Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

Yom Kippur Gesture

Nationality: Israeli
Age: 56
Occupation: Dentist
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: February 25h, 2011
Primary Language: Hebrew
Language: English

“For as long as I can remember myself, and during all the many years I’ve been living in Israel, Yom-Kippur was the day of strolling along the streets. It was such a strong tradition that not to do so used to look weird, and when young- made you unpopular. It was best seen during Yom-Kippur eve, immediately after the specific prayer was performed, as this was the time the streets were filled with both religious and non-religious people, since the religious ones will spend most of next day at the synagogues. As this holiest day is a day-without-cars in Israel, the strolling took place mainly on the roads but also on the pavements, and went on for hours. Because this day is a holiday, we all were very nicely dressed and strolled together with our best friends. One of the purposes was to meet as many friends as possible, and to chat with everyone we met, at least for a few minutes.

Looking back at all those years, I can see a few reasons for this tradition that I was not able to see then, mainly because one doesn’t ponder too much into traditions… I now believe that there two major reasons, of almost an opposite nature: the wish to be together on this most important day in the Jewish religion, and boredom, as there was not much to do in a day when the TV didn’t broadcast programs and cars were not allowed to drive. Still, as this tradition continues on these days, when there exists DVD players and play stations etc, there is a strong possibility that the first reason is actually the most genuine one. There are, of course, the common social reasons of to-see-and-be-seen, as everybody is there and maybe to get “fasting support” from all the other people whom fast on this holy day as well. “

Reading my mother’s description brought me years back to those Yom-Kippur days in Israel, which I liked very much. I remember the strolls, being allowed outside until late hours, as it was a “safe night”, like an adult, meeting everybody I wanted to meet (boys in particular) while looking pretty in white clothing coming from the Synagogue. To this was added the fact that I didn’t suffer from not eating since even if I was religious, I was under the age of 12, which meant I did not need to fast on this holy day yet. So for me it was all fun and joy, only for the social reasons.

For the kids especially it was fun because we also safely rode our bikes, it was a day when the whole city became our park and we can go wild (as wild as possible on a holy day). I remember the peer pressure of going to meet your friends and seeing who is allowed out the longest. I think the beauty of this tradition, and the reason why it goes on, is that for one day, everything of an “outside” or of “materialistic” nature stops. No cars, no television, your biggest problems seize for a day because it’s a day of repentance and asking for forgiveness. It’s a day marked by humbleness and a day marked by a new start. After this day, you begin with a clean slate, and so you walk the streets looking back at all the things that this time around you will do your best not to do again.

Italian Proverb

Nationality: Italian
Age: 21
Occupation: Environmental Studies and Economics Double Major at Dartmouth College
Residence: New Hampshire
Performance Date: March 18th, 2011
Primary Language: Italian
Language: French, English

“In bocca al lupo”

/Een bo ca al loop oh/

“In the mouth of the wolf”

“Both my parents were born and raised in Italy. It was from them that I had learned this proverb, which I heard ever so often, from almost every Italian friend. I always used to say it to my friends, whether they knew what it meant or not, it became such a habit for me to say rather than the American “good luck”. If I’m not mistaken, I first heard it from my father when he dropped me at school on a day when I had a test I was very nervous about.

I do speak Italian, I was raised speaking it, and so I asked my dad why such a cruel thing is said to me. So… he explained to me that this proverb is, in fact, a common Italian way to say, “wishing you success” and I heard this same explanation from many other Italians. See the thing is, the wolf in this proverb represents the enemy, and getting into the mouth of it stands for-danger. So, when one uses this words, one acknowledges that the person who is being encouraged is heading for a dangerous challenge.

I got used to this peculiar encouragement that sounded quite the opposite, as I was raised hearing it. Yet, a long time later, I learned from my Italian friend Flaminia, that there is a response to this greeting that should be said by the one who is being greeted, and by replying it makes much more sense as a proverb that is used as an encouragement. The traditional response is: “Crepi il lupo”- “That the wolf may die”, which means rising to the challenge and beating the enemy. However, this second part, the response, is rarely used, leaving the “In bocca al lupo” as an encouragement by itself“

Giulia had enlightened me about this saying by shedding some light on how it is appropriately used. I also had learned about the saying from my parents, and had never quite understood what it meant. I had not heard that there exists a response until this interview. My analysis of the saying had always been that the saying is negative, just as the American saying, “break a leg” is negative, in order not to ‘jinx’ the person who is about to perform whatever task. In that way, by wishing something bad upon them, for whatever twisted reason they will do better than if you wished them good luck. Maybe even a reason that has to do with the “evil eye”.

Looking at the response it makes much more sense to be using this sentence. It shows that the saying involves bravery and dealing with the worst.

My analysis of the saying beforehand also involved my own experience in Italy. When I was 12 I moved with my family to Rome, Italy. There I stayed two years. During that time I learned much about the Italian cultures, and one story that stuck with me was the story of the naming of Rome. The short version goes that one of the sons of the Roman king who had wanted the throne sent the king’s twin boys to their death. They were put in a basket and left in the Tiber River. However, the twins were miraculously saved by a she-wolf that had taken care of them. When I thought of the saying I had related it back to this story, and imagined that “In Bocca al Lupo” was somewhat to say may the wolf come and miraculously help you in whatever it is you need good luck. This way, the saying had a positive connotation, which made more sense to me.

Now, looking at the response, it makes much more sense to be using this sentence. It shows that the saying involves bravery, dealing with the worst, and truly overcoming a challenge, what a great way to wish luck to someone.

As mentioned above other versions of this could be seen in the American “break a leg” that involves something bad occurring rather than good. Yet I have yet to encounter a saying of good fortune that needs a response in order to achieve its full effect in any place other than Italy.

Italian Stereotype

Nationality: Israeli
Age: 20
Occupation: Government Major at Dartmouth College
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: March 18th, 2011
Primary Language: Hebrew
Language: English, Italian

“Pariolina”

/pa ree oh lee na/

A stereotypical female who lives in Parioli  (a district in Rome, Italy)

“When we moved from Israel to Rome, I was at the terrible age of 14, and one of the most important aims I was anxious to reach was to be accepted by the rich and popular Italian girls that surrounded me in the American International School of Rome. Being a “fashionista”, I immediately noticed that there is an enormous difference between their style and my style, a totally different “dress code” as well as “makeup code”, if you will. At this time (and also a couple of years later), every one of them used to put on a pair of Levi’s baggy jeans, tops from two specific shops found in their district, all with the same cleavage, and finally a very specific sort of Nike sport shoes. During winter wool scarves were added, tied in a very unique way, and unique short black coats. There were some other specific items of course, and makeup-wise they, at the early age of 14, were already putting on heavy makeup. So I tried my best, and I obviously had to put big efforts, as I came from a completely different fashion mentality.  Yet, to no avail… something didn’t look right, it just didn’t fit on me. And then I knew what I should do. I asked a male-friend Luca, an Italian very fashion-minded boy of my age, that I knew well, where could I get this kind of clothes. That was when I first heard the “Pariolina” word, as he told me that to be a “pariolina” I should go to this and this shop, and only there can I purchase the exact items. And so I did, and so I spent a lot of money at these expensive stores, and achieved the best results. The big prize came very soon, when Vittoria, the most popular of the Italian girls in my class, told me that I looked like a real “Pariolina”. I was accepted, and trust me, it was hard!  The Italian society is way far from “open” to foreigners, though some perceive it as a welcoming image. By that time I already knew that Parioli is probably the most prestigious neighborhood in Rome, and being called by this name meant to be dressed in the “right” way. And so I left my Israeli look behind and became a true “Priolina”, and as I’m very interested in fashion, I even became a sort of fashion advisor on where to get what.

I loved the “Pariolina” style when I lived in Rome, because I enjoy living the life of the locals, and because it helped me become accepted by the Italian girls of my international class, which was an exceptional thing. And I loved my changed look and my “grown up” makeup. Later, when I was a bit older, my view changed and I tried to dress more unique and be guided by my own tastes.

Today, as a 20 year girl, almost American and living in a town like Hanover, and after visiting Rome a few times, I look at this period with a smile, as one of the lovely-funny things of my years as a teenager “.

I love this stereotype that my sister here describes because although I was younger I still vaguely remember it, but unlike then, I now understand what it was all about. When living in Rome, and looking back now, I notice a trend that different age groups in my International School show. When young, the Italian population worked towards being Americanized in order to fit in, yet as they reach high school, they learn to embrace their Italian heritage more and that is when stereotypes like the “pariolina” begin showing.

Looking at it now and having since then visited Rome many times, the “Pariolina” stereotype seems to me as carrying ambivalent values; the positive social unity of the Roman girls, their very original “posh style”, as well as the less desired lack of uniqueness, and in the case of the “Pariolina”, also the social rank issue that still quite openly exists in Rome.

After looking into the term “Pariolina” I stumbled upon an actual dictionary definition of the word;

According to the De Mauro online dictionary: Parioloina is a noun that has several uses.

“1. A native or inhabitant of Parioli

  1. (Informal) A person with a bourgeois standard of living and right-of-centre politics
  2. (Locally, slang) A bourgeois fashioned youngster of Rome.
  3. (Spregiative, in the past) A bourgeois and snobby behaviour.”

I also found the use of the word Pariolina Italian literature, in his book “Improvvisa la Vita” Ottieri wrote:

“piedi una parte del viale Mohammed Ve si fermò a osservare una bella pariolina che passava sul marciapiede sotto gli alberi di aranci e mandarini”

Which in translation to English is:

“on foot through a part of the tree-lined avenue Mohammed Ve stopped to watch a beautiful pariolina who passed on the pavement under the orange and Mandarin trees”

It’s really quite interesting to learn something I found so casual and perhaps even meaningless to outsiders can actually be documented by a dictionary and literature.

Annotation: Ottieri, Ottiero. Improvvisa La Vita. Milano: Bompiani, 1987. Print. (http://openlibrary.org/books/OL2072250M/Improvvisa_la_vita)

De Mauro. “Pariolino.” Demauroparavia.it. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. <http://www.demauroparavia.it/79578>.

Dartmouth College Folk Terms

Nationality: Israeli
Age: 20
Occupation: Government Major at Dartmouth College
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: March 18th, 2011
Primary Language: Hebrew
Language: English, Italian

Blitz

/Blehtz/

“Blitz: the Dartmouth intercampus mail system. It got the name “blitz” because of its speed: some say that blitz combines AIM and an email system. Dartmouth students are attached to the program–recent news of its replacement resulted in negative reactions from the students, who decided to maintain the name “blitz” for the new program. Blitzmail (blitz is a shorthand for it) is very old-fashioned in its operation, but is used by students as well as faculty and staff.

Freshmen tend to be slow on learning blitz etiquette, which frustrates upper classmen. Students use the term blitz as a verb as well, i.e. “I’ll blitz you about getting lunch on Sunday,” or, “did you get my blitz,” or “are you on blitz?” (Which means are you currently logged onto blitz?) Students at Dartmouth mostly communicate over blitz, and some have come up with the term “flitzing” which refers to flirting over blitz.

I love blitz because it’s unique to Dartmouth and the fact that the college has a unique email system with associated terminology underscores the important of traditions at the college.”

When my sister first started attending Dartmouth University, she would come back with all these strange terms that made no sense to me at all! Blitz was definitely one of them. It amazed me how much of a completely different culture a college can have, I didn’t understand it yet since I was a sophomore in high school but now I do. Terms like “tro gro” and the “finger fountain” will perhaps make no sense to anyone outside USC but I could not imagine using any other term for such things.

I like the blitz term because it was very odd for me to understand it at first, which makes it more special, sometimes I feel like USC terms like the above mentioned are perhaps a little easier to decode, but who could possibly know what a blitz is?

I also like it because my sister has used it so often that I immediately connect the word with Dartmouth and knowing what it means makes me feel a little bit like I’m part of the Dartmouth community, though in reality I am only a part of the folk group by association. I also like how it portrays that the ways of communication in Dartmouth are of utter importance. As Dana described, most things are centered on Blitz, to the point where flirting is even managed through it. Communication is key in most aspects of all of our lives, so I cannot say I’m surprised that Dartmouth has such a strong emphasis of the system as a whole, as well as folk term itself.

Overall, out of all the traditions that make a college community its own unique folk group, I think speech is what really differentiates the person within the group versus the person outside the group, which is why Blitz is so special to Dana.

South African Food

Nationality: South African
Age: 19
Occupation: Studying Pre Med at the University of California Davis
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: December 30th, 2010
Primary Language: English
Language: Hebrew, Spanish

Biltong

/Behl Tongue/

“uummmm biltong! Yes that would definitely be one of the main South African aspects of our lives. You know… like dried meat?

Well, honestly its raw meat just dried with spices and its kinda tribal but everyone eats it… White South Africans, Black South Africans. It must have been around for years because well… like I said it’s very tribal, like from the times where they could only use spices to preserve meat. But it’s delicious no matter what! and part of the culture… and its just part of being South African, you know? Like you get excited to eat it because it reminds you of home and of certain occasions specifically. Oh I guess it’d be important to mention its kind of more of a snack food, nothing special or religious about it you know? It’s usually related to the traditional South African BBQ names Braiis, which we usually just had on weekends. Many of my friends here and their families still have Braiis, and you’ll always find biltong there. Okay even though you always will, it excites me every time! It’s not that easy to find here, and it’s just like a memory straight from home, and you can’t even compare it to anything here, not even jerky if you were thinking that. I guess if I think hard about it biltong represents family times for me, it represents something that all south Africans share in common which as we all know is kind of rare at these times. I just love it.“

I could hear the excitement in Ashlyn’s voice when she spoke about this, even though to me it seemed just like simple meat that you could out do anywhere! But then again it got me thinking of Israeli food that I miss so so much. Things that are quite rare to find here like Melauach (fried dough), as well as Jachnun (baked dough that has to be baked for 24 hours), but most importantly biltong and the idea of braiis reminded me of Israel’s most famous BBQ product; pullet I think it would be called in English. It is the most delicious BBQ food ever, but only when made in Israel (or perhaps that is my bias/ national pride). This meat will usually be made on the weekends at BBQs just like biltong, but most importantly it would always be made on Israeli Independence Day and it would always be my favorite part! Perhaps, it is actually somewhat clear to me, that this is why I am so proud of that certain meat products because I would have it on Israel’s nation-state most prideful day. The environment at the Independence Day BBQ just made me full of pride, and to this day still does. It was all about unity, and enjoying everything that makes us Israeli; good food, good music, and of course good company.

When I try and think why it is that traditions like biltong remain, since it is unrelated to any holiday and I have yet to hear that it is the national food or anything of the sort, I can only imagine that it is the aspect of folk recipes itself that is important. It is food that people sit down and unite over, because food causes no arguments and everyone could enjoy it. It is food that is found in both celebrations, and sad occasions. Food is in every aspect of a person’s life, and so it is no wonder that a folk group may use food as a way to identify itself, and it is also no wonder that food may be a source of feeling more at home, even in a strange country. Food is a basic need to us all, but the food we make could say a lot about us, about our daily habits, our preferences, and our view of the world around us (for example vegetarians out saving the world one animal at a time). I believe that learning about other cultures through food is both enjoyable and enlightening.