Tag Archives: holiday

Rancho Bernardo 4th of July Celebration

Main Piece

“Every fourth of July, my hometown puts on a parade that goes through the same few streets, where people dress up and decorate their cars with red, white and blue – some local businesses, organizations and sponsors are always part of the parade, along with the mayor, local beauty pageant winners, people like that who someone decides are important to the city for one reason or another. I got to be in it with a few other girls once, before my junior year of high school, because I’d won a local singing contest a month before. People stand along the streets to watch, which I’m sure I did a few times with my family growing up as well.
There are some other events associated with the parade, but the one I remember going to with my family is the fireworks show at night, which has always been held on the field of our local high school for as long as I can remember.”

Interpretation

Informant Interpretation: Informant notes she only feels connected to this tradition because it’s something that occurs in her hometown, and not because of the 4th of July. It’s shared by a small suburb, and thus more identity-defining and important to her.

Personal Interpretation: I found it interesting that many of these traditions seem to be a form of showcasing American “exceptionalism” or something “worth being proud of”–cars (wealth), beauty, those with political power. That feels very in line with the individualist framework America tries to set up for itself, as well as celebrating things that society deems of greater importance. Within this context, it is of course contained to a much smaller suburb, but I still felt those themes coming through in the particular description of events and holiday context.

Background

Informant is a 21 year old college student who was raised in Rancho Bernardo, CA. She is female-presenting, white, and of European descent.

Big Bear Ritual

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 yearly ritual his family does, in celebration of Christmas and December Break. 

“Every December, once school’s out, my family heads up to Big Bear and we stay there for like a week. We started this whole thing about four years ago when my uncle, who’s pretty much obsessed with snowboarding, thought it’d be a great idea for us to get together and hit the slopes. So, my mom would rent an Airbnb, and we’d spend our winter break snowboarding as much as we can. It’s pretty fun. My cousins E. and M. were just getting old enough to enjoy the trip, so my uncle figured it was the perfect time to start. I interpret this yearly celebration as a way for our family to just enjoy winter break and Christmas together in a way that’s unique to us. I really like it and I hope we keep doing this for a long time.”

Their December snowboarding trip also coincides with the Christmas season, which I think adds value to the family bonding experience. Since I know them personally, I know that they are a family that is super active and always into sports so this was probably a creative way to incorporate their hobby into a celebration. For them, Christmas is a time that’s associated with family and togetherness. Even though they aren’t Christian, they celebrate Christmas as a way to get closer and show appreciation for one another. I think that by integrating their holiday celebrations with this active tradition, it allows them to have core memories and stronger relationships since they have a shared experience. Their tendency to make it a tradition also shows how they have celebrated many traditions / rituals before that is personalized to their interests.

Chinese New Years Attire

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 a specific dress code / costume his family wears every Chinese New Year. 

“Every Chinese New Year, it’s all about wearing red in our family. It’s a tradition that’s been around since I was born. We did this because red meant good luck. As a kid, all I thought was “Damn, I gotta find red,” haha. My mom taught me early on about this ritual—it’s supposed to ward off bad luck and bring prosperity. I personally don’t believe in the effects of this ritual but I don’t mind doing it either.”

Wearing red for Chinese New Year is deeply rooted in cultural and historical beliefs about prosperity and protection. I believe his family started this to ward off bad luck, specifically negative energies and misfortunes. This tradition also reflects their value of family importance, since everyone comes together in a shared practice to start the year positively. I interpret this custom as a beautiful way to wish for the best for your family while looking forward to a hopeful future.

Judgement Day (Yawm Al-Qiyaama)

Nationality: Lebanese
Age: 68
Occupation: Seamstress
Residence: Lebanon
Performance Date: 4/5/2023
Primary Language: Arabic
Language: English

Original Text:

“يَوْم القِيامةِ”

Transliteration:

Yawm Al-Qiyaama

Translation:

Day of Judgement (Rising)

My informant has been raised in an Islamic pillared family in Lebanon that has not entirely followed all the beliefs that are enforced but has been taught the knowledge about the religion and the information regarding faith and the afterlife.

Narrative:

Judgement Day is known to be one of the most feared moments in Islam as it is also referred to as “The Day of the Rising”, “The Day of Regret” and “The Striking of Calamity.” My informant has stated that this is “the end of all life in our world when the living is stopped, the deceased come back from the dead state they resided in and are put on trial for their time on earth to decide whether they should be sent to the heavens or hell. Some signs of the day of judgement coming are when events such as “phenomena in the Qur’an, the book of Islam, coming to fruition and if satanic entities or ‘the jin’ were to appear on earth.” This allows Muslims to prepare to be judged for their sins and determine whether they are faithfully good. ‘Allah’, otherwise known as their god, will decide if those who are dead will live in everlasting torment and “if those who have performed his tasks may live freely to fulfil their own duties without punishment” for their sins. It is a day that they “fear, but must accept as it the way that god had intended for the world to progress and end” This is depicted as the beginning of the end in Islam and is the moment that all Muslims stay faithful for as it plays a role in whether they will continue to be blessed for their efforts or punished for their sins.

Context:

It is believed that Judgement Day within Islamic culture and religion is a pivotal part of their upbringing. Although it is “one of the most important parts of our religion and is an extremely important and heavy topic, [they] usually tell the children of the family when they reach a certain age to begin to teach them about Allah and how to be a devoted Muslim” They have also described that this topic is not brought up amongst other adults much unless “it is in a religious setting or during prayer, to remind [themselves] what [they] are performing good tasks for” as it is seen as a religious conversation that exists within every individual’s mind but is not spoken. They must remember that they are living to be a good person and will be punished otherwise, therefore, the children are taught at a young age to understand the complexity of the event and the importance that is tied to being a good person. 

Analysis:

Although the day of judgment is a religious sacrament and piece of information that exists in texts centuries old, it plays a pivotal role in not only children but adults’ thinking and actions. It allows each individual to perform in a morally good and generous manner that benefits their culture and the way they interact with the rest of society as a whole. The manner in which it is presented may be harsh and present divine and satanic work, but it gives humanity the chance to present themselves in a moral manner to live out the rest of their lives in prosperity and hope that they gain the judgment of a good being by staying faithful to their god and the entirety of society. The idea of those rising from the dead appearing as well brings the concept of ‘nobody is safe’ as it is a state of vulnerability that they are placed in on the day that wreaks havoc, crushing any hope for those whose sins have outweighed their good. It presents the idea of gratitude and allowing those who are fortunate to be grateful for their privileges, which can also be seen in other Islamic holidays such as the month of fasting of Ramadan when they do not eat to be more empathetic to those that are less fortunate and do not have the privilege of eating comfortably.

Dia De Los Muertos-Day of the Dead: Mexican Holiday

Text: 

Me: “Do you have any holidays, rituals, or beliefs that you would like to share?”

DR: “Yes, I can talk about Dia de los Muertos.”

Me: “Is it a traditional holiday within your culture?”

DR: “Yes it’s a Mexican holiday typically celebrated Nov 1st-Nov 2nd every year. November 1st is dedicated to children who have died while November 2nd is the day celebrated for all other deceased people. The tradition usually happens at the cemetery or at one’s home. In the home, an altar is set up for the deceased people or individuals. They have decorations such as papel picado (colorful paper), cempasuchil which is a type of flower, and food that the deceased once loved. There are usually religious figures around the altar, most famously La Virgen de Guadalupe and other holy saints. These two days are meant to celebrate the life of the ones who have passed on and to allow them to come back in spirit while joining us in the real-world. It is often normal to see people painting their face to look like skeletons; this is to create a unity and to blur the line between the dead and the living.” 

Context (informant’s relationship to the piece, where they heard it, how they interpret it):

-DR’s relationship to this traditional Mexican holiday stems from her Mexican and Salvadorian culture as it’s an important holiday that is celebrated within her home. Her relationship to this traditional holiday also stems from the connection that she shares with her family as they honor their loved ones that have passed. For example, DR’s mother’s grandfather is always recognized and celebrated as her mom’s side of the family always goes to the cemetery, decorates his grave, and has a picnic with the foods that he loved. DR would hear about this holiday all through her life as she grew up in a typical Mexican household. DR has always been exposed to Dia de los Muertos as her own family traditionally celebrates it but she has also been exposed to it by attending a predominantly Latino grade school where the holiday was always honored and evident; an altar was typically displayed in her school’s library. DR interprets this holiday as a beautiful tradition that shouldn’t be looked upon with a somber attitude. Instead, DR interprets this festive practice as a happy way to remember our loved ones in a celebratory manner.

Analysis(what kind of personal, cultural, or historical values might be expressed) YOUR interpretation:

-The overall cultural value within Dia de los Muertos stems from a typical Mexican culture considering this holiday has originated and is widely evident in various parts of Mexico following the Mexican heritage. The cultural value of community is evident within this holiday considering Mexican communities come together to celebrate and to pay their respects. The personal values that are expressed within this celebratory holiday follows the religious and spiritual beliefs of many Catholic individuals. Given that Catholicism is typical for Mexican families to condone in, it is evident that the emphasis of celebrating one’s spirit during Dia de los Muertos is related to their idolization of religious figures (La Virgen de Guadalupe/Mother Mary) since many Catholics believe that the spirits of those who have passed on can still be present in the real-world. I interpret this holiday as an ethereal practice of remembrance, community, and love. Given the fact that I have not accurately celebrated this holiday despite my Mexican culture, I can appreciate the concept of acknowledging one’s passing instead of mourning them with a sad and downhearted connotation. Overall, I can see this holiday as a joyful practice where one’s spirituality is met, pronounced, and proven, given that many religious individuals feel deeply that the spirits of the deceased have the power to rejoin others in unity. Dia de los Muertos follows the ideology of being a cyclic holiday considering the cycle of one’s life, time, and season is evident and celebrated. Not to mention, the idea of post-productive life can be seen as the main emphasis of this holiday considering death is targeted as the means for festivity. A traditional practice that differs from the celebratory event of Dia de los Muertos is modernized funerals. Within American society, funerals are seen as disheartening events that are used to mourn those who have passed. Black clothes, tears, and white flowers within a traditional funeral are elements that can be contradicting to the colorful decorations, bright orange cempasuchil flowers, and the light-hearted picnics that take place during November 1-2.