Folk Belief: String on Finger

Age: 24
Occupation: Paraprofessional

“I’m not sure if it has an actual name, but it’s like if you get a stye on your eye, it means you saw something you shouldn’t have. You would then tie a black string around your finger- I can’t remember, either middle or ring- 12 or 13 times. You would keep it there until it fell off to ward of bad luck”

[Would you do this yourself?]

“No, it was mostly my grandmother and sometimes my mother. Oh! And it also had to be done on the left hand.”

Analysis: There’s a lot to unravel here (like a string, haha): beginning with the stye on the eye, I think that many cultures consider the eyes “windows to the soul”, so it makes sense that any particular harm to the eye would be considered very serious. Additionally, there’s this “seeing something you shouldn’t have” element, which has manifested itself into a physical bump on the body. There’s a lot of folklore surrounding the idea of karma, which I think this also exemplifies: you saw something you shouldn’t, so now you have a bump and the possibility of bad future luck. What I find particularly interesting is the number of times the string must be wrapped around the finger: In many cultures, 13 can be considered an unlucky number, but here, it is used as protection against bad luck.

Folk Belief: Don’t whistle indoors

Age: 20

“This was something I definitely got yelled at for when I was younger, but Its bad to whistle in the house, or maybe just in general. You will go broke that way.

[Why is that? Just coincidence?]

“I think it comes from this old tale, or habit? Russians/ Slaves kept their money in their mouths (very poor folk who needed to hide stuff or something like that). Whistling would cause people literally lose their last dollar. I think also, it’s seen as kind of like, foolish? Like, if you’re dumb enough to just sit and whistle, you probably aren’t good with money.”

Analysis: There are many folk beliefs that include whistling as bad, mostly when it comes to whistling in a certain location. This folk belief is interesting because of how it includes the consequences of losing your money through a historical tale (or habit?), not just “generally bad luck”. Although the practice of holding money in your mouth isn’t held today, the belief still remains: transcending time and social practice. Additionally, this belief isn’t only held in people who experienced financial hardship, which is an interesting case of folklore spreading to places not within its original group (like to those who were more well off).

The Sea Snake Dance

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: Before I moved to the United States I attended a wedding in Mexico city, where I was born, and witnessed The Sea Snake Dance for the first time. A song, La Vibora de la Mar, began to play. Simultaneously, all the adults began clinging together and forming a large circle. I wasn’t allowed to join the circle as my mom said it was unsafe for me. The bride and groom stood on opposing tables and reached out one arm towards the other. Then, the human snake ran under their arms and sung the song.

Context: Informant describes first seeing this Hispanic wedding tradition when they were a young child still living in Mexico City. They described their time in the United States, where they have spent the majority of their life, and claim that they have only seen The Sea Snake Dance performed at a select few hispanic weddings. Informant believes this tradition is performed as a gift from the attendees of the wedding, wishing the newly weds a joyous and faithful marriage. The snake, to the informant, is representative of the potential struggles the newly married will face.

Analysis:

I believe this tradition to be rather fascinating, especially its lack of presence in the American- Hispanic wedding scene. The informant, who is now a marriage officiant who primarily serves the Hispanic community, describes not seeing many examples of the Sea Snake Dance in the United States. The few times they have seen it performed, they expressed being shocked. This, to me, is very representative of the changing beliefs that are produced when two cultures fuse. With the population of Mexico being mainly Roman Catholic, marriage holds a very prominent role in their society. In the United States, however, marriage has become less and less meaningful as divorce rates continue to rise. This is likely why the informant does not witness many replications of the wedding ritual that is so common to Hispanic culture. This lacking of reproduction is representative of folk- traditions ability to change in a parallel fashion to those who perform it.

The Traditions of the Prophet Elijah

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Culver City, CA
Language: English

Text: For as long as I can remember my mom has been leaving our front door open for Passover. We do this because we believe the Prophet Elijah will enter our household and potentially introduce the return of the Messiah. Though I believe this to be a little excessive, as we don’t live in the safest of communities, I recognize its importance due to how long the tradition has been continued. We also pour a specific kind of wine, known as Elijah’s cup, near the entrance of the house.

Context: Informant describes being a follower of Judaism, though they are less strict on themselves, in terms of following the laws of the religion, than prior generations. They also describe Passover as being one of the two most important holidays in the Jewish Community. Informant believes that this act of pouring wine near an open front door will allow for the Prophet Elijah, who is the herald for the Messiah, to enter the household and initiate the return of the Messiah.

Analysis:

I believe this piece of tradition to exist at the crossroads between religious tradition and folk practice. When talking to the informant about this tradition, they brought up the fact that they have Jewish neighbors who do not open their door or pour any wine at all. Informant also describes some people who only open the door or only pour wine to welcome the Prophet Elijah. This, to me, is very representative of the multiplicity and variation that Dundes suggest is necessary in folklore. It is also clear that this entire folk- tradition is essentially a performance. Though their belief may be strong, it may be clear to many, as it is to the informant, that a physical entity will not enter the household. So then, this act becomes a way of tying a community close together through shared actions.

Examination Outfit

Age: 20
Occupation: Undergraduate Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text: I tend to get very stressed over exams in college. It is not for a reason revolving around a lack of preparation, rather a sense of worry attributed to the cost of tuition. Because of this, I have a superstition that I truly believe works in aiding my best effort during these exams. I wear the same, cozy, outfit to each and every exam. I ensure that my grey sweatpants and grey sweatshirt and ready for me to wear the night before any major test, to ensure that I can succeed.

Context: Informant describes first performing in accordance to this superstition their sophomore year of college when they began the organic chemistry series. Though they are a very smart individual who vigorously prepares, they have recently believed in this superstition due to wearing this outfit during a crucial examination. Informant relays a small story describing their first organic chemistry exam, where they didn’t feel prepared enough but still received an exceptional grade. They were wearing the gey sweatpants and sweatshirt during this exam. From that point on, the informant has decided to continue wearing this outfit during academic examinations, furthering their belief in the clothings’ magical effect on them during the test- taking process.

Analysis:

I find this superstition to be very interesting in its ability to help me understand the origins of superstitions. The informant describes a story in which they first experienced what they believe to be a magical effect produced by the wearing of a specific outfit. This event occurred at a time where they did not believe that their own skills were purely responsible for the grade they achieved. Because of this, they are now convinced that the clothing they were had a magical role in assisting them. I am now firm in believing that this archetype, one in which some inanimate object or odd activity is used as the justification for success in replacement of ones own ability, is prominent in the creation of superstitions.