The Farmer

Nationality: Singapore
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: USA
Performance Date: April 17th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Singaporean, Chinese

Interviewee: Once upon a time there was an elderly farmer. One day, his only horse ran away, That evening, all the neighbors came around and said, “Oh, we are so sorry to hear about your horse. That’s too bad.”

The farmer said, “Maybe.”

The next day, the horse came back, brining seven wild horses with it. That evening, the neighbors came and said, “What a great turn of events. You have eight horses now. You’re so lucky!

The farmer said, “Maybe.”

The day after that, the farmer’s son tried to break one of these wild horses. He was thrown off and broke his leg. That night, the neighbor’s said, “Oh, that’s too bad.”

The farmer said, “maybe.”

The following day, the recruiting officers came to the farm to draft people into the army. They rejected the father’s son, due to his condition. That night, the neighbors returned and said, “Your son doesn’t have to go to war. Isn’t that great?”

And the farmer said, “maybe.”

Interviewer: What does it mean to you?

Interviewee: My friend gave it to me at a retreat, it’s important because I know I don’t have to worry about the bad things that come my way because God will always bring good fortune.

After thoughts: Christians believe that God has a plan for his people. They believe that humans are rewarded with eternal life if they believe in his grace. They pray to thank God for everything He has given and believe that He will take care of his people.

Business

Nationality: USA
Age: 50
Occupation: Business
Residence: China
Performance Date: April 5th, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

Interviewee: “When you are in a partnership where there are many shareholders, it doesn’t matter if you are a big shareholder or a small shareholder, if you are running the business, you have to take care of everyone, doesn’t matter how big of a shareholder you are”

Interviewer: What does this mean to you?

Interviewee: “what it’s saying is, even if you are a small shareholder and you have no voice, but … if you are in a position of running a business, you must be fair to everybody no matter how big or small they are.”

 

Salvadoran Proverb for Women

Nationality: Salvadoran
Age: 50
Occupation: Chief Building Engineer
Residence: North Hills, California
Performance Date: 04/20/17
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

“Las muchachas anda tan caliente, que cuando se orinen haste el sacate agarra fuego.”

Translation: Young girls are so hot (horny), then when they pee even the grass catches fire

This proverb was told to my informant by his wife. It represents the stigma that comes with women having free sexuality. it is usually told to daughters as a warning.

 

My informant is a building engineer. He migrated to the United States form El Salvador when he was 16 years old. He grew up in a city in El Salvador. Lots of the folklore he has heard has come from his family.

What is interesting is that this proverb really attack female sexuality. There is this idea in Salvadoran and most Hispanic culture that there are only two women; saints (women that are pure and do not have sexual urges) and whores (women that give into their sexual urges).

Salvadoran Poverb

Nationality: Salvadoran
Age: 50
Occupation: Chief Building Engineer
Residence: North Hills, California
Performance Date: 04/20/17
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Cuando esta piensa ( points to crotch area)

Esta no piensa (points to head/brain)

 

This basically means that when we let our sexual urges control us, we lose all cognitive reason. Mothers say this to their daughters in order to explain to them the consequences of getting caught up in sexual urges. My informant overheard his wife saying this to his daughters.

 

My informant is a building engineer. He migrated to the United States form El Salvador when he was 16 years old. He grew up in a city in El Salvador. Lots of the folklore he has heard has come from his family.

This proverb is an excellent example of the taboo nature of sexual relations are in the Salvadoran culture. There is this sense of preventing from the relations to happen versus acknowledging and offering support.

Pregnant Women in red

Nationality: Salvadoran
Age: 50
Occupation: Chief Building Engineer
Residence: North Hills, California
Performance Date: 04/20/17
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

During a full moon or eclipse a pregnant women must wear a piece of clothing that is red. This is to prevent the baby form being born with a cleft lip. The red color is supposed to prevent negative energy from hurting the baby.

 

My informant is a building engineer. He migrated to the United States form El Salvador when he was 16 years old. He grew up in a city in El Salvador. Lots of the folklore he has heard has come from his family.

He heard this from his mother and other female relatives.