Spanish Proverb 2

Nationality: Spanish
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Madrid, Spain
Performance Date: 7 April 2018
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Original Transcription: “A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.”

English Transcription: “One who wakes up early, God helps him/her” or “God helps those who wake up early.”

This is another common Spanish proverb. The literal translation of the phrase is “one who wakes up early, God helps him/her.” If this proverb were translated into English syntax, it would read, “God helps those who wake up early.”

The Spanish word “madrugador(a)” refers to an “early riser” or one who wakes up early in the morning. The speaker uses this proverb to describe themselves when they have woken up early, usually before the other members of their family. Due to its meaning, the phrase becomes a form of bragging that shames those who choose sleep over work. Therefore, the proverb inadvertently accuses another person of laziness. If the person being addressed likewise wants God’s help, they must wake up early and begin working.

Although simplistic, the saying intertwines the Spanish cultural values. The proverb communicates the importance of good work ethic and reinforces the value with religious beliefs. The English equivalent of this proverb is “the early bird gets the worm.” The English phrase is a secularized version of the same proverb since it teaches that rewards come directly from one’s hard work. The English proverb places the power of reward into the human’s hands as opposed to the Spanish idea that rewards for hard work come from God.

 

Spanish Proverb 1

Nationality: Spanish
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Madrid, Spain
Performance Date: 7 April 2018
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Original Transcription: “Más vale prevenir que curar.”

English Transcription: “It is better to prevent than to cure.”

This proverb came from Spain. The literal translation of the phrase is, “it is better to prevent than to cure.” One would use this proverb when you do something that you do not need to do, but you do it as a precaution. For example, a student might say use this phrase while studying their notes in case their professor gives a pop quiz the next day. By reviewing their notes even when unnecessary, the student can prevent (cure) a bad grade. This proverb is a mark of the hardworking, cautionary individual.

English has a proverb that is very similar to this Spanish saying. I thought of this Spanish proverb as the equivalent to the English proverb, “better safe than sorry.”  Both proverbs seek to encourage hard working, forward-thinking behavior. If one is prepared for a variety of possible futures, they will never fall into a precarious circumstance. I found it interesting how these shared cultural values were translated across the world.

 

Día de los Reyes Traditions

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Texas, United States
Performance Date: 4 April 2018
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Transcription: “A bigger holiday we celebrate is Three Kings Day on January 6. On Three Kings day, we buy a special type of bread. There’s, like, dried strawberry jelly. We invite a lot of people over and split the bread into pieces. Each person takes a slice of bread and whoever finds a toy baby Jesus baked into their slice of bread has to make a meal, usually tamales before el dia de la candelaria (Feb 2), which is also a religious day.”

Interestingly, my informant’s lack of traditions on Día de los Muertos caused her to draw a connection between the traditions of Día de los Muertos and Three Kings Day. When my informant mentioned bread in Dia de los Muertos, she ended up telling me about bread on Three Kings Day. Three Kings Day takes place on January 6, which is called Epiphany in Christian religions. Epiphany refers to the day on which three kings visited the baby Jesus in the manger. Just as the three kings brought gifts to Jesus, those celebrating Epiphany are expected to exchange gifts.

In addition to gifts, families gather on Three Kings Day, the family gathers to share a circle shaped bread. A toy baby Jesus is baked into a random section of the bread as a sort of hidden surprise, and the bread is topped with a strawberry jelly. Each member of the party is cut a slice of the bread and whoever finds the toy baby Jesus baked into their piece has to make a meal by the next religious holiday. In my informant’s family, the meal is usually tamales. Since tamales are a traditional meal in Mexican culture, especially around Christmas time, it is not surprising that they would be associated with Three Kings Day.

Tamales require a substantial time commitment due to the amount of time it takes to prepare and cook them. Therefore, the baby Jesus toy becomes a game. If the rules of the game are followed, the loser must dedicate time to cooking the tamales. The baby Jesus in the bread becomes an elaborate variation of drawing of straws that nominates one member of the family to cook tamales.

 

Día de los Muertos Traditions

Nationality: Mexian-American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Texas, United States
Performance Date: 4 April 2018
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Transcription: “We don’t do a big ofreda. My mom puts out photos of my grandma and lights a lot of candles on that day… I guess in remembrance of her spirit. We don’t eat the special bread.”

When I first asked my informant to tell me about any of her family traditions, she immediately thought of Día de los Muertos. Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated by those of Mexican descent. The celebration remembers those who are no longer living starting on October 31 and ending on November 2. During that time, the spirits of the dead were thought to be able to come to earth and mingle with the living.

My informant’s family is from Mexico and she is originally from Texas, therefore, she has a strong connection to Mexican culture. When I asked about her Dia de los Muertos practices, she explained that the traditions her family follows on the holiday are simple. Although her family recognizes Día de los Muertos, it is not an integral holiday in her family tradition.

Every year, her mother sets up Día de los Muertos decorations. Día de los Muertos is known for its extravagant ofrendas, or offerings, to the dead. Since Día de los Muertos is not a popular holiday in her family, they do not set up elaborate ofrendas. Instead, they set up pictures of deceased relatives and light candles. Her family’s decorations may be simplistic, but they accomplish the same goal as the ofrendas. Both honor the dead by recalling their image to the minds of the family and invite a spiritual form of remembrance.

According to my informant, there is a special type of sweet bread that is eaten on Día de los Muertos, but her family does not usually buy it. My overall impression was that her family celebrates Día de los Muertos not because they believe in the holiday, but because honoring the dead is central component of their culture.

La Llorona

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Texas, United States
Performance Date: 4 April 2018
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Transcription: “In Mexico, there was supposedly a woman who drowned her own kids in the river and then regretted it. Her name is La Llorona. She wears a white dress with a veil–wedding attire–because her husband left her. She appears at all the rivers, crying “ay, mis hijos.” When I go to Mexico, there is a river down the street from my grandma’s house and they say that she appears there late at night. All the kids go down there to check it out, but I have never gone because I was scared.”

For another version of this legend, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Malinche

This collection is a variation of the La Llorona legend. The Spanish word llorar means “to cry.” Therefore, La Llorona is the feminized variation of crying. The most common structures of the legend are present. The story takes place at a river and involves a woman who drowned her children. However, the version I collected has more specific details. She includes La Llorona’s clothing, a white dress and veil. At first, my informant did not remember the story line that La Llorna’s husband left her, but after mentioning her clothing, she remembered the meaning behind her attire.

My informant likewise mentioned the words La Llorona is said to be weeping. The phrase, ay, mis hijos, means “oh, my children” which relates back to the idea that La Llorona drowned her children then regretted her actions. I assume that variations of the legend that provide different motives for La Llorona would have her call out different words.

My informant’s variation of the legend was unique to others I have heard since she had personalized the legend. The river by her grandmother’s house in Mexico is rumored as a site for La Llorona. The purpose of the legend is to act as a safety precaution that scares children away from rivers at night. The legend fulfilled its purpose with my informant since has never ventured down to the river at night out of fear. Nevertheless, my informant claims that the legend has had the opposite effect on the those who are fascinated by the supernatural and investigate its validity.