L.A. Hand Sign

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego, California, United States
Performance Date: 2-23-2023
Primary Language: English

Text:

Context:

The informant learned this at a summer camp in San Diego from some girls from Los Angelos (L.A.).

Analysis:

The gesture is representative of an “L” and an “A.” As the initials of the city of Los Angeles, these two letters are an easy connection to the city. While this sign could be a gesture used to identify with other citizens of Los Angeles, the arrangement of the hands does not seem intuitive enough to me to align with this. Instead, I think this gesture is connected with experimentation on what shapes one’s hands can create. Like the hand llama this gesture could be used in a variety of ways and it stretches the traditional uses of hands.

The “Round Tuit”

Nationality: American
Age: 60
  1. Text
    The “Round Tuit” is a circular, coin sized disk often made out of wood, but could be other materials, with the word “TUIT” printed or engraved.  Sometimes they’re accompanied by additional engravings that say something along the lines of “This is a Round Tuit. Guard it with your life, as Tuits are hard to come by, especially the round ones. This is an indispensable item. It will help you become a more efficient worker. For years we have heard people say, I’ll do it as soon as I get a Round Tuit. Now that you have one, you can accomplish all those things you put aside until you got a Round Tuit!”
  2. Context
    I learned about Round Tuits when I was a child, perhaps around 6 or 7, and barely understanding the concept.  I discovered one laying around at my grandma’s house and asked what it was.  My mom explained the idea, and told me how my grandpa used to own them and pull one out whenever someone would say, “I’ll do it when I get around to it.”  We used to have one wooden one and one red plastic one, and for a while as a kid I would hold on to them in case I had the opportunity to give one to somebody.  
  3. Interpretation
    My interpretation of this folk object is that it’s merely punny humor in the form of an item and right up the alley of my parents and grandparents.  I can see how an object like this would be a funny interjection in a conversation and could also even fall into the category of dad jokes.

Little Sally Walker

Nationality: American
Age: 21
  1. Text
    Little Sally Walker is an interactive song/game that involves a group of people.  Everyone arranges into a circle with at least one person in the center.  The person (or people, depending how large your group is) in the center starts walking/skipping around the circle while everyone sings: “Little Sally Walker, walking down the street.  She didn’t know what to do so she stopped in front of me, she said, hey girl, do your thing, do your thing, do your thing.  Hey girl, do your thing, do your thing, do your thing, now switch!”  When the song reaches “stopped in front of me,” the person in the middle will stop in front of any member of the circle and face them.  This center person will then do a dance move, and the person on the edge will mirror this move, all while the group continues to sing, “hey girl, do your thing, do your thing, do your thing.  Hey girl, do your thing, do your thing, do your thing, now switch!”  The person from the circle now switches positions with the person in the middle, and becomes the new “Little Sally Walker” and the cycle continues.
  2. Context
    This song/activity was a tradition at my childhood summer camp that I encountered in my first summer there in 2008, and repeated every year until my most recent summer (now working as a counselor) in 2022.  Little Sally Walker always occurred on the first day of camp, once all the campers had arrived and it was the first official “icebreaker” of the 2-week overnight session.  
  3. Interpretation
    While I’m sure this jingle has deeper historical origins than I’m aware of, it seems to express values around interaction and engagement with others.  As it requires nothing more than a group of people, it is able to be done anywhere.  In the context of my camp, it was also a successful way of passing time or distracting campers until an event or activity starts.  

Rindercella

Nationality: American
Age: 21
  1. Text
    Rindercella is essentially the story of Cinderella, but with some letters mixed up in some of the words.  For example, “Rindercella lived with her mugly other and her two sad bisters, and there was a very prandsome hince.” and, “at the pancy farty, Rindercella slopped her dripper!”
  2. Context
    Rindercella is a story I first heard in 2021, told by a “camp dad” at the summer camp I work at.  He told this story at our “big campfire” assembly and it was a huge hit.  I had never heard of the concept before, let alone knew its origin, I just thought it was hilarious.  I would think that the context that this joke/story is told is similar to my experience; an adult telling it to a group of kids, or even other adults.  I would think it would be incredibly entertaining to anyone, as the words are ridiculous and if the storyteller knows it well, it’s very impressive.
  3. Interpretation
    My interpretation is that Rindercella is an extremely entertaining take/revival of a classic story.  There’s a slight uncomfortable feeling when you’re listening to the story being told, because it feels like the storyteller is on the verge of a slip-up and/or saying a nasty word.  Nevertheless, Rindercella has its listeners both on the edge of their seats and doubled over in laughter.  The storyteller from whom I encountered this story told it with such a straight face and lack of mistakes, that I left feeling entirely impressed.

Lebanese Coffee Grounds Readings

Nationality: Lebanese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 2/22/2023
Primary Language: English

L is 20 years old and a student at USC. She grew up in Michigan, but spent most summers in Lebanon with family. Her dad grew up in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States in his early 20s, and her mom grew up in the United States in a Lebanese immigrant family.

L and I were taking a break from studying and finishing up our coffees when L shared this with me:

“After you’ve drank Lebanese coffee, you flip your cup upside down and then let it sit for a second and with the patterns that form in the grounds at the bottom of the cup, there’s specific readings you can interpret about your future.”

L said that she doesn’t know how to interpret the grounds, only that it’s a rite of passage after every time she drinks coffee with her Lebanese grandmother.

This reminded me of the stereotypical psychic experience that’s portrayed in western media—you walk into a tent, drink a cup of tea, and a psychic is able to discern your future path from the way the leaves sit at the bottom. It was cool to hear a variation of this that actually appeared in someone else’s life/culture.