My informant was born and raised in Ibarra, Ecuador until she left to live in the U.S. when she was sixteen years old. Whenever she and her brothers had a cold or a sore throat, her mother made a drink for them made from lemon juice, a little bit of orange juice and honey. Her mother would then heat it up on the stove, which my informant says helped a lot since the steam would reduce congestion and the warmth would relieve sore throats. She also says that you have to drink it with a straw or it will ruin your tooth enamel. The remedy has a long tradition in her family: her grandmother prepared it for her mother, her great-grandmother prepared it for her grandmother, her great-great grandmother prepared it for her great-grandmother, etc. She says, “Everyone in Ecuador does it… I think [laughs]… Or a lot of people I knew did it.” It provides a lot of Vitamin C as well so it offers a cheaper and more natural alternative to medications. The honey not only cuts the acidity of the lemon juice, but also adds anti-bacterial elements into the “cocktail.” “Unless we were really sick, we didn’t go to the doctor… Especially not for simple colds.” To this day, she still prepares the remedy when she is feeling under the weather. When I asked if she would do the same for her children, she replied: “Of course, it’s a family tradition!”
Tag Archives: custom
Manton, California Tradition: The Pig Roast
Interview Extraction:
Informant: “So the infamous family get together… so every year at the time of the fourth of July, the Forward family would hold a reunion back up at our cabin that is near Lassen in Manton, California. And that is an area that was homesteaded by our great-great-grandfather, who actually was at West Point when the Civil War broke out. And he decided that he couldn’t choose between the North and the South, so he packed up the wagon and headed out to California to avoid the whole Civil War. Any event, they settled in Oregon originally, and then they moved down to Northern California where Manton now is. And they eventually built a lumber company there, a saw mill. So uh, in any event that is where the family homestead is and we would go back every July 4th to the family homestead, and my grandfather and his brother, my uncle, would hold a big barbecue. And the way they would barbecue was that the meal was typically on Sunday, or whatever, but the day before you would dig a big pit and you would buy tri-tip and you would put it in burlap sacks. You would season the meat, put it in burlap sacks and wet it, and you built this pit. And the day before you would get some firewood, it had to be oak to get the right coals, and you would fill that pit with the coals and then would dig out the coals, throw in the meat that is in the wet burlap sacks and wrapped in the pit, and then you would throw dirt over those, and then throw the coals over that. So it is kind of like the Hawaiian pig roasts, they way they burry the pig. And then that cooks all night long and through the next morning. So part of the fun was digging the pit and keeping the fire going. And the men would stay up all night, until usually 1:00 in the morning when they would put the meat in. And they would drinking whiskey and tell stories. There were no women allowed, this was just a guys thing. So then, we would dig up the meat the next day that had been cooking for 8 hours and we had this beautiful tri-tip that had slow cooked for 8 hours in the earth. And then we would add some more seasoning, and that was the main meal for our big family reunion party every year. And the family reunion was always done at the cabin near the lower pond. We actually had built a little picnic area just for that one party, every year. The other fun thing we used to do is there is no refrigeration but there is a creek that runs right by the picnic area, so instead of having to bring ice or anything, the creek was cold enough with the water coming off Mt. Lassen. We put all the food that had to be cooled in the creek, so the kids would have to build a little rock dam, a little pool so that the stuff wouldn’t wash down the stream. And we put watermelon in there, and put all the beer and pop bottles there, all the stuff the water wouldn’t hurt. And that was their kind of fun thing that was the kid’s responsibility every year.”
Analysis:
“The Pig Roast” as it is called serves as a way for the family to reunite every year. The 4th of July was chosen for the reunion date for two reasons. One, getting to celebrate Independence day with family is a fun way for the family to reflect proudly on their American heritage. Another reason why the date was chosen was because it is a time of year that is easier for family members to travel back to Manton, because the children are out of school for the summer and July is not a busy month for farmers, and ranchers, which is the occupation of many family members. The pig roast is always held on Sunday of the 4th of July weekend, because Sunday is traditionally a day of rest and family time.
The special method of how the pig is cooked is also part of the reunion’s ritual. The pig is generally slaughtered from the family’s farm, and then it is prepared in a special method that has been repeated since the first Manton pig roast. The fact that only the men in the family are allowed to prepare the pig represents a strong patriarchal value in the family, which still holds true today. When a boy in the family is finally allowed to stay up late with the men and drink whiskey and share stories, this important event represents that the family has accepted the boy as a man. This initiation into adulthood is also the men’s way of saying to the boy that they are ready to give him more responsibilities as an adult.
The fact that every group in the family, the men, children, and women, all have a specific responsibilities for the preparation for the pig roast is tied to the family’s history of being primarily farmers and ranchers. Working on a farm or ranch requires a lot of hard work and responsibility so everyone has to do there part, including the children.
The Manton pig roast represents American traditions and values in that there is a strong emphasis on family, hard work, and independence, which is reflected in the origin story of the family homestead. This is because the idea that their great-great grandfather was a pioneer in the West represents the idea that in America if you work hard and have the determination to do so you can accomplish great things. This story is often used to inspire these ideas of success and independence in the family today.
My informant was born in 1957 Arcata, California to a high school basketball coach and his wife. After earning his undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of California, Davis, he moved to southern California to obtain his MBA in business from the University of Southern California. He now a partner at Ernst & Young. He lives in Manhattan Beach, CA with his wife and has two children.
El Año Viejo (Ecuador)
In Ecuador, la fiesta de Año Viejo (literally, “the old year festival”) is a long-standing tradition that symbolically incinerates the regrets, failures and anger of the past year to usher in the resolutions, hopes and expectations for the new year. On the 31st of December, men fill the streets dressed as women during the day, and at night, effigies are ritually burned to ashes.
When living in her hometown of Ibarra (50 miles outside Quito, the capital), my informant celebrated this tradition every year with her friends and family. As she explains the tradition, she smiles and laughs, recalling the silliness of the festivities. She recalls how young men, wearing women’s clothes and makeup, block the city streets and demand small payments of money from passersby. Only then can you pass and go on your way. She explains that the men collect money to pay for alcohol, “para emborrarcharse” (to get drunk) later that night.
However, about five days earlier, preparations for the celebration begin with crafting life-sized dolls, or los años viejos, made of clothes and paper. The effigy might represent a disliked celebrity or political figure, or even a representation of past mistakes or unachieved goals. Sometimes a handwritten note is attached to the doll that explains why it must be burned. My informant says that effigies are still made of Abdalá “El Loco” Bucaram, a corrupt president who served during the 1990s and was later overthrown for stealing money. Yet, she also explains that nowadays, the años viejos can take the form of popular culture figures like SpongeBob Squarepants or Marvel comic superheroes.
Again, she laughs as she recalls her uncle’s custom. Every year, her uncle makes an año viejo of himself and attaches a note that sounds like a last will and testament. Instead of a somber undertone, he leaves funny and sarcastic notes to his family members. For example, one year he wrote….
As the clock nears midnight, people set fire to their años viejos outside their houses, in the streets or even on the beach. To give it even more New Year’s flare, firecrackers are often thrown into the fire. My informant says that this is one of her favorite holidays, but since she has moved to the U.S., the tradition of años viejos has slightly changed. Instead of setting fire to the año viejo, she and her family ceremonially throw the effigy in the trash.
When analyzing the celebration of Año Viejo, the liminality of New Year’s Eve instigates a transformation of identities and superstition. Because December 31st brings the past year to a close, but is not quite a new year, this liminal phase inverts social roles and men behave uncharacteristically by dressing up and acting like women. Yet, the años viejos can be perceived as a form of superstition or imitative magic. They symbolize past mistakes or the character of disliked public figures, and the ritual burning of the effigies signifies their eradication, to ensure they don’t return in the new year. The tradition is also superstitious because it is an active performance that attempts to produce good luck and a “clean slate.”
The types of años viejos that are crafted today illustrate the history and evolution of the holiday. The history of Años Viejo is unclear, but my informant says that it may have been started because of a yellow fever epidemic that affected the country years ago and many bodies were burned as a result. Similar to how yellow fever was rid from the country through pyres, the años viejos represent misfortunes or undesired characteristics and are also erased in the flames of a fire. The yellow fever influence may be the reason why many años viejos take the form of a human. Furthermore, while años viejos of disliked politicians are still used, the introduction of creating popular culture characters may indicate a change in the political environment of Ecuador. My informant told me that the president in office today is well liked and the Ecuadorian government is no longer corrupt. Therefore, años viejos appear to adapt to contemporary issues, trends and most of all, humor. “Ecuador is a very relaxed country” and locals appear to reflect the stress-free atmosphere through the use of humor in Año Viejo celebrations.
So let’s set the Año Viejo ablaze and welcome the new!
German Recipe: Curry Wurst
German Curry Wurst Recipe:
Ingredients:
Ketchup, 10 tablespoons
Water, 5 tablespoons
Salt, ½ teaspoon
Pepper, 1 teaspoon
Paprika Powder, 1/2 tablespoon
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Chili Sauce, 1 1/4 tablespoons
Curry Powder, 1 tablespoons
Sugar, 1 tablespoon
Bratwurst sausages
Instructions:
First, cook your sausages on either a grill or pan if you don’t have a grill. Once the sausages are done cooking, set them aside. In a saucepan add ketchup, stir in 4-5 tablespoons of water and boil while stirring. Remove from the heat and season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, chili, curry powder and a little sugar if necessary. Serve hot!
(Warning: SPICY!)
Analysis:
When I first traveled to Germany, I really wanted to try some local cuisine. My informant suggested that I try curry wurst, because the fast food dish is very popular and she thought I would like it. I had curry wurst for the first time at a small open air market in Berlin. There were all kinds of condiments you could add to the curry wurst such as mayonnaise and hot sauce. The curry wurst was also sold with potatoes, french fries, and white bread rolls which you would use to dip in the extra sauce. My informant told me that Berliners normally get white bread rolls with their curry wurst, and I wanted to do ‘the local thing’ so I got a bread roll to go with my snack. To me, doing things as they locals do them when I travel is my way of trying to get an understanding for the culture. I hoped that in trying many different types of German food, I could get an understanding of what kinds of foods Germans like. Are they the kind of culture that likes spicy, savory, or sweet foods? German food seems to be a good combination of all those food tastes, like the sweet taste of apple strudel, the savory flavor of potato dumplings, and the spicy kick of curry wurst. I ended up loving the food so much that I asked the informant’s mother for a curry wurst recipe that I could take back to America with me. I think the recipe is very close to what I had at the market in Berlin, but of course nothing can compare to the real thing.
The invention of curry wurst is attributed to Herta Heuwer, who created the sauce in 1949 when she obtained ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and curry powder from British soldiers in Berlin. Her recipe soon became very popular and her stand was selling as much as 10,000 servings per week. Heuwer patented the recipe as ‘Chillup’ in 1951 and started her own restaurant. Today curry wurst stands can be see all over the major cities of Germany, and they are a popular form of fast food for tourists and Germans.
My informant was born in 1992 Hamburg, Germany. She studied at USC from 2010-2011 before moving to Brussels, Belgium to study international policy planning for her undergraduate degree. She lives part time in Brussels, Belgium and part time in her hometown Hamburg, Germany.
folk yoga
Ethnicity: ½ black, ¼ Mexican, ¼ Japanese
Spanish, English
18, Student
Houston, TX
20 April 28, 2011
Mai Ling performed her family yoga ritual. As she performed the maneuver she called out the positions in order: Downward Dog, to Forward Bend, Arch back, come up, hands on knees, extend back, rise up, hands on hip, Sun salutation 1, hands touch over your head, arms stretch straight up, elbows extend, exhale bring your hands to your heart, lean back, enter bridge pose, hold it for two breaths, kick up into head or hand stand, hold it for a minute, come down, childs, cat/cow for six breathes, one vinyasa and youre done.
This small yoga routine is how Mai Ling starts her day every morning. Mai Ling has two aunts who teach yoga one in San Diego and one in Austin and she learned this family progression from them. This sequence is fairly advanced and it took Mai Ling a long time to master it. She looks forward to family reunions when she practice the routine with the adults. She believes the tradition is the best way to start the morning rejuvenated and relaxed. She does the poses with care and grace, as she releases energy into each pose. Her focus is amazing and emphasizes her connection to her practice and the tradition.
This is an example of folk customs and a new category-folk yoga. These positions were strung together generations ago and have remained in Mai Lings family. The way they are passed down and the natural variations within the family make it a piece of their folklore. Mai Ling intends to continue the tradition and pass the yoga lesson on, to her kids.
Tim Perille
18
1027 W. 34th St. Los Angele CA