldiers. My informant elaborated:

“There’s two words that no solider is allowed to say until they’ve been in the army for two years. And those are ‘Kama od?’ ‘How much more?’  Even if it’s an innocent question, even if you’re asking, oh, like, someone says, “Go pick up these boxes.” You say, ‘Oh, how much more?’ Like you’re asking about the boxes, you’re not asking, you know, in that way. But if you say, ‘How much more?’ you’ll get punished.”

My informant is a 25-year old man who spent four years in the Israeli army. He learned this piece of folklore from other soldiers upon entering the army in 2009. It was observed by all soldiers for all of his four years in the army. He describes the army as like a fraternity, full of strictly-enforced traditions passed down from generation to generation. Much like a fraternity, there is a culture of respect and status that favors those who have spent more time in the organization. According to him, it’s a given that everyone wants to leave. But those who have not worked in the army long have not yet earned the right to complain or yearn for an end to their labors.

My informant is a screenwriter, and I think he enjoys relaying this tradition because it is a detail that helps to describe a fascinating world and culture. I also believe this tradition was developed to help break down new soldiers’ sense of entitlement and individuality. It forces them to accept their situation and work within it without causing a disturbance. I imagine this kind of obedience and commitment from new soldiers is crucial to the functioning of any army. It’s also in keeping with the fraternity aspect of the army that a solider would be punished for saying it even if he wasn’t complaining. As my informant says, the older soldiers are just looking for something to entertain themselves with, and enjoy exercising their authority over the new guys.

Happy Birthday

Age: 48

Happy Birthday Ritual

 

Primary Language- Spanish

Occupation- Factory Worker

Residence- Los Angeles, CA

Date of Performance- 3/19/16

Every Time it is someone’s birthday, you have to sing Haaaappy Birthday to you, Haaaaappy Birthday to you, Haaaaapppy Birthday to Anthony, Happy Birthday to you. Ya queremos pastel! (Translation- We want cake now!) Shortly after you blow the candles, everyone chants, que lo muerda, que lo muerda (Translation- bite the cake) and when they go in for a bite, you grab the back of the person’s head and slam their head into the cake. After that, we start to cut pieces off the cake where the face did not touch and give a slice to everyone. In Honduras, it was the same tradition except we said feliz cumplanos which is just happy birthday but in spanish.

The happy birthday song alway brings a smile on anyone’s face because it is the time of the year where you celebrate the day you were born. Reina loves to go birthday parties and sing happy birthday, especially the recording of when their faces get plastered on the cake. She learned the song when she was in Honduras from her mother who would sing happy birthday to her along with her other relatives and bought a cake to eat as well. The song means a lot to her because in Honduras, they did not have the money to throw any parties but they had enough to buy a cake so to be able to do the same here and much more makes her feel happy and remember the celebrations she had with her mother.

When performing the happy birthday song, you must say it with a group a people while the birthday person sits in front of the birthday cake. While the candles are lit on the cake, before they blow it, you must sing the song, let them blow the candles, and tell them to bite the cake. Even if they do bite the cake, it’s tradition to just smash their face on the cake either way. Then everyone screams from laughter, takes pictures, and eats the cake that does not have any face on it.

I have had a lot of experience from this birthday celebration since my aunt Reina has celebrated almost every birthday with me. Her husband has usually been the one who bought the cake for us. I have also had an enormous amount of cake in my face. My mother also sings the same song and everyone does the same performance at any hispanic birthday party. It even happens for grown people because the tradition will most likely never change. There are a couple alterations such as saying cha cha cha after you say happy birthday in the song, but in our family, we just clap three times instead. One thing that will most likely never change is the fact that the birthday person must get cake on their face somehow. Finding the root for the tradition through history would be difficult, there is also no particular reason for why it happens. It is all in good fun and just keeps the party going. The face smashing also creates memories in which tons of pictures are taken. The singing is also very special because everyone can have a meaningful birthday celebration despite their income with the song and a cake. The photo uploaded is a picture of my last birthday party where my family and friends completely masked my face with cake. There is almost no chance of escaping so sometimes it is best to just take it in and laugh at it later. This long simple tradition will be maintained in my family for generations to come.

 

Feast of 7 Fishes

Age: 19

Christmas Tradition

 

Primary Language- English

Occupation- USC Student

Residence- Virginia

Date of Performance- 4/15/16

At home, we have an italian tradition that we partake in each year during christmas eve. Everyone in our family has to eat 7 types of seafood in one day. We call it the Feast of 7 Fishes. I have done it almost my entire life and will continue to do it. I have always believed that if we do not eat the 7 types of seafood during christmas eve, it would be bad luck. I do not really know why but I just know that bad things will happen if we don’t do it one year.

Mark is from Virginia and has lived there his entire life. His great grandparents are from Italy but his parents are also from Virginia. His parents and grandparents have also partaken in this long tradition so naturally, he has too. Besides eating the delicious food, he likes it because its something special to his family and he would not do it a year, there would be bad luck and it would not feel right

When you partake in the tradition, it has to be during christmas eve and the entire family or members you are gathered with must be present. The family gives thanks, then feast on seven types of seafoods. The food is typically gathered very recently. If seven foods are not eaten or it is after christmas eve, many also believe it is bad luck.

I think this tradition is very interesting because a lot of cultures have different types of food they like to eat during the same day of the year. In my family, we typically eat tamales and posole for christmas eve, but we make so much that we end up eating them for another two weeks. We have no superstition along with it except that the food is just made during that time of year in excess because it is delicious and perfect for the time and vibe set. The feast that italian americans do during christmas eve is slightly different than the one in Italy. It originated from the celebration of the birth of jesus. The Feast of 7 Fishes is called the Vigil in Italy and was started in Southern Italy. This tradition also comes from not eating any meat before christmas eve which is lent in other traditions.

 

Bad comes in 3’s

Age: 19

Superstition

 

Primary Language- English

Occupation- USC Student

Residence- Los Angeles, CA

Date of Performance- 4/16/16

Everytime my family hears bad news, they believe it comes in three’s. The side of the family that usually believes that are the females like my sister, mom, and aunt. Say if somebody gets in a car crash that we know, my family then believes that three other bad things are going to happen. So after the crash, something like losing money, or even stubbing someone’s toe can happen and my family will believe it’s because three bad things was meant to happen. I don’t know why they stick to that superstition but it makes them feel at ease when they think they are ready for it.

Justin has heard about this piece of superstition from his family. They have always warned him about the dangers of the threes. After on bad news arrives, he has to be ready for two others. He does not really believe in that superstition but his family really does. The superstition is still interesting to him because he thinks it is funny how strong their belief is.

Whenever you experience something bad, you should always be cautious of the two other bad things that will happen to you, at least according to Justin’s family. When Justin told the superstition, he thought it sounded ridiculous that his family believed it in so he laughed while telling it. Real or not, his family becomes very cautious once they hear or are stricken with bad news.

The mystical three’s have struck again. Bad news in three sounds like a lot of other folklore that so happens to also come in threes yet most people do not know why. It is believed that it is an ancient superstition and originated from the men’s genitalia for some reason. But the theory behind the three cycles brings up the idea that the cycle will end eventually. It just so happens that it will be after the third bad news. In other cultures, things come in fours and fives but many in America have been buried with the idea that everything comes in threes.

 

UC Merced, The Gina

Age: 19

Superstition, Tradition, Ritual

 

Primary Language- English

Secondary Language- Spanish

Occupation- UC Merced Student

Residence- Los Angeles, CA

Date of Performance- 4/23/16

At our school in UC Merced, California, we have a tradition where we have a cave that is called The Gina. In The Gina, freshman are supposed to walk through it to receive good luck. The tradition does not end there. Once we walk through The Gina, we have to attend the ascend where we all go to a field, have a balloon parade where they are let go to the sky and have time to meet new freshman on campus. Once we complete the entire ritual, the good luck will set in and increase our chances to receive higher grades.

Lucy is from Los ANgeles, California but currently resides in UC Merced which is still in California but different from Los Angeles because of the community. She learned this tradition because her school practically enforced it upon the students. Every freshman student had to attend this ritual where they walk through the The Gina and then attend the ascend. The tradition is special to her because it gave her the chance to make great friends at the school. She herself thought the tradition was silly but it is what makes her a unique bobcat, which is a mascot of UC Merced.

During the ritual of The Gina, you are supposed to walk through a cave, attend an ascend, make good friends, and bam, you instantly receive good luck. You of course have to attend the school. Lucy has lived through and told quite a few people of the ritual that she performed.

I think that school traditions are great. It shows us that it isn’t just USC that has rituals and traditions like kicking the pole before a football game. Other schools like UC Merced have traditions they almost force upon the students. It may sound a little cynical but it a fantastic way to integrate the new students into the community in order for them to fit in well. This tradition can improve morale, performance, and feelings for the school. Traditions at school can display their values. While some schools have delved into traditions with athletics, other schools like UC Merced have become embedded in a tradition that represents their desire for thier students to become a close community and believe in themselves. I also have other friends who attend the same school and had the same experience. The Gina is a unique location for all UC Merced students to embody and cherish.