Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

Miyeok Guk (Seaweed Soup)

Text:

Seaweed soup is traditionally eaten every year on someone’s birthday. Historically, seaweed soup was eaten by mothers who were about to give birth or just had given birth, as a way to boost their iron levels in their blood–seaweed has exceptional levels of iron. This would help the mother’s body heal or prepare for the birth, as at the time it would be dangerous, with high mortality rates.

Context:

The informant has eaten seaweed soup every year for their birthday; not only have they eaten it every year, they also learned how to make it from their mother.

Interpretation:

Because miyeok-guk is traditionally consumed by women after childbirth due to its rich nutrients like calcium, iodine, and iron, and belief that it helps with recover and milk production, the soup is now closely associated with mothers, maternal care, and birth. I assume that it is eaten on people’s birthdays(regardless of whether they are or plan to become mothers) as a way to honor the mothers who gave birth, recognizing the sacrifices that one’s parents–especially the mothers–make. Beyond its symbolic meaning, miyeok-guk is also a regular part of everyday meals due to its nutritional value and accessibility. This highlights Korea’s traditional food culture, which often views food as medicine—a concept rooted in hanbang, or traditional medicine that reflects the often health-oriented approach to food in Korean society.

On a personal note, for many Koreans, whether they live in Korea or are part of the diaspora, miyeok-guk can evoke a strong emotional pull for family, home, and heritage–many have grown up eating it together with their families–serving as a cultural anchor and linking personal identity with tradition.

Home Run Celebration

Text: “Every time I hit a home run, everyone at the plate [the base runners and the man on deck] waits and taps helmets when I arrive. We then run back to the dugout together where the rest of the team then celebrates as well.”

Context: My informant is a high school baseball player. He is a junior and hopes to play in college and beyond. This is his celebration every time he hits a home run. 

Analysis: Sports players very often have elaborate rituals associated with certain parts of their game. Sometimes, rituals help players feel calm and collected in important moments. In many cases, such as this one, rituals are meant to celebrate big moments in a game, such as scoring or making a big stop on defense. These rituals are often very performative and exaggerated in order to evoke excitement and energy in both the athlete’s teammates and the crowd. However, my informant’s ritual is rather understated. It is a subtle acknowledgement of his teammates before slightly rowdier celebrations begin back in the dugout. While he didn’t mention this during the interview, it is important to note that my informant is being scouted by colleges and professional organizations to play baseball at a higher level. So, while he is on the field and potentially on camera, he composes himself. Once he is out of sight in the dugout, he might get a little more boastful and excited with his teammates. While a seemingly insignificant part of sports, rituals like these are a way in which athletes present themselves to the outside world. Players can be labeled as “cocky” if their rituals are audacious, for better or for worse. On the other hand, many players, especially those who still are being recruited, may have to act out certain rituals that fit the standards of recruiters, even if it’s not how they truly wish to express themselves on the field. 

Colored Ribbons on Every Tree

Text: “Whenever someone dies, the whole town goes out and wraps specific colored ribbons around the trees. We have like 4 blue and pink ribbons on the trees in front of our house for [local mom and dad that died recently]. We do it to show support for surviving family members.” 

Context: My informant is a highschool student from the small town of Hinsdale, Illinois. There was a recent passing of a fellow classmate’s parents, so there are specific references to this one performance of the ritual.  

Analysis: This tradition comes from my informant’s home town, a smaller town where the community is very tight-knit. Everybody knows everybody and the happenings of their lives. So, when tragedy strikes and someone passes, it is a big event that the town collectively mourns. The specific rite mentioned here is a simple one: tie ribbons of remembrance around the trees lining the streets. As my informant alluded to, the ribbons are meant to let the deceased’s family know that the whole town stands beside them in mourning. The colors are often symbolic, representing something about those who have passed. In the case of a recent tragedy, there are paired blue and pink ribbons for the mother and father that both passed. Also, I think that the ritual helps the town process the death too. Since the community is so tightly knit, tragic deaths ripple throughout the entire community. In this case, the two that passed had multiple kids in the local school system and sports teams. Since they were so integrated into the community, the tragedy of their passing affected almost everybody. So, the townspeople banded together to put up ribbons not only as a sign of solidarity for their surviving family members but also as a way to process their own collective grief. 

Hispanic Funeral Customs

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: Traditional Mexican funerals are very different that those in the United States. They last anywhere from 2-3 days, and involve lots of food, alcohol, and music. One of the most prominent customs involves the carrying of the the casket to the cemetery site. I can recall numerous funeral services, all in Mexico City, that I would describe as being more fun that sad. This differs from my funeral experience in the United States, which is centered more around the mourning of the deceased.

Context: Informant describes bearing witness to these hispanic funeral traditions many times while attending services in Mexico City. However, they have never witnessed such actions occur in the United States, even at Mexican- American funerals. Informant acknowledges the differences in ideologies between many Americans and Hispanics to be the fundamental reason for this observation. They claim that the people of Mexico do not view death to be the end of ones soul, but the transition into an afterlife. Because of this, their physical loss is met with a celebratory sequence, ackowledging the continuation of their soul.

Analysis:

As someone who has never attended a funeral in general, I was quite shocked to here of the funeral traditions of Hispanic weddings. I was especially surprised to hear about how the coffin is carried throughout the street to the cemetery. At an initial glance, from the perspective of someone born in the United States, I thought it was slightly disrespectful. However, this exposure has helped me understand how many hispanics view with cycle of life and the issue of death. By seeing death as the departure of the soul to an afterlife, rather than the elimination of the soul, these customs become very understandable. The difference in customs between cultures also allowed me to see how customs are a product of people, just as much as people are a product of customs.

Elopement Vows

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: When I decided to get married to my, now, ex-husband we decided to have a small wedding. So small that the only people present were him, the priest, and myself. Although their were no guests, we still prepared our Vows for one- another and spoke then when directed to. It was a beautiful ceremony, all that I had hoped for, and keeping our vows between each other deepened our connection.

Context: Informant describes the decision behind why they decided to have an elopement. Due to clashing cultures, that of a Hispanic woman and of a Kashmiri man, the informant was nervous of the traditions that would have to take place at such a diverse wedding. Because of this, the informant decided the wedding should be held with only a priest present. Informant understands that this choice was rather unorthodox, but discusses her need for traditions of a wedding, such as the exchange of vows, still being present. To the informant, this shows that weddings do not need to follow all customs and traditions that are culturally approved, but the ones a couple sees fit.

Analysis: I think this piece is elegant in its way of explaining how folk- tradition, such as weddings, is an event that can undergo changes based on those who are performing it. It portrays how folk traditions remain resilient through variation. This specific examples does not relay the story of those who reject traditional wedding practices, but adapted them to fit their own personal needs. In doing so, it became clear that folklore is an always changing genre that accommodates the needs of a changing society.