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“When my boys and I were hiking the Portuguese Bend at night right on the coast on the cliffs, the ground like started shifting beneath us like kind of like an earthquake, it was pretty nuts. And at first we just kinda thought it was an earthquake but then we texted our boys back home and they didn’t feel anything, so we kind of just chalked it up to being the Portuguese Bend Curse because I don’t know, there was like no other explanation I guess.”
Context
RK explains that this is a curse/legend that is well known among his friends and other Palos Verdes residents, especially those that have spent time around the Portuguese Bend. He says that while hiking with his friends, he felt the ground move in a way that felt like an earthquake, but when he double checked with friends and family they didn’t feel anything. He says that he and his friends had no explanation for what happened, so they attributed it to the Portuguese Bend Curse. RK says that he’s been back to the Portuguese Bend a few times since that happened but nothing similar has happened.
Analysis
The Portuguese Bend Curse is a legend that is popular among the Palos Verdes area of Southern California, and RK’s specific story is a memorate. His experience shows that in weird moments that feel unexplainable, people will turn to folkloric and supernatural explanations for the event. This legend also shows that there is more to a place than just its geography; there is a ton of added identity to the Portuguese Bend that is built through stories and human memories. RK’s story is also a great example of Lindahl’s argument that legends and beliefs become stronger or validated through personal experience, as RK knew of the curse beforehand but never had any strong opinions about it until he experienced the ground shake in person. It’s also interesting that even though RK hasn’t felt the ground shake since that moment, he still believes in the Portuguese Bend Curse because of that one memorable and jarring experience.
Category Archives: Narrative
The Legend of Nian
Context: The informant, CC, describes the legend of Nian that is a popular Chinese folktale
CC: “In chinese lunar new year theres this story where in this old Chinese village, they were all terrorized by this big ol monster called ‘Nian’ …and to combat this they ended up creating big sounds through fireworks and firecrackers, which is a predominant reason why people today as tradition uses fireworks to celebrate the new year.”
Q: Where did you first hear about the story?
CC: “I first heard about it from my parents and other family members since we always get together to celebrate the Lunar New Year.”
Q: Have you heard of the story being told outside of your family?
CC: “Honestly no…well, there was this thing my middle school used to do where we celebrate each other’s culture and one of my teachers told us about the story of Nian. It was pretty accurate to the story I already knew.”
Analysis: The Legend of Nian, as described by CC, is a popular Chinese folktale that tells the story of Nian, a beast who used to terrorize villages in China. Many feared Nian due to its destructive nature. Because of this, many created loud sounds using fireworks and firecrackers in order to scare off the Nian beast and ward it away.
Whittier Tunnels
Q: What do you know about the Whittier Tunnels?
JM: “Ok so basically there’s this whole tunnel system in Whittier and it stretches out to nearby cities like Pico and La Mirada. I don’t know where it stops but it reaches through different parts of Whittier like Whittier High School. There’s different ways to enter the tunnel, but some parts of the tunnel are so small and dark from what I heard.”
Q: When did you first hear about the story?
JM: “It first started in middle school, that was when the tunnels were mentioned but it wasn’t until high school where I learned that one of the tunnel entrances was underneath the basement of the school. I was so shocked. My teacher actually took us down there at the end of the year just to see the basement and the entrance to the tunnel. It’s super creepy though. It’s just super dark.”
Analysis: The story of the Whittier Tunnels are well-known throughout the city of Whittier, CA. Under the city is different tunnels that stretch to different parts of neighboring cities such as La Mirada and Pico Rivera. The tunnels were seemingly built around the construction of the city around the late 1800s. One of the entrances to the tunnels is underneath the basement of Whittier High School, as the informant describes.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Context:
JM: “I mean it’s a pretty common story people get told [throughout] their childhood. It’s [about] this boy that lies to his village that there’s a wolf trying to eat the sheep, but when a real wolf comes to eat the sheep, no one believes him.”
Q: When did you hear about the story?
JM: “I heard about the boy who cried wolf from my older sister and parents, not really at school just at home.”
Your school didn’t cover The Boy Who Cried Wolf?
JM: “I mean I could be wrong but where I went to school, I only remember them covering the story in like 3rd grade maybe.”
Q: Have you seen The Boy Who Cried Wolf anywhere else?
JM: “I guess on social media discourse? But the saying and the interpretation were the same.”
Q: Why do you think the story itself is memorable?
JM: “It’s memorable because it targets childhood fears of being ignored, at least, that’s what I think. At the end, the boy is ignored by the whole village and I’m pretty sure all the sheep died haha…”
Analysis: The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a common fable told to many at a young age. It follows the story of a boy who tricks his entire village into believing a wolf is coming to eat the sheep, only for a wolf to truly come when the village refuses to believe the boy after his previous tricks. The informant, JM, explains that the story tackles the fears of being ignored by society even when telling the truth. It has become a recognizable story amongst kids for its message of liars losing their credibility and not being seen as trustworthy.
Silverhill Hospital
Context: The informant, AC, talks about Silverhill Hospital, a mental asylum where the rumor of “the melon heads” originates from.
“There’s a mental asylum kind of in my town called ‘Silverhill Hospital’ and there’s kind of like a common saying that if you’re not careful or if your alone in the road, the ‘melon heads’ will come get you. I don’t really know what melon-heads refers to, but I guess there’s this legend that a long time ago, a group of insane people escaped a mental asylum and I’m not sure if its my town or one nearby, but they just started living in the woods…they’re suppose to have these big heads and if you see something at night, its going to be a melon head. I feel like more older people talk about it like it wasn’t the kids talking about it. I remember my friends’ parents talking about it more than they did.”
Analysis: The Silverhill Hospital in Connecticut. has had many different rumors surrounding, one of which being the “melon heads”. If you’re alone or not careful at night, the melon heads will come get you. From what the informant explains, the story seems to be more familiar with the older generation than the younger generation. The Silverhill Hospital rumors seem to have originated from long ago, where many would talk about the rumors, It has since then declined from the current youth.