Tag Archives: new years

Ritual – Brazil

Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Performance Date: April 25, 2007
Primary Language: Portuguese
Language: Spanish, English

Notes:

Along with many other Brazilian New Years traditions, the subject explained the phenomena of jumping over seven waves on New Years Eve. Similar to the piece of folklore I collected from a Catalina Island native, one must jump over seven waves for good luck in the New Year.

The subject however had a variation on that variation in that after jumping over the seven waves you must make a wish. African slaves brought the origins of this tradition, according to the subject, to Brazil during the slave trade. Moreover, the New Year’s ritual was connected to certain gods like Iemanaja (sun god) and Exu (goddess of the salty sea). After jumping the seven waves one must never turn their back to the sea so one can assume that one would complete the task by facing the sea.

This seems like a more complete rendition of the seven waves tradition than I have heard from others Many people recreate this ritual for New Years but very few people have direct connection to the cultural context that the tradition actually comes from. That is not to say that this ritual is definitely from the Brazilian culture as it is to say that this particular variation has historical and cultural context.

Greek New Years Customs

Nationality: Greek
Age: 50s
Occupation: Software Designer
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/15/11
Primary Language: English

The informant is a male in his 50s. He was born to two Greek parents in New York. He was brought up in the Greek Orthodox Church. He lived in the Bronx for most of his youth before moving to the suburbs in Connecticut. He has worked as a journalist for most of his life, a job in which he spent a good deal of time in the Middle East as a foreign correspondent. He now lives in Southern California as a software developer. He is divorced with three children.

Following are two New Years customs from the Greek community the informant lived in as a child.

Custom #1:

When growing up, there was a tradition in the informant’s family and the Greek community at large that the adults would always gamble on New Years eve. All the families would gather, as New Years is a family occasion, and the adults would bet on cards while the kids played. The believe was the gambling for money would bring luck for the coming year; it was an auspicious practice to handle money at the very threshold of the New Year.

Analysis: The handling of money at the beginning of the year probably owed some of its origin to ideas of sympathetic magic. The act of handling and interacting with a lot of money as the New Year begins is an enactment of the what the people wish to happen for the rest of the year; they hope that for the upcoming year they will have a lot of contact with money, and thus be prosperous. Gambling at New Years is a type of ritual, although most of the people participating probably think of it as a good luck ceremony. That the ritual magic implications of the gambling are more important than the more straightforward attempts to win money are supported by the fact that it is a whole family affair, including children.

Custom #2:

It was tradition in the informant’s family and the Greek community at large to throw a piece of iron into the house on New Years. Iron horseshoes are usually used, as they are the most common piece of iron around the house. The informant does not remember exactly why this was done, but he remembers learning that it should be done through the stories the old Greek women would tell him. They would explain their cultures traditions to the children, telling them stories and legends. They were the main transmitters of tradition in that social network.

Analysis: In the Greek community that the informant grew up in, the stories were transmitted by the female elders. The informant says that it is through the stories of these women that the young in the community learn who they are. These women are the active bearers in the community. It is their place in the social construction of the Greek society, rather than personality or personal preference, that determines who are active bearers of lore and who are passive. The childrens’ roles are as passive bearers. But this position switches with age, although not sex. The position of those who tell stories is regulated in the Greek community.

New Years

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student at USC
Residence: Three Rivers, CA
Performance Date: April 20th, 2011
Primary Language: English

“This is a town tradition where I’m from.  Every year to celebrate new years a group of about 20- 30 people uhhh gathered together below a restaurant on the river in the town where I’m from.  And jump into the water.  Its called the polar dip.  The restaurant is called the Gateway, not known for any specific foods but its one of the only restaurants open in town.  They have hot chocolate and blankets for all the participants who are brave enough to jump in the freezing water.  Done at 9am on new years day, not done at the traditional liminal period.”

While it’s never been said what it represents, it looks like a symbolic refreshment or renewal.  The informant thinks the tradition is sort of a new baptism where you jump in the water, solidify new years resolutions and begin the year anew.

I agree with my informant’s analysis.  This tradition seems like people cleanse themselves of their past sins of the year and start the new year fresh.  Although 9am is a unique time point, perhaps it is for practical purposes since most people do not want to jump in freezing water in the middle of the night.  Also, new years night traditionally involves champagne, so drinking and swimming may not be the safest combination.

Festival – Hawaii/Japan

Nationality: Japanese/Chinese/Irish-American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Hawaii
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: Japanese
Language: English

My informant described the traditions that people in Hawaii carry out on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. More specifically, he described to me what Japanese-Americans in Hawaii do to celebrate because he is part Japanese. He says that one of the biggest traditions that Japanese people carry out is the popping of fireworks. On New Year’s Eve on the dot of twelve, almost everyone in Hawaii pops fireworks on their front lawn. The fireworks that they pop are long strings of red firecrackers, and they create very loud popping sounds. He said that there is a legend for why Asian-Americans do this in Hawaii; however, the tale actually started in China. The story begins with a dragon that lived in the mountains. Every New Year’s, the dragon would come down from his mountain and into the village to steal away the little children and eat them. For many years, the people in the village could not figure out what to do. Instead of being happy and celebrating the New Year, people were very afraid of the events that would undoubtedly come. Then, one day, a man thought of using gunpowder to scare away the dragon. At the strike of midnight, the man set off the gunpowder and it scared away the dragon. Now, it is tradition to “scare away the dragon” by being as loud as possible.

The next tradition that takes place is on New Year’s Day. He says that there is a huge Japanese karaoke song festival that many Japanese-Americans will watch the night of the start of the New Year. This festival is actually recorded in Japan on their New Year’s Eve. He and his family also drink a Japanese mochi soup called “ozoni.” Ozonie contains clear noodles in a chicken broth, and has a variety of vegetable such as baby corn, carrots, and bamboo shoots. At the very bottom of the dish is a piece of soft mochi. For dessert, he and his family will have Japanese-style mochi that is fried in butter. The mochi is then coated in a type of brown sugar called “kinako.”

My informant tells me that these traditions are very common in Hawaii. He says that the sound of all the firecrackers popping at the strike of twelve is very deafening. However, he says that it is a very exciting time, and it makes him and all of his neighbors feel closer to one another. The food that he and his family make is also something to have them bond. Because he is part Irish, part Chinese, and part Japanese, he does not actually have one culture to follow. He says that this way of celebrating the New Year is a good way for all of his cultures to mend together and accept one another.

Ritual

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Bay Area, CA
Performance Date: April 12, 2007
Primary Language: English

For New Year’s Dinner, everyone in my family must eat collard greens and black eyed peas. Collard greens symbolize money, and therefore promote a good financial start to the New Year. I don’t quite remember what the black eyed peas represent, but we always eat them every year.

Notes:

This subject in particular had a lot of different customs revolving around New Year’s Day. He said that this meal was served every year for New Year’s dinner because it helped to promote a good start to the year. He explained the importance and symbolization of the collard greens as representing money, and thus a great start to the New Year. He said that black-eyed peas were also served every year but that he couldn’t remember what they stood for exactly.

There are many different rituals centered around the New Year, and although this one seems new, I believe that there are many more like it. The whole idea behind the New Year rituals is to make the next year the best in every way possible. I think that this dinner represents just that. The food is meant to represent money, which is a common theme among many New Years traditions. Money is often wished or hoped for, and symbolized for good luck in many different occasions. My guess for the black-eyed peas is that they symbolize another good luck charm for the New Year, something along the lines of good health. I think that the most important part of this tradition is that it is repeated every year and that the family comes together for this celebration. New Year’s Day in regard to American households is not considered the most family-oriented holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, therefore this ritual makes it possible for the family to celebrate the past year together and start a new one together as well.