Tag Archives: ancestors

Masquarade (Mmanwu)

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Story:

The informant explained that seeing a masquerade (Mmanwu) for the first time is something you never forget. She remembered being about seven or eight years old during a festival. The whole village was celebrating when the deep sound of the ikoro drum rang out which meant the Mmanwu were coming. She held onto her mother’s wrapper as the masquerade appeared. She had always been told that Mmanwu were spirits of the ancestors, but at that moment, all she felt was fear.

She recalls the Mmanwu suddenly running toward the children. Everyone screamed and scattered. She ran as fast as she could, losing her slippers in the sand. Her uncle laughed and called out, “Run! Mmanwu will catch you!” And in that moment, she said she truly believed it would.

She said that later, her mother just laughed and told her it was all part of the tradition. Looking back, she found it funny too, but she still respected the power of the Mmanwu.

Context:

The informant is an elderly Igbo woman who grew up in a traditional village in southeastern Nigeria. She recalls this childhood experience of seeing a masquerade (Mmanwu) for the first time during a festival. She had heard about Mmanwu from her elders, who explained that they represent ancestral spirits. As a child, she believed the spirits were real and feared being taken away. Now, as an elderly, she sees it as an important cultural tradition and laughs at her childhood fear.

My Interpretation:

The informant’s experience with the masquerade chase shows how these traditions mix fear and respect for the spirits. The masquerades aren’t just part of the festival for fun, they are seen as powerful spiritual figures. The fear the informant felt reflects how these spirits are both respected and feared by the community. Even though she was scared at the time, the memory helped her appreciate the importance of these ancestral figures in her culture.

Qingming Festival

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Brooklyn, New York
Language: English

Text:

Collector: “Can you describe any rituals or festivals you have participated in before?”

Informant: “My family and I have a yearly ritual where we go to the cemetery to visit my great grandparents. We visit their grave and burn fake money and clothes to send them these things in the afterlife. We also burn stuff like cars, houses, accessories, jewelry, bags. They are all made of paper but it’s supposed to give them the real thing in the afterlife. We then burn incense and bow and pray to them.”

Collector: “What time of the year do you guys do this tradition? Is it based on your family’s religious beliefs?”

Informant: “We typically try to go a little bit after Chinese New Year. My immediate family isn’t religious, but I believe it’s based on Buddhist beliefs in the afterlife.”

Context:

My informant is Chinese-American and has been participating in this yearly ritual since she was young. While her immediate family is not religious, they practice some Chinese Buddhist traditions such as bringing items to their deceased loved ones and praying to them.

Analysis:

This ritual is a part of a traditional Chinese Holiday, typically practiced in the beginning of April during the Qingming festival, which translates to “Tomb Sweeping Day”. This festival reflects a common Chinese belief in the afterlife, but is not . It is a way for people to honor their deceased ancestors and loved ones, ensuring that they are well taken care of in the afterlife. Some people believe that “sweeping the tomb” is only to be done during the festival, otherwise it would be disturbing the deceased. It is a way for the living and the dead to feel connected. People pray to feel spiritually connected to their ancestors.

Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is an extremely popular drink in modern culture however what many people do not know is that this drink has roots stretching back to regions in South America. My informant, who’s family is from Argentina, shed insight on the origins of this populus drink and its deeply instated traditions. The origin of Yerba Mate starts back centuries when ancient natives saved the lives of the moon god and cloud god (Yasí and Araí) from a jaguar. As a gift, these deities bestowed Yerba Mate seeds to thank the natives for their rescue. Yerba Mate was a drink which was then shared amongst the natives, being passed around for all to enjoy. It was very unique to have a drink which coincides with being a social occasion. Yerba Mate is more than just sharing a drink, it is about sharing life’s simple pleasures. 

Yerba Mate proves to demonstrate cultural and historical significance with deep roots stemming from the South American country of Argentina. The cultural tradition of consuming Yerba Mate stretches back centuries to ancient indigenous peoples, who received the seeds as a gift from deities in gratitude for saving the lives of celestial beings. This origin story imbues Yerba Mate with a sense of sacredness and communal importance, as it symbolizes a connection between humanity and the divine. Yerba Mate transcends mere refreshment, serving as a social and cultural practice that fosters both community and shared experiences. The act of passing around the drink amongst the community reflects the importance of camaraderie and hospitality within indigenous societies. This reflects in our modern society today, emphasizing the role of Yerba Mate as a conduit for bonding and interpersonal connection.

Tomb Sweeping Festival

Informant: N.N

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Age: 19

Occupation: Student

Residence: Burbank, CA

Performance Date: 04/26/2024

N.N is 19 years old and is from Burbank, CA. I am close friends with his brother, so N.N is an acquaintance of mine.  I asked him if there are any festivals or rituals he participates in regularly. He tells me about the Tomb Sweeping Festival that his family participates in every year as well as the funeral customs they do during the festival. 

“Every spring break, around March or April, my family and I go to Thailand to celebrate the Tomb Sweeping Festival. It’s a tradition that’s been part of our family since I was thirteen. During the festival, we visit the altars of my great grandparents and clean them meticulously. It’s not just about tidying up; it’s a whole ritual. We bring offerings for my ancestors—my grandma’s parents. These offerings usually include their favorite foods and flowers. One of the most vivid parts of the festival is when we light firecrackers and sparklers on their altars. We then pray in Thai because our ancestors, grandma and mom used to live in Thailand. My mom and grandma always remind us, “If they weren’t alive, you wouldn’t be here”. I think they say this to instill a sense of respect and gratitude towards our ancestors. To them, and now to me, it’s important that we acknowledge and remember where we came from. Honestly, I think it’s a beautiful way to remember and pay respects to those who have passed away.”

Their Tomb Sweeping Festival reflects deep cultural values of respect, remembrance, and family ties. It emphasizes the importance of honoring one’s ancestors and acknowledging their contributions to our current lives. This ritual also shows the value of continuity and connection across generations, which reminds us of our heritage and the cycle of life. It’s a way for them to bond over shared history and instill a sense of gratitude for the past even in younger generations. The festival also embodies Chinese cultural values such as filial piety, showing their cultural roots.

Pan de Muerto

Context: the informant, A.F., is a 21 year old USC student. Her family is Mexican, when asked about rituals or festivals, she brought up Dia de Los Muertos. Before she explained her family customs, she did give me a small disclaimer, saying that a lot of this feels normal to her, and so she wasn’t sure what would/wouldn’t matter.

Text: The informant explained that when her family celebrates Dia de Los Muertos, they always buys a specific bread, known as “pan de muerto”. She described pan de muerto as a round sweet bread with a cross on top; along with this, she explained that her family also makes the favorite foods of their loved ones who have passed. When asked if she leaves some out for ancestors, she told me that they do that alongside eating it. Her family puts up an altar in their house with photos of loved ones who have passed, decorating it with their favorite foods, candles, and a vibrant flower that her family calls “cempasuchil.” She told me she wasn’t sure what flower it was exactly, but she thought it was a marigold. To offer the bread and food to them, her family places it on the altar.

Analysis: Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, is a typical part of Dia de los Muertos festivities, as is creating an altar for the living to offer things to their dead loved ones. The act of placing food on the altar for them seems like an idea based in homeopathic sympathetic magic, in that items given to photos of loved ones will also be given to their spirits in the afterlife. As the photo looks like the person, affecting it in some way will also affect the person, even once they’ve passed. The bread itself, to the informant, is essentially just a normal sweet bread, but the intent behind offering it is what matters, rather than anything special about the bread.