Category Archives: general

“That Team Up North”

Slang term for the Michigan Wolverines college football team used by fans and members of the Ohio State Buckeyes college football team.

First encountered by informant while watching College Gameday for one of the yearly Ohio State-Michigan football games.

One of the many indicators of the sustained antipathy that exists between Michigan and Ohio State fans, the phrase “That Team Up North” was coined by Woody Hayes – Ohio State’s famed football coach from 1951 through 1978 – at an uncertain point in his tenure. Hayes coined it because he so detested Michigan that he refused to say their name. Nearly forty years after Hayes’s death, the Ohio State fanbase – one of college football’s largest – still uses “That Team Up North” in everyday parlance for the exact same reason.

Manchester United chant

“Hello! Hello! / We are the Busby boys! / Hello! Hello! / We are the Busby boys! / And if you are a City fan / Surrender or you’ll die / We all follow United!”

A chant referencing coach Matt Busby and his 1950s Manchester United squads, characterized by the youth of their players (hence, the “Busby boys” or “Busby babes”). Most of United’s 1957-58 team would die in the Munich air disaster, leading to their immortalization in United supporter lore. The “City fan” line is always said, regardless of whether or not United is actually playing Manchester City.

First encountered by informant outside of the Trafford – a common pre-game congregation point for Man United supporters – while preparing to attend a game.

This chant demonstrates the value of Manchester United’s status as a storied franchise to their supporters, as well as the obvious memorialization of a tragic loss of life.

Mal de Ojo

Age: 21

Date: 2/27/24

Major: Media Arts and Practice

Year: Senior

Primary Language: English, Spanish

Place of Origin: Peruvian Amazon

INTERVIEWER: What’s a superstition you have, are you practice and where did you learn it from?

STUDENT: Uh. It’s it’s a Peruvian or more like Amazonian superstition, and it’s like there’s these um seed that is like red colored with like a black dot. or like a a big blob, black blob.. Uh, and they usually make like either necklaces or um wristbands, um stuff like that. And they usually put them on little babies, and the superstition is that if you wore it, you’ll prevent getting “mal de ojo’”, which is like if someone looks at you with bad intentions, that, you know, they’re gonna like something bad is gonna happen to you, like you’re gonna get sick or something.. So, to prevent that on children, uh, they put that on. And sometimes, like some adults also keep it. um now, I think my mom did it with me just because he was like more of a cultural practice than she actually believed it. Uh, and then but also it’s like a very popular thing to wear. so now, I don’t wear it very often, but I have like two necklaces that my mom gave me when I got into college. so yeah, I I worked on every now and then, but yeah..

INTERVIEWER: And then you would say you learned this from, like, your mom? 

STUDENT: Yeah, from mom and like just the community and local culture. 

“Meet Me at the Airport, We’re Going to Tahiti”

Nationality: American
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired

Informant Information:

Age: 63

Date of Performance: 2/18/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text:

“Meet me at the airport, we’re going to Tahiti.”

Context:

The informant, a native of Berkeley, California, has faced significant family hardships, including her mother’s sudden health crisis, her son’s chronic illness, and her brother’s child being diagnosed with autism. During particularly stressful moments, she and her siblings would jokingly text each other, saying, “Meet you at the airport, let’s go to Tahiti” or “I’m going to Tahiti right now, come join me.” This became their way of signaling that they had reached an emotional breaking point and needed a mental escape.

Analysis:

The metaphorical idea of escaping to Tahiti, an idyllic vacation destination, served as a form of humorous escapism for the informant and her family. By inviting each other to “meet at the airport” and “go to Tahiti,” they created a shared symbolic refuge—a way to momentarily detach from their struggles without actually leaving.

Tahiti, often associated with paradise and relaxation, represented the fantasy of escaping life’s burdens and finding peace. By extending this imaginary invitation, the informant and her siblings not only acknowledged their shared hardships but also reinforced their emotional support for one another. This expression worked simultaneously as a joke and coping mechanism that allowed them to communicate distress, offer solidarity, and maintain their bond through humor, despite adversity.

Apples & Honey: Jewish New Year Ritual

Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
Language: English

Informant Information:

Age: 63

Date of Performance: 2/18/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: English

Residence: Alameda, California

Text:

“Both my parents were Jewish, and at the new year—which, in Judaism, is a holiday in the fall when apples are in season—you cut apple slices, dip them in honey, and that will give you a sweet, prosperous new year.”

Context:

The informant, a California native from a fully Jewish background, grew up celebrating the Jewish New Year with her parents.

Analysis:

Eating apples dipped in honey is a Jewish tradition during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Their round shape symbolizes the cyclical nature of the year, while the honey’s sweetness represents hopes for a prosperous and joyful future.

Before eating, participants often recite a blessing expressing their wish for a “sweet new year,” reinforcing the ritual’s symbolic nature. For the informant’s family, this ritual was a celebration of their Jewish identity and means of passing down traditions to future generations. The timing, coinciding with apple season in the fall, also reflects the natural alignment between cultural customs and the regional produce available in California.