Category Archives: Rituals, festivals, holidays

Joke

Nationality: American
Age: 81
Residence: LA
Performance Date: 3/30/18
Primary Language: English

I asked my grandpa if he had any jokes that he loved. His response was that he only had Jewish jokes, because that is what his Jewish father would always tell him growing up in Brooklyn.

 

He began to tell me the joke after I asked him this question, “It was the winter Olympics, there were 3 finalists in the ski competition, one from Israel, one from Sweden, and one from Italy. The top favorite was the man from Israel, who normally finished the competition in 2 minutes 10 seconds. The man from Sweden went first and timed a 2 minutes and 46 seconds, next the man from Italy went and timed a 2 minutes and 22 seconds, finally it was the man from Israel’s turn, they waited as he went down the mountain, but the time kept ticking, it went past his normal time of 2 minutes 10 seconds, finally he crossed the finish line at 4 minutes and 20 seconds. The reporters asked him what happened and he said, “WHOEVER PUT THE MEZUZAHS ON THE GATES IS TOAST”.

 

Background Info: My grandpa is from Brooklyn and was raised in a Jewish family, he loves these types of jokes because they help explain parts of the culture. The joke is that whenever a Jewish person sees a Mezuzah, he/she has to stop and say the prayer that is inside of the Mezuzah, and remember why they are Jewish, this stalled the man from Israel’s competition as he had to stop at each Mezuzah.

 

Context: My grandpa told me this joke during Passover dinner

 

Analysis: My grandpa has been telling me jokes since I can remember, but I had not heard this one before. A lot of his jokes are about the Jewish culture, but have meaning to them in remembering the importance of certain aspects of the culture, for example this joke is meant to remind you to recognize the prayer whenever you see a Mezuzah.

Superstition

Nationality: American
Age: 52
Occupation: Mother
Residence: LA
Performance Date: 3/30/18
Primary Language: English

When talking to my mother, I asked if she had any superstitions that she can think of. What she came to was something that I actually have noticed in her actions.

 

She said that, “Whenever I hear an ambulance, either outside or while I am driving, I catch myself scratching my head. I think this is me targeting my nerves and anxiety in hopes that whoever is in the ambulance, or who the ambulance is rushed too, is not someone that I know or am related to.”

 

Background Info: My mother mentioned that her mom was always cautious about ambulances and firetrucks, she did not scratch her head, but always would check the news to ensure that whatever emergency there was got resolved, or did not involve someone that she knew or was related to. This was clearly a superstition triggered by an emergency vehicle or situation.

 

Context: My mother told me about this superstition while at lunch over Passover weekend.

 

Analysis: This is something I have actually noticed my mom do, I remember asking her about it a while ago and she discussed with me how it is usually unintentional, but that it happens every time. This reminds me of my superstition of knocking on wood in a situation where I want to prevent an event.

Song/Initiation

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: LA
Performance Date: 3/29/18
Primary Language: English

I asked a fellow classmate if she had any songs that she knew of as a tradition in any parts of her life. She told me about a song that one had to learn in order to be initiated onto the theatre team at her high school. It was a variation of the song Lean on Me, with added words that acted as puns for each line end, they would do this before every show, and you had to know the song if you wanted to be in the show.

 

Greer said that the song went, “Lean on me (yeah)

When you’re not strong (weak)

And I’ll be your friend (high five) 

I’ll help you carry on 

for (five)

It won’t be long (short)

Til I’m gonna need (elbow)

Somebody to lean on”

 

Background Info: This short variation of Lean on Me was something that Greer had to learn to become initiated into her theatre program, and something that she had to teach grades below her. This was a comforting song that they sang before shows to cool their nerves and recognize that they all had each other’s backs during the show.

 

Context: I learned about this tradition while at coffee with Greer, we both shared stories about certain traditions, and songs that we were familiar with or were a part of throughout our lives.

 

Analysis: I thought this was interesting because it was both a song and a type of initiation. I think them adding small chants at the end of each line as puns brought people together in a fun way, and she said it was something that she looked forward to in each show. I personally don’t have any type of song or tradition similar to this so I thought it was very cool.

 

Family tradition—Holidays

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Francisco
Performance Date: 4/9/18
Primary Language: English

I talked to my neighbor in my apartment Greg, and asked if he had any traditions during holidays in his family. He told me about a tradition he does every year since he was young during St. Patrick’s Day.

 

Greg said that ever since he was young, “My family and I on St. Patrick’s Day will set up a leprechaun trap in our house and outside our lawn. It was something I did when I was younger but now I think we still do it to keep that feeling of being young in our family. Even when I am not home for the holiday my parents set up traps and send me photos.

 

Background Info: Greg’s family is part Irish, so he has always done a big celebration for St. Patrick’s Day. He says that this leprechaun trap is something he loved doing when he was little and now his family still does it for fun and to keep the tradition alive.

 

Context: Greg told me about this during dinner at our fraternity house on the topic of family holiday traditions. He also does a similar thing for Christmas (cookie as a trap to find Santa)

 

Analysis: I never really celebrated St. Patrick’s Day that much growing up so it was interesting to hear about this holiday tradition as well as other things that his family does for this March 17th event. I also thought it was funny and cool that his family still does this even though Greg and his brother are older now.

Family dinner tradition/ behavior at Holidays and all family gatherings

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Arizona
Performance Date: 4/10/18
Primary Language: English

I asked a fellow classmate in my Marketing class if he had any family traditions or behaviors that are done at his family gatherings.

He told me that, “At almost all of our family dinners, especially ones during holidays, my whole family will say a huge grace, and every person (after my mom’s dad starts) will say a short piece adding to the grace. It becomes a collaborative grace giving everyone their own opportunity to add to the grace. Also for all of these family gatherings, all of the women in the family cook and prepare the table, and then all of the men clear the table and wash the dishes, put leftovers away, etc. It’s something we have always done in the Riggs family.

 Background Info: Tommy has family from Sicily, Italy, so what his grandparents brought from that area is the theme of respect and equal effort, which is why the women prep the meal and the men then do their part as well—they also brought over the idea of the big family grace Tommy told me.

Context: Tommy told me about this tradition during the end of our Marketing class after he thought about if he had more things to share with me about family traditions.

Analysis: I enjoyed listening to this tradition that Tommy’s family always does. He made me realize how important his family is to him which put a smile on my face. My family doesn’t say grace before meals, but I have been to meals and family gatherings where they do and I have grown to understand how important it is to the people that do it so listening to this tradition from Tommy was very cool to me.