Death Anniversaries

AGE

45

Date of performance

4/30/25

Language

English

Nationality

American

Occupation

Teacher’s Aid

Primary Language

Arabic

Residence

San Diego, CA

Ritual: Funerals, 40 days post death, and the 1-year anniversary

Context + Text: The individual is my mother, and she in an American immigrant from Iraq. I have learned many rituals following the death of people form my community, but the most interesting one’s stem from my mom. According to her, when an individual has passed away, if you are close to them, you are not allowed to leave the house for “happy” things for 40 days. Also, during those days, you should be wearing all black every day. “It’s for sure an interesting ritual we all follow, and it’s even different if you are super close to the individual, as the time period rises to one year instead of just 40 days”. On the 40th day since the death, the same individuals who were there for the funeral gather again to remember them, having a second funeral essentially. For family members, there is then another remembrance on the 1-year anniversary. (It is important to note that one year equals 11 months in this culture for historic reasons). “So, for me my father-in-law had passed away, and I did not attend any celebrations for one year and only wore black, I had to buy so many new clothes”, she continued. While it may be a little over the top, she believes that the new generation will slowly let these rituals die out as they are too much.

Analysis: The revering of the dead has been a tradition for centuries, stemming back to ancient civilizations, especially in the middle east. The individual and her family come from a long line of Iraqis who have held onto these ancient traditions revolving around the dead. Various religions and cultures have adopted similar rituals, as they believe that the one-year anniversary marks a significant period of time to mourn the individual. However, the rituals have subjective ‘guidelines’ as in who must participate in the one-year mourning. This creates all sorts of issues within small communities as they believe that some individuals should be mourning longer or not mourning at all, judging their closeness to the dead person. If an individual is seen celebrating or partying a little too early following the individual’s death, it can be considered disrespect by the family members, and has led to divisions between families and friends.  

Yellow = Good Luck

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality- American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Long Island, New York

Text: “I always wear yellow when I feel like I need good luck. I have a specific yellow shirt that I wear to bed the night before something important. It’s not just the one shirt though. I have backups of other yellow shirts that I also consider lucky. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and it makes me feel more confident when I’m faced with something stressful.”

Context: The informant shares a superstition about wearing yellow for good luck. They have a specific yellow t-shirt they wear to bed before important events, like exams or job interviews, believing it will bring them good luck. They also have other yellow shirts that they consider lucky. This has become a regular habit, helping the informant feel more reassured before challenging situations.

Analysis: This superstition is a way for the informant to feel in control when facing something important. Wearing the yellow shirt gives them comfort and boosts their confidence, like a ritual that makes everything feel less overwhelming. It’s interesting that they have more than one yellow shirt like having a backup plan in case the main shirt isn’t available. It shows people use small things to feel luckier or more prepared for stressful situations.

Judaism Round Foods

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Long Island, New York

Text: “In the Jewish religion, we use round foods to symbolize the cyclical process of life and renewal at lifecycle celebrations and events. Some examples include hard-boiled eggs or round challah bread. During Rosh Hashanah, we eat round challah bread to symbolize the nature of life. During Passover, hard-boiled eggs are served to represent life and renewal.”

Context: The informant describes how certain round foods are used in Jewish religious practices to symbolize life and renewal. They mention specific examples like round challah bread during Rosh Hashanah and hard-boiled eggs during Passover. These foods are used during holidays, and the round shape is a meaningful symbol within the Jewish tradition.

Analysis: This tradition of using round foods highlights how folklore can be carried symbolically in specific religion’s food. The round shape represents a cycle, suggesting that life is infinite. Rosh Hashanah’s round challah bread focuses on life as a whole, while the hard-boiled eggs during Passover signify rebirth. These traditions show how food in particular plays an important role in life’s cycles and during religious celebrations.

Evil Eye

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Virginia

Text: “I light my evil eye candle whenever I study for a big exam or do interview prep for an internship. It helps ward off bad luck. I don’t know if it really has any power, but it helps me focus and feel like I’m protecting myself from bad luck or negative energy. It gives me extra confidence and a better mindset when I’m going into something stressful or challenging.”

Context: The informant uses a candle with the evil eye symbol as part of a personal ritual before stressful situations, specifically academic or work related. They light it while studying or preparing for interviews. The evil eye is a known symbol of protection in many cultures, and the informant associates it with keeping away bad luck or negative energy.

Analysis: This is an example of folk belief being shown in someone’s personal life through habit. The evil eye symbol comes from cultural traditions about protecting against harm, and in this scenario it’s a reassuring study habit. The informant lighting the candle is done for self-care, giving the informant a sense of control over uncertain situations. It reflects how cultural symbols hold meaning, even when used in personal settings.

Flyer’s Good Luck

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Syracuse, New York

Text: “Another friend introduced me to a superstition about touching the outside of the plane as you board it. She told me when I was really young that it’s good luck for a safe flight and now I’ve tapped the plane every time I step onto a flight. I take this one pretty seriously because flying sometimes scares me but I do it pretty often.”

Context: The informant learned this superstition from a friend at a young age. The belief is that touching the plane as you board brings good luck and keeps the flight safe. The informant has made it a habit to tap the plane each time they fly. They take it seriously, because of their fear of flying.

Analysis: This superstition is an example of how small habits can help people cope with anxiety. Even though this action has no proven effect, it gives the informant a sense of safety when flying. This shows that folk beliefs stick when they’re tied to strong emotions like fear. It’s also significant that this tradition started in childhood which makes it more meaningful because we are more vulnerable at a young age. This repeated act became a comfort habit.