Category Archives: Life cycle

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.

Ornament Ritual

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Occupation: Waitress
Residence: Orange County, CA
Language: English

TEXT:

“So every year, on Christmas, my parents buy me and my siblings an ornament that is supposed to represent something we did that year. This year I got an ornament of, like, a little blender, which is a reference to how I have to make shakes at Ruby’s for my job. Then, the next year, we get to hang them up and reminisce over what we did the year before”

CONTEXT:

The informant later clarified that the tradition began when her oldest sibling was born and her parents wanted to purchase an object that reminds them of their child’s birth. This then continued with each child getting one year after year. The most enjoyable part of the tradition, according to the informant, is when they get to hang up their personalized ornaments when decorating a Christmas tree. 

ANALYSIS:

This tradition is an example of a ritual tied to a holiday – it is considered an important part of the informant’s Christmas celebration. Many holidays and their corresponding rituals emphasize the passing of time, and this ritual is no different. The ornament is meant to be representative of some event that happened during the year so the family can reflect on what changes or milestones they experienced with the passing of time. It celebrates the growth each child has had, starting from their birth. It also adds another component to the traditional decorating of a tree, as each year the kids grow they will have more ornaments to decorate it with. Thus, the tree itself would be representative of the years the family has been together. 

This ritual can also be seen as symbolic of the family unit. Each child gets their own unique ornament that reflects their personal growth. However, the ornaments become a unit when they are hung up together on the tree. It illustrates how each member of the family has their differences, but they share a common identity with each other by being members of the same family. In addition, the ornaments working together to make the tree visually appealing can be seen as a reflection of how the family supports one another with the ultimate goal of building a successful life for each other.

Folk Narrative: Folktale – The Mothers Heart

  1. Text: There is a Greek folk tale that centers around and explores the often contrived dynamic between a man, his wife and his mother. This three person dynamic, often subject to satire, melodrama or perhaps just general tension in everyday life, is metabolized and explored dramatically in the tale known as The Mother’s Heart, (Η Καρδιά της Μάνας). The tale is simple. It follows the story of a man who is living simultaneously with his mother and his wife. The man splits his time and attention between the two women, often to the dismay of the wife. The wife is infuriated that she must split her husband between herself and her mother-in-law. Finally enraged to the point of no return, the wife gives her husband an ultimatum. The wife not only demands that the man pick between herself and his mother, but she demands that in order to prove his love, the man must go to a new extreme; he must rip his mothers heart out, and deliver it to his wife. Now this man is wrought with love and manipulation – so he agrees to his wife’s terms. He kills his mother, steals her heart and puts it in a chest. With the heart in hand, the man journeys back to his wife. Along the way, he stumbles, falling over and dropping the box. The heart rolls out of the chest. To his complete shock, the heart speaks softly and says to him, “Είσαι καλά, παιδί μου?” – “Are you okay, my child?” This moment shatters the son, injecting him with a deep dread.
  2. Informants Context: Greeks mothers are extremely hands-on, they just want to try and stay as close as possible to their children. If anything, its one of the most famous stereotypes that follows so many Greek people around. They really struggle to let go of their children. I never wanted to be like that with my sons because I was cognizant of that issue in our culture. This stereotype surrounding Greek parents is especially true as it applies to Greek mothers and their sons though. It really is. So as a kid, my mother would tell me this story all the time. She was an immigrant from Greece, raised in the villages, so she was very old school. Very traditional, believed in keeping the family close and all that. She learned this story from her time in the villages, from where I couldn’t say, but it was known amongst her community. There were a lot of Greek immigrant families where I grew up in Canada, and my friends who also had immigrant mothers would sometimes tell them the same story. Whenever I did anything to make my mother unhappy, maybe disrespected her or spoke out of line, usually she would yell and scare the hell out of me. Sometimes though she would just sit me down and tell me this story, really guilting me. As soon as I got married she never told me the story again though (laughs). I think the story reflects a lot of the dynamics that are common in Greek culture, for better or for worse. The mother-son relationship is extremely valued in Greek culture. This story, hearing it as a child, inevitably brought me closer to my mother when I was young. Of course, a part of her was trying to guilt trip me into love. I know that. But I still believe the moral at the center of the story is authentic and beautiful. A mothers love for her son knows no bounds, even when he hurts her. It’s very touching.
  3. Collectors Interpretation: I believe the story of the Mothers Heart is a folk tale that indeed stems from stereotypes or even true cultural qualities about the close-knit relationship between Greek mothers and their sons. It reflects a deeper and broader code of familial loyalty that characterizes all Greek families – loving one another unconditionally, despite how often we hurt each other. Greeks, being known as soulful and emotional people, often say or do crazy things in the name of passion, as the son does for his wife. Despite this, or perhaps because these are acts of passion/love, Greeks often find it in themselves to love the family member who hurt them. More specifically, it is clearly a story about the purity, the unconditional quality of maternal love. The simplicity of the story and the extent to which it is clear is partly what makes it such a robust folk tale. While clearly supernatural and not to be interpreted as historical (also not sacred), the story feels like it exists for pedagogy. It has a clear, concise message while not needing to be true.

Fields

AGE: 55

Date_of_performance: April 15, 2025/May 9, 2025

Informant Name: (Confidential)

Language: English/Greek

Nationality: Canadian/Greek

Occupation: Lawyer/Entrepreneur

Primary Language: English

Residence: Canada

Traditional Guatemalan Funeral

Nationality: United States
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text: “When my grandmother passed away, we held a traditional Guatemalan funeral. The night she died, we stood over her body and prayed the rosary from 5pm to 8am. The next day, we walked her to the cemetery, stopping to pray at four different places: the house doorway, the yard, the entrance to the street, and the first street corner. On the third day, we celebrated her life with a big gathering. All of her neighbors came, bringing food and support. We served Guatemalan hot chocolate, tamales, and tostadas.”

Context: The informant, N, shared this ritual during a conversation surrounding the passing of her grandmother and the traditional Guatemalan funeral that followed. N grew up in a Guatemalan household and explained how these practices have been followed by her family for generations. N described the multi-day ritual, which included an all-night rosary and a massive celebration. To N, these rituals don’t help her just honor her grandma but also help her stay connected to her cultural and spiritual roots.

Analysis: This is an example of a traditional death ritual that reflects deeper cultural beliefs surrounding death and spiritual transition. The rosary allows N’s family to show love for her grandma as each bead represents a prayer for her soul. The four stops along the funeral procession symbolize spiritual check points that allow for her soul to be gradually released from the physical world. The massive gathering on the final day brought the entire community together, turning grief into a beautiful moment of collective remembrance. This ritual shows how Guatemalan funerals combine Indigenous and Catholic practices to create a meaningful service that brings people together in support and remembrance.

Haldi Doodh- “Golden Milk”

Nationality: United States
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text: “Whenever I get sick, like with even a cold or just a runny nose, my mom will always make me haldi doodh. It’s warm milk mixed with turmeric, black pepper, and honey. She heats the milk then stirs in the spices and has me drink it before I go to bed. She always tells me how her mom gave her the same tea and now she has the privilege of doing the same for me. It has a weird earthy taste but it always helps and I start to feel better the next day.”

Context: This element of folk medicine was shared by the informant, D during a conversation about home remedies passed down through generations. D explained that whenever she is sick her mother will make haldi-doodh, also known as “golden milk”. This remedy comes from Indian tradition and is passed down through generations, with D’s mother having learned it from her own mom. While it has a strong earthy taste, D associates it with comfort and feeling better the next day. 

Analysis: This is an example of folk medicine passed through generations, emphasizing both cultural continuity and caregiving. Haldi doodh is both a physical remedy and a symbolic act of love and care. The turmeric, black pepper and honey that are used are tied to traditional Ayurvedic beliefs that view food as not just nutrition, but also as powerful medicine. Given that this remedy is always given before bed, it is also a comforting ritual. This practice shows how folk medicine not only physically heals but also acts as a vessel for expressing love across generations.