FAN-DEATH

Nationality: Korean-American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 21, 2021
Primary Language: English

MAIN PIECE: 

Informant: There’s a Korean word for it but I’m pretty shit at Korean. I don’t know it at all. But essentially, um, there’s this phrase that means “fan-death.” So essentially what it is, is there’s like this Korean superstition, not to have a fan on you. Like you can have a ceiling fan. It just usually refers to those like portable electric fans. And you can’t have it blowing towards you or on you, or else that will cause, like, uh… Asphyxia, choking and death. But they made an actual word for it and it’s an actual, like, medical term for it.

INFORMANT’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE PIECE:

Informant: I actually kind of believe it myself cause when I was younger, uh… I had a fan––I was just like chillin’ on the couch–––and I had a fan on next to me… And then I woke up later that day with just like a super dry throat, and my mom, who is Korean, was like, “That’s what you get! You avoided fan-death and that stuff can kill you.” So that’s like something I’ll always remember about Korean tradition… I don’t know where it comes from though… I’m sure that like some Korean person died, coincidentally had a fan on, and people put two and two together.

REFLECTION:

Once, on a very hot day, I kept a fan near the head of my bed. When I woke the next morning, I experienced uncomfortably dry eyes, a dry throat, and dry skin. As such, I could instantly relate to the informant’s story about waking up with a dry throat. The difference is that my father––who is Caucasian and raised in the U.S.––told me this dryness was because the fan was drying out the air near me, whereas the informant’s mother––who grew up in Korea––told him about fan-death. This demonstrates that shared experiences may be interpreted differently depending on culture and heritage. My Korean informant and I experienced a similar event, but perceived it differently. To my Caucasian family it was a matter of dry skin, taken for granted as a non-threatening event. To the Korean informant and his mother it was a matter of life-and-death. Yet the informant and I performed the same response: avoiding turning fans towards ourselves. Folk beliefs then create separate paths that people of varying cultures may take to reach the same destination; the informant and I perform the same way, but for different reasons (his reasoning involving a much deeper fear). 

“授人以鱼不如授人以渔” – Chinese Proverb

Nationality: Asian American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Santa Barbara, California
Performance Date: 03/20/2021
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin, Korean

Context: I asked my friend if he knew any proverbs for my folklore collection, and he told me this one that was very famous in Asia and that there are many translations that have the same idea. He said that he has heard the same proverb in both Korean and Chinese from his parents and that they use it often when teaching him the conceptual explanation behind a problem and not just the answer. 

授人以鱼不如授人以渔

Roman Phonetic: “Shou ren yi yu bu ru shou ren yi yu”

  • Transliterated Proverb:
    • shou: give
    • ren: person
    • yi: to
    • yu (鱼): fish (noun)
    • Bu ru: not as good as
    • yu (渔): to fish (verb)

Full Translation: This means giving a person a fish is not as good as giving them the knowledge to fish. 

Explanation: The meaning behind this proverb is to say that providing for someone or doing something for them is not as good as teaching them how to provide or to do that thing for themselves, as this will help them more in the long run. Giving someone a fish will satiate their hunger for a bit, but when they are hungry you will still have to give them more fish. However, if you teach them how to fish, they can always find a way to get food when they are hungry, and that is much more valuable. 

Thoughts: I found the proverb to speak a lot of truth, as it is applicable to many cases in one’s life. The proverb can refer to teaching someone the concept of math and not the answer to a math problem, or greater life skills in general. Its applications are pretty much limitless. I also found it interesting that the same proverb existed across many different ethnic groups, and also recently found out that there is actually an English equivalent to the proverb that also has to do with fishing. It also demonstrates the core values in my friend’s family, as I’ve always known him to be hardworking and looking past the simple answers to questions in life and towards the bigger picture explanations, skills, and concepts.

Penny Superstition

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: N/A
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 4/26/2021
Primary Language: English

Main Piece:

“Find a penny pick it up, for the day you’ll have good luck,

Find a penny leave it there, the rest of the day: doom, death, despair”

Background:

The informant is a 19-year-old female from St. Paul, Minnesota who currently lives in Los Angeles, CA and attends the University of Southern California. She heard it as a child, although she does not remember the exact person that told the rhyme to her.

Context:

The informant is one of my college roommates, who I asked to relate any folk beliefs or legends she had for the purpose of this project.

My Thoughts:

This is a common superstition that many Americans would recognize. It seems to allude to a sort of contagious magic where the penny itself brings a person good luck. I’ve heard the first part of the rhyme many times but never the second. In recent times, however, I’ve seen more people become weary of picking things, even money, off the street for fear of sickness. I think it’s reflective of the times, especially currently being in the COVID-19 epidemic. I also think the superstition might show a bit about American beliefs towards money where every penny counts and people find it important to always be taking what you can get. It also connotes money and good luck, indicating a general positive reaction towards money, versus a negative reaction towards people who neglect it.

“KARIUS OG BAKTUS”

Nationality: Norwegian
Age: 50
Occupation: Stay-at-home-mom
Residence: Vail, Colorado
Performance Date: April 24, 2021
Primary Language: Norwegian
Language: English

MAIN PIECE: 

Informant: So… There’s these two cute little, I would almost call them little trolls. And they’re called Karius and Baktus. One has black hair, one has red hair. And they live in this little boy’s mouth… So it’s about a boy called Jens… And, it’s um… And he loooves white bread and sugar and syrup… And so… These two little trolls are kind of the, uh, the bacteria living in his mouth I guess… Or whatever is causing him to have cavities… And so the story shows them building houses and balconies and almost little towns in this boy’s mouth… And how they don’t like the toothbrush, and every time the toothbrush comes they hide ‘cause they’re scared of the toothbrush. And every time this little boy eats sugar food they get so excited and cheer him on and say yes they want sugar and syrup and white bread… Whereas if he eats, like, healthy food, they’re very upset and sad… But you know, they hammer, and do construction in this boy’s mouth to build all their houses and that hurts Jens, the little boy… And so, the story goes… He finally ends up at the dentist, and the dentist fills all his cavities. So now that the dentist has filled all the cavities, they don’t have anywhere to live… And now when the toothbrush come next time, they don’t have anywhere to hide anymore and so they’re flushed out. And so… Jens is obviously happy, but Karius and Baktus, the two little trolls, are not so happy anymore. 

INFORMANT’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE PIECE:

Informant: It’s kind of sad actually… It’s kind of funny now that I’m talking about it, how the good is actually sad you know what I mean? 

Interviewer: So… Who tells this story? Why is it told? Where did you learn it? 

Informant: Well “Karius og Baktus” is one of the more popular stories for kids. Like almost every child has heard their parents tell it. And they have theater performances now. It’s also filmed. So, I mean, you can pretty much see any version of it… And it’s used to teach kids to eat healthy. Because in Norway we don’t eat a lot of sugar, except for on the weekends or special occasions… And we never eat white bread really… Everyone in Norway loves to bake and bakes their own bread which is like… Multigrain or whole wheat. Um… It’s just all very healthy. So parents use the story to teach kids to eat healthy so the trolls don’t, uh, build houses in their mouth and hammer and start building. Because obviously cavities hurt, you know?

REFLECTION:

“Karius og Baktus” exemplifies the pedagogical and cautionary nature of tales. Norwegians have, for many years, used this story to influence their children’s eating habits, warning against the damaging effects of too much sugar. The informant was told the tale as a child, and went on to pass it onto me, her child. Children’s minds are very impressionable, which is perhaps why children are so frequently the audience of tales. The tales are entertaining––thus retaining childrens’ attention––but are also vessels for important lessons. It is likely that tales make the lesson easier to grasp and to summarize. “Karius og Baktus,” for example, highlights each phase of developing and fixing a cavity. Rather than explain to a child time and again that sugar causes cavities and cavities hurt, a parent needs only to mention “Karius og Baktus” and the child will understand immediately what is meant. It is much easier for a child to grasp the severity of cavity-induced pain if they have something to compare it to and visualize (ex. having little trolls hammering away at your teeth). It is also likely that the entertainment factor of tales is, at least in part, what helps the lessons “stick”––what ensures they are retained. The informant remembers this tale to this day. As do I, and I surely will always associate cavities with “Karius og Baktus.” 

ANNOTATION:

Book version:

Egner, Thorbjørn, et al. Karius and Baktus. Skandisk Publications, 1994.

Dutch/Tulip Festivals Supporting Schools in Redlands, California (and Related Rhyme/Song)

Nationality: Dutch American
Age: 85
Occupation: Retired Teacher
Residence: Bay Area, California
Performance Date: April 27th, 2021
Primary Language: English

Informant Context:

Meryl is a descendent of Dutch immigrants who immigrated to America around the 1850s. After living in Michigan, she relocated to Redlands, California, where she attended and later taught at a school supported by the Christian Reformed Churches in the area. The school held annual Dutch/Tulip Festivals as fundraisers. Meryl participated in these festivals as a student. She went on to teach her students the associated songs, skits, etc. while working there.

The interviewer spoke with Meryl over the phone.

Transcript:

MERYL: So I grew up in Redlands—Redlands Christian School, attended um… Christian Reformed Church is where I—was where my parents went, and in Redlands there are two Christian Reformed Churches, one Reformed Church, and one Protestant Reformed Church, which is a little more on the Dutch, th—Dutch side. Uh, the Protestant Church also had a school. And so… Redlands… and I went to the Christian School there, and… all supported Red— of all those churches, the four churches, uh… supported the Redlands Christian School. Still do. And there were many Dutch background people, so they, um… in order to support the school they started having—I don’t know just when it started, but—uh, started having Dutch festivals. And I remember, uh, singing little songs, and… heh… at the, at the Dutch festivals. Um… and then, later I taught ‘em to… to… th—the kids that I was teaching. [rustles pages, reading] Um… many… let’s see… many Dutch background people had Tu—Tulip festivals to raise money for the school. ‘Cause they… [unintelligible] always need money. Um…

INTERVIEWER: What would the songs be about? 

MERYEL: Well, let’s see… Well, first of all they had all the… the chorale—you know, they’re kind of like *chorale*—they’re [unintelligible] you know, half notes. [rustles pages] And uh… other songs. But it… the for Tulip Festival. I taught my kids this one little ditty that… [begins laughing] Heh-heh! It was—let’s see, it was… [begins speaking in rhythm (no melody), puts on an accent (t’s and th’s become d’s)]

“Katrina, my darling,

Come sit by my side 

And I’ll told you some things 

That will open your eyes—eyes [unintelligible]

I love you so much 

[Bette(?)]… w—with the love that I got,

That I want… and I’m going to ask you, “Won’t you be my *frau*?”

Frau is like… um, [unintelligible]. She would sing—the girl would sing: [resumes]

Why [seen(?)] yourself, Charlie 

To speak out like that 

Although it is nice what you say, 

And I love you so much with the love that I got

That I’ll be your frau right away.

Oh, ja! [thought that was(?)] fine, 

Char—Katrina, she told me she’s going to be mine… 

And, you know, that’s the chorus. Yeah, heh—*anyway*… and the kids would sing. I taught that to my… my 4th graders later. Um… anyway… 

INTERVIEWER: Did you teach at the same school?

MERYL: Uh, yeah, I’m getting to that. [laughs] Y—Y—let’s see… [if(?)] I can read it [reading] all—so all these churches, these four churches, supported the Redlands Christian School. Many Dutch background people… uh… had, had decided to have a Tulip Festival to bring in money for the school, ‘cause the schools always need money. And uh… so they, uh, they… the *women* mainly, got together [laughs softly], And um… k—kinda started when, when I was in school there. And it’s been kind of a tradition. And later, um… it was still going on when I taught there. Um… they had um… they had uh, uh… dishes of, *food* dishes, and cookies, and all kinds of stuff that was Dutch, and the kids would dress up, or… in uh, long skirts and wear, uh, Dutch—gif you had Dutch shoes, the wooden shoes…

INTERVIEWER: Clogs?

MERYL: [Me and(?)] my parents, they sent for some Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they have… uh, and Holland, Michigan, where they have more Tulip Festivals and… a lot of tulips in Holland. 

INTERVIEWER: Right, so… that’s what I was going to ask. So this specific one that you’re talking about is just the Redlands one, but I was…

MERYL: [Yes(?)]

INTERVIEWER: I was going to ask you are there other ones? 

MERYL: Oh, [yeah(?)]

INTERVIEWER: Other Tulip Festivals around the US? And it sounds like Holland Michigan, there are…

MERYL: Yeah, yeah… and [El Far(?)] California, they have a—a lot of Dutchman there too. 

INTERVIEWER: And they have similar festivals and everything.

MERYL: Yes. The Christian schools do.

INTERVIEWER: But this one was… 

MERYL: Yeah, they… they kind of support the Dutch background. 

INTERVIEWER: Oh, so—so it’s always attached to a school, it sounds like? It’s less of like… like a… 

MERYL: Yeah, it’s—it’s mainly I th—uh, yeah it kind of supports the schools. Helps to support the schools. Uh… Dutch costumes, [rustles papers] and wooden shoes… the wooden shoes are very uncomfortable.

INTERVIEWER: [laughs]

MERYL: You wear about three pairs of socks inside ‘em just so… so you don’t get blisters. I had some. I don’t know where they went. Heh-heh… 

INTERVIEWER: [joins laughing]

MERYL: *Anyway*… 

Informant Commentary:

Meryl mainly connected these festivals to the religious and educational institutions they supported financially. The generations through which this folk practice is passed are not familial generations or ethnic ones, but rather teacher to student generations. Meryl occupied both of those roles, as a student who later became a teacher. The Dutch/Tulip Festivals are also sites of other folklore such as folk songs and folk food, similarly passed down using highly intentional means, for a specific purpose, in a designated classroom setting.

Analysis:

This tradition is an interesting one, mainly because it employs folklore as a means to fundraise for an institution. This conflicts with the usual role of folklore as a set of artistic practices coming into being and perpetuating outside of institutions. The folklore invoked by these festivals (clogs, traditional dress, songs, etc.) likely came about that way too, but were given a new purpose and a new folk group by these majority Dutch churches and schools.