Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

The Silver Salute

Nationality: United States
Age: 85
Occupation: Major General (retired)
Residence: Melbourne, Florida
Performance Date: 4/18/13
Primary Language: English

The informant is a military veteran who served for thirty seven years. He retired a two star major general, a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Silver Star Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart Medal with oak leaf cluster. He is a Master Parachutist and served in the 503rd Parachute Infantry and the 187th Regimental Combat Team.

The overview of the tradition is that when you are first commissioned and graduate from whatever training or academy you attend, the first enlisted man to salute you must be payed a dollar–usually a silver dollar.

“Informant: Well, there’s one, uh, for example. When you are first commissioned, you give a, uh…the first salute that you receive, you give that individual that salutes you a dollar. Usually a silver dollar.

Interviewer: And why is that exactly?

Informant: Uh…nobody knows

Interviewer: (Laughter) Just a tradition?

Informant: Right. Well, in fact, some officers would, uh, stand by the side of the road as the newly commissioned would be leaving and he would…he would salute every one of em’ and make them get out of their cars and pay him a dollar. I had to set him straight so  traffic could keep moving”

Although the informant claims not to know the reason or origin of this tradition, it seems to fit Arnold Van Gennep’s theory of rites of passage being a source of tradition. Before being commissioned, these men did all of the saluting and were never saluted back by their higher-ranking officers. After making to second lieutenant, they have crossed the liminal point to where they have now earned the respect of being saluted by enlisted men. The paying of the dollar is a reciprocal sign of respect which commemorates the first time being saluted by an enlisted member. By going through the process of paying the saluter instead of just returning the salute, the moment is made more memorable and meaningful.

“Pop It Up, Take Big Bites, Make Sandwiches”

Nationality: United States
Age: 56
Occupation: Attorney
Residence: Corning, New York
Performance Date: 3/14/13
Primary Language: English
Language: Korean, German, French

The informant is a former Army Ranger who attended West Point Military Academy from 1975-1979. During his time, he was taught many traditions and secrets that were exclusive to the army.

The phrase “Pop it up, take big bites, make sandwiches” was one of such phrases heard at West Point. A “plebe” is a first year student at the academy. If you heard this from a superior officer while you were a plebe, it was a very good thing. It meant that whatever good deed you had done had earned you certain privildges. “Pop it up” was referring to one’s chest. They should stand tall and proud with their chest out for what they had done. The next two phrases have to do with the rules that were enforced on plebes while eating. Like many aspects of being a plebe, these rules were strict and often absurd, but intended to teach discipline. While eating, plebes had to cut up all of their food into small pieces, even things as small as Cheerios. Thus, the instruction to “take big bites” meant that they no longer had to abide by this rule. When sandwhich fixings were available, they were not allowed to make them, instead eating the meat, bread, and cheese individually. Hearing this phrase, however, voided this rule. The informant notes, though, that there were still other required rituals which had to be observed.

The informant remembers this phrase because it was always his goal to hear it. Now, he uses it himself in situations other than eating. Thus, phrase has transcended its original purpose and now is taken as simply a compliment or substitute for saying “good job” no matter the context. Although the rules may have been harsh, the informant cites traditions like this phrase as reasons that West Point helped him succeed.

Kissing The Mezuzah

Nationality: United States
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/12/13
Primary Language: English

The informant is from Malibu, California and grew up in a Jewish household. She was the president of “Malijew”, her high school’s Jewish club.

This tradition was taught to the informant by her mother when she was very young. The informant grew up in a Jewish household and her mother was of particularly strong faith. Before explaining the tradition as a whole, the informant first described what a mezuzah is. It is a metal tube with Hebrew prayers inscribed on it and it also usually contains a scroll of Holy prayers. These prayers are inscribed by designated scribes and are not considered holy or authentic if they are written by anyone else. The literal Hebrew translation of mezuzah is “doorpost”. This is because they are hung on top of or on the side of a door frame. The informant was always told that this was to protect the house from evil and also to be reminded to obey the instructions of the holy verses contained in the mezuzah.

Beyond hanging the mezuzah, the informant also always makes sure to touch the mezuzah and then kiss her fingers whenever she enters or exits a room with one hung on the door. When asked why she does this, the informant said “because it says so in the Torah”. While it is true that the Torah commands, the act of kissing the mezuzah seems to be a calming act. Though it may be a small, simple thing, it is a way of acknowledging one’s faith throughout the day and keeping God in one’s thoughts. The use was obviously first disseminated through the institution of the Jewish religion, but it is spread today mostly through familial lines.

Notation:

To some extent, mezuzahs have been a point of contention. This is because they are often left nailed to the doorway after the Jewish owner moves out. When a new owner moves in, they often keep the mezuzah, regardless of their faith. Some owners reportedly kiss it even though they are not Jewish, which has caused some controversy with the Jewish community. The informant recalls going to  a friend’s new apartment in New York City and kissing his mezuzah before entering. Her friend was not Jewish and asked her why she did that, having never seen the tradition take place. As far as the informant knows, he has not taken it down. Kissing the mezuzah is not just a cultural or regional tradition; it is seen as a sacred, religious act. People hold these acts dearly and can take it personally if they feel they are being robbed of them.

Farmer, Ann. “In Mezuzas, a Custom Inherited by Gentiles.” New York Times. September (2010): n. page. Print. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/18/nyregion/18mezuzahs.html?_r=1&>.

Playoff Haircuts

Nationality: United States
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Wilmington, North Carolina
Performance Date: 3/21/13
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish, Portuguese

This tradition was practiced by the informant during his time on the high school lacrosse team. The informant went to high school in upstate New York, where lacrosse is by far the most popular highs school sport. A lot of pressure is put on the team and it regularly makes it to, and often wins, the state championship title. At the end of the season, they would go to sectionals, or the playoffs. This would usually involve traveling around upstate New York as a team and staying in a hotel, etc. Before taking off for this trip, the team would gather at someone’s house and buzz each others’ hair with clippers. These weren’t just normal haircuts, though. Everyone would shave ridiculous mohawks, patterns, words and shapes into their head so that they all looked absurd. They would keep these haircuts until either they were eliminated from play or they won. It was considered good luck and was done every year.

Although this is obviously a silly tradition, it represents solidarity amongst the team. Alone, it would be hard to go out in public with a penis shaved into your head. However, if you are with a group of people in matching uniforms with equally ridiculous things shaved into their heads, it might not be as hard. It is symbolically of how they will be more successful on the field if they stick together and are on the same wavelength. In this way, it can be considered a case of contagious magic. The belief is that if they have the same haircuts, they will have similar thoughts and be able to communicate better.

Hold your breath through a tunnel

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 26
Occupation: Research Assistant
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

The informant explained this game they often play on road trips: “Whenever I go driving with my  family, we all hold our breaths whenever we reach a tunnel. Though it often turns into a competition for them, it has become a tradition.”

Me: “When’s the first time you heard this game?”

Informant: “I don’t remember exactly… I just remember someone said, “There’s a tunnel, hold your breath!” and somehow we all started doing it. I think you were supposed to make a wish, but in the end we just saw who could last the longest! I remember my little brother would just puff out his cheeks so it looked like he was holding his breath when he was just breathing through his nose (laughs).”

Analysis: This game is common-practice, however it is hard to pinpoint the exact origin online. In the 1980s, it was thought that tunnel air would cure whopping cough, so mothers would bring their children to tunnels to cure them. In order to keep from contracting the respiratory disease, the people with the infected children would have to hold their breaths when accompanying them into the tunnel.

Another interpretation is that the air pressure may change when one goes through a tunnel at fast speeds, and holding your breath cures the pain in your ears. It’s is interesting that such a practice to prevent pain has developed into a superstition or game.

Annotation: This cure for whopping cough is mentioned in Arthur Beavan’s book “Tube, Tram, Train, Car” in the chapter about the London Railway.

“Tube, Tram, Train, and Car” by Arthur Beavan