Category Archives: Rituals, festivals, holidays

Polterabend

Nationality: American
Age: 56 & 59
Occupation: Journalists
Residence: Washington, D.C.
Performance Date: 4/1/2018
Primary Language: English
Language: German (MT), Spanish and German (AA)

The following is a conversation between myself and my parents about a German Jewish wedding tradition called a Polterabend. My dad, Arthur, is of German Jewish descent and grew up in a secular household in Cincinnati, while my mother, Margaret, is from a secular Episcopalian background. They are referred to by their first initials in this conversation; “L” is my first initial.

M: This is actually uh, Dad’s but I was gonna say that in Cincinnati they have um–among reform Jews in Cincinnati–they have a custom called the Polterabend. which is a-
A: It’s a German custom.
M: It’s a german custom, but isn’t- I think it was celebrated by the German Jews?
A: Yeah.
M: Um and we had one of them before our wedding and the idea was um, the night before, you have like a- a kind of a wild party of some kind to celebrate. But “polter” is y’know from “poltergeist” so it’s like, y’know, goblins or-
A: And you’re supposed to break something.
L: You always do it before your wedding or…?
M: Yeah, the evening before your wedding um, y’know you uh, you break stuff, you make a lot of noise to sort of celebrate the marrying couple and chase away the bad spirits.
L: And like, did your parents do that, Dad?
A: Yeah.
L: And like, all the reform Jews in Cincinnati?
A: Yeah.
M: And when they had a party for us, the evening before our wedding here [in San Francisco]-
A: They called it a Polterabend.
M: They called it a Polterabend, although it was just a party.

My dad’s family, like most German Jewish families in Cincinnati, were not at all religiously observant; in fact, they had a Christmas tree most years growing up. Still, most reform Jews in Cincinnati, my dad’s family included, participated in cultural practices like the Polterabend in order to connect to their culture. Although neither of my parents are especially religious, traditions like this one connect our family to our cultural-religious background. My parents were married by a Rabbi in a Jewish ceremony, and had a “Polterabend” before their wedding; though my mom is not Jewish, their wedding celebrated Jewish culture’s place in their newly formed family.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Nationality: Taiwanese American
Age: 53
Occupation: Engineer
Residence: San Marino
Performance Date: 3/30/18
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin (Chinese)

Interview:

Is there anything you retained through the years?

 

“In Taiwan?”

 

Anywhere, here, Taiwan, anything you retained through the years.

“During the Mid-autumn festival, we ate moon cakes, in Taiwan and also still here.  And we sit out and enjoy the moon.  And eat pomelos and turn the peel into a hat to put on the kids heads to wear. “

Is there anything else that happened?

“In Taiwan it was a day off. “

Background:

After doing some research, the Mid-autumn festival is a harvest festival that is celebrated by many of the southeastern countries of Asia.  It was often to give thanks for the harvest and gathering of family.  Often also a day seen for praying for longevity and a good future.  Searching up the curious event of fruit hats, it seems that pomelo hats were always mentioned alongside the terms “moon festival” or “Mid-Autumn festival” and even has spread amongst foreigners who know about that tradition.  My father who grew up in Taiwan recounted how this festival was a tradition that he celebrated with his family growing up, and now continued to pass on after he moved to the United States.

Analysis: 

Hearing this from my father filled me with an odd bit of nostalgia.  When I was a child, I recount moments I picked at the white pith of a pomelo peel that found itself onto my head.  Aside from being outfitted with fruit peels, the most vivid memories were seeing mooncakes on the counter and eating with relatives that come in from out of state to celebrate with my grandparents.  It stands as one of the symbolic holidays that represents the importance of family in Tawianese tradition.

Quicenera

Main Content:  A quincenera is when a girl turns 15 and they do a big party to celebrate that she is no longer alittle girl but instead a woman. Parents usually start to save money from the day theirdaughters are born because it is very expensive to throw a quincenera. For a quincenera girlsusually wear puffy dresses and have damas (female court) and chambelanes (male court) who are wearing the same color as her dress. First they have to go to church and have a mass. Then they go take pictures and then the party starts. In the middle of the party the girl’s dad takes off the girl’s flat shoes and puts on some heels. Then they give the girl a doll which is the last doll she is going to get meaning that she is no longer a little girl. After the dad and girl dance together. This is one of the most sentimental parts of the quincenera because the next time they would dance together would be at her wedding. After this, there is a surprise dance.  Context: This piece is an interview that I directly copied every word said. The participants name is Jonathan. I had asked the participate in advance over phone if he had any folklore and he asked what I meant by that. After giving a few examples he said he actually did have something to share. So we met in his apartment a few hour later. We entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. Background: Jonathan is a 19-year-old college student whose ethnicity is half Cuban and Half Mexican. He is a sophomore attending UCLA.  Analysis: A quincenera is a common example of Hispanic life cycle folklore. It is more common for woman, but it can also be for a male. A quincenera is transition from a child to an adult. In the quincenera there is a motif, the high heel. It represents a woman and therefore the father removes the flat shoe and puts on the heel. I find it fascinating that there is no scientific evidence stating that when a female turns 15, she become an adult. This transition from childhood to adult hood does have different variations across different cultures. For example, other cultures have a sweet 16. The basis is the same but instead of transitioning to adulthood at 15, it is at 16. 

Britt Jacobson 19: Shabbat

“When my grandma lights shabbat candles she puts a white lace shawl over her head and she lights a candle for each of her children. She has seven children so seven candles for them and she also lights two different candles for each of her two dead parents. She does this every friday before sunset, and any female members in the house will do the blessing with her.”

Context: Britt is an American Jew from Los Angeles California. Her family celebrates Shabbat every Friday night (a tradition in which candles are lighted to commemorate Gods day of rest). This variation of the tradition is not typical, but still integrates the typical practice into the mix. Also, lighting candles is pretty typical for deceased family members, so that part is not surprising. I heard this from her during our Folklore class. I personally think the notion of all the girls lighting candles can be thought of as a sort of bonding experience, in which all the females connect with each other to say a blessing. Also, I think this combines the tradition of Jewish candle lighting on Shabbat and the universal practice of lighting candles for the deceased into one tradition.

Ben Stout 19: Tooth Fairy

“When I was a little kid I woke up in a daze and I swear to God I saw the tooth fairy. It was a ball of purple light that floated through my window by the dream catcher then turned green and floated away.

Context Ben is an American with roots in the Midwest. He told this story to me in our folklore class. The tooth fairy is an extremely common belief in America, with most children partaking in the belief. She is an entity typically depicted with wings that collects the fallen teeth of children. In their place, she leaves money. Fairies are historically trouble-making creatures, but the tooth fairy is benevolent and loves children. Bens version of the tooth fairy matches some interpretations of fairies that include balls of light.

Analysis: Teeth falling out is a substantial life event, that may be scary for some children to deal with. They are growing up, and their bodies are aging in a way that might seem mystical or magical. The tooth fairy is a good mediator for that life process, and helps make the journey to adolescence a little easier.