Mother-Daughter Proverb

Main Piece:

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

Background:

“Your nonna [informant’s mother] used to say this to me often when I was younger and especially as I got older and moved away from her. In 2008 when my family and I moved to London and then didn’t return to Chicago for  like, what, 13 years, the proverb became more powerful as it became more relatable to not being around your loved ones. I don’t know where she first heard it.”

Context:

The informant is my mother. I acquired this information during a Facetime call with her, on which I asked if she had any folk knowledge or beliefs.

My Thoughts:

I think that this a lovely proverb that shows how different phrases can affect you at different phases of your life. It does not mean as much until you actually are physically far away from someone. I assume the proverb would’ve been popularized in eras where families or couples were more prone to be separated. I also think that is shows the global nature of our world, with it being common for closely related or connected people to go far away from each other geographically.

Jade- Taiwan

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Residence: Hanover
Performance Date: 4/19/21

“Hey man, glad you called this is a super cool thing my host family in Taiwan did and I’m glad you got to experience it when you came to visit, but pretty much by gifting a piece of Jade to guests it’s their way of showing first their wealth. It’s a way for them to kind of subtly show off haha, but it’s also supposed to protect you from injury. For example, when my host mother gave mom a Jade bracelet it is supposed to add a sort of extra life. If you fall the Jade is supposed to break and take the force of it so it protects you from harm. I think this Jade symbolism is pretty common in Taiwan and China.”

Context:

The informant, ST, had lived in Taiwan for a year and I was able to go visit him and participate in this custom by receiving a Jade necklace. ST learned this while living with the host family in Taiwan for a year. 

Analysis:

This is a very cool custom that I am very happy I got to participate in, I find it very interesting that Jade, a rare substance can provide safety. My grandmother actually had a Jade bracelet and fell while walking and her bracelet broke and she only had a scraped knee. So this tradition seems like it works. 

White Crysanthemum-Taiwan

Nationality: American
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Performance Date: 4/19/21

“ Another Folk tradition or I guess a superstition is that you don’t give white chrysanthemums unless it’s someone’s funeral. If you do then it is considered extremely rude and you wish death on the person. While I was in Taiwan I don’t think I saw them in a normal flower shop but you have to order them specifically for a funeral.”

Context:

The informant found this information out while living abroad in Taiwan and asking his host father what flowers to get for his host mother’s birthday. He warned him anything but the white chrysanthemums.

Analysis:

I find it odd that a flower can symbolize such a harsh meaning, and typically when I think of a funeral I think of dark colors, black usually, not a beautiful white flower. This is a very unique folk custom that I believe is mainly tied to Taiwanese culture. 

Ghost Month- Taiwan

“This is another folk superstition that I found very odd while living there [Taiwan]. It was this thing called Ghost month, I believe it was September, but essentially it’s a month when you don’t leave your clothes out to dry, you don’t look over your shoulder,  and you don’t leave the house at night too often. They also do some things like surgery, no swimming, no moving houses, and no weddings. I think it’s everything you can do to hide from the ghosts and not to reveal your home’s address. Taiwanese believe the ghosts haunt the island for the whole entire month.” 

Context: 

When the informant was in Taiwan his host family made sure to reveal these practices to him in order to prevent him from being haunted by the ghosts on the island. His host family was pretty relaxed on the custom but many people still take this folk superstition very seriously. 

Analysis: I found this superstition extremely interesting, all of the practices and things you’re not supposed to do seem to be kind of excessive, but I do see how the Taiwanese people can hold onto this tradition on the chance the island does become haunted during ghost month. 

The Goat Man

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 3/15/21
Primary Language: English

Main piece:

“ So this story is about the goat man back in the 18/1900s [1930’s] who was an African American Goat farmer who uh produced dairy products and gained pretty large recognition. He apparently was doing very well for himself and it caught the attention of the Klu Klan Klan once he had started advertising around town. So one night they grabbed him from his bed, dragged him to the bridge [Old Alton Bridge], tried to lynch him by throwing him over the side of the bridge. When they went to confirm his death he was nowhere to be found and the noose was empty. It is now called “goat bridge” and they say when you go to the bridge his spirit still lingers.” 

Background:

My informant is a 20-year-old college student who attends USC and is actually in the same folklore class! We came to this discussion after trading ghost stories early on in the semester during a breakout session. He knows this story because it takes place in his hometown.

Context:

This story was brought to my attention after I had told BS a ghost story that has been passed down through my family. He thought this one was very fitting and knew the story well. 

Thoughts:

I had never heard of this ghost story before so it was very interesting to hear about. I was so intrigued I had to dig deeper and find other recounts of the story. I found this one particularly interesting because I had not heard many ghost stories that stemmed from racist acts, specifically from the KKK. It not only saddened me, but I could see why the goat-man hung around for years attempting revenge if the story is true. I am very interested to learn more about stories that have to do with murders stemming from racist acts of violence as these would make more sense as to why the murdered would stay around and seek vengeance on the murderers.