Tag Archives: Protection

Main Piece: Red underwear

Nationality: American
Age: 53
Occupation: Family CEO
Residence: CO
Performance Date: 04/01/2021
Primary Language: English

Background: The informant always wears red underwear when she knows she is entering a situation where danger could occur. She believes that the color red has protective powers and is ultra superstitious about wearing it, especially when flying. She is a very spiritual woman, but also particular about what type of folk beliefs she acquires. She does her research before hopping on a trend or swearing by a specific belief. This underwear belief, while sparked by Madona, has become a pillar in her travel experience.  

Context: “I first started wearing red underwear when Madonna became an expert in Kabbalah. She was very famous at the time and I thought it was quite ridiculous that she decided to suddenly become Jewish, I suppose, and pick the sect that she did. Remember those little red bracelets? I wish that I had had a company at that point manufacturing those because they were hot in the 90s. They taught me. Red protects you. Red protects your soul from being attacked by malicious characters. As a 20-year-old girl, I never liked to fly. I always felt so vulnerable so far up in the sky with people I didn’t even know in control of my life.  The pilot, the flight attendants. I thought to myself if I wear red and red underwear I’ll be protected. Red really isn’t my color, so I felt that underwear was the way to go. I didn’t have to match it with anything, just make sure I owned some undies to throw on before any flight”.  

Thoughts: This is a custom and belief that has been passed along to me, as her daughter. I also think that red is a guarding force and I feel the ritual is associated with my mom and that in itself provides a sense of safety. I love following in my mom’s footsteps with her beliefs because I trust her, so this custom is just another way for me to feel that she is by my side in perilous circumstances. I know that she is very particular about her folk beliefs and practices, so her opinion is highly valued. Her superstitions are worthwhile.

Safety Pin Protection for Pregnant Woman During an Eclipse.

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 73
Occupation: retired
Residence: Chicago
Performance Date: 4-10-20
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Background: Below is an account from my informant on an old hispanic belief/ myth on pregnancy. My informant is a Senior Citizen who was originally born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States as a young adult. Spanish is her first language, but she ultimately uses a combination of both Spanish and English to explain this belief. My informant was taught this superstition by her grandmother and always wore a giant safety pin near to her stomach during all five of her pregnancies. 

Main Piece:

When there’s an eclipse if you’re expecting if you’re pregnant you’re supposed to put a safety pin on your shirt on your blouse. You put it near to your tummy to protect the baby from the eclipse. I believe that’s why, I don’t know,  but I believe that’s why uh, uh  some people  that come with something deformed in the body because the people don’t believe in that. The people don’t believe to carry something all the time to carry something metal like near to the tummy. The metal protects from whatever power that comes from… the same way los rayos, uh the same way the metal works to send back the power of the eclipse from the sun and the moon. The moon is more dangerous because some people don’t notice. That’s why it’s good to carry all the time the safety pin to protect you. To protect the baby. 

Context: This conversation took place during the day over a FaceTime call. This was my first interview with this particular informant and I could tell that she was nervous about speaking ‘formally’ about her beliefs. As the conversation went on she became less shy, and even started speaking in more of a combination of Spanish and English in order to explain her point.

My thoughts: I had never heard of this superstition before. At first, I didn’t quite understand that a safety pin is reflective enough for eclipse rays to bounce off of, but then I realized that like most superstitions, people don’t actually believe in them for science. This conversation made it clear to me how much we as humans value information from role models we trust. My informant was given this advice by her Grandmother, and did not once question her. Of course, my informant also shared that this became a familial and community belief, so she was not the only one partaking. After questioning my own family, I learned that my mother did this while she was pregnant with me, and that reason alone is enough to make me tack a pin on when I’m pregnant with my children. Maybe, because it’ll connect me to my mom. Maybe, because it offers guidance during an uncertain time. 

Using a Safety Pin to protect unborn babies during a lunar eclipse

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 54
Occupation: Health Care Executive
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: 4/18/2020
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Main Piece

Informant: When I was pregnant my mom- you know the news tells you when there is gonna be an eclipse– well she saw that and she told me that I needed to place a safety pin near my stomach inside of my shirt, near my stomach.  

Interviewer: What was this for exactly? 

Informant: It was supposed to be to avoid harming my baby–defects, birth defects. I don’t know of what kind. Maybe a lazy eye? I don’t know. Haha. 

Interviewer: Were eclipses usually known to cause babies harm?

Informant: That’s what they say. I don’t think there is scientific proof on that. My guess is someone had a baby with a deformity and then they blamed it on the eclipse and it spread. I don’t know. I’m just guessing. 

Interviewer: Did you do it? 

Informant: The consequences of not doing it, even as silly as it sounded, was tugging against me. What if something did go wrong? There didn’t seem to be any logic to the request, but it was simple so I did it. My mom was happy that I followed, and there was a sense of protecting my baby and doing it in case something were to happen to her during the eclipse. I had it secured so it wasn’t gonna poke me, haha.

Background

The informant is my mother, a Mexican woman who is first-generation and the oldest of 3, who was born and raised in San Ysidro,CA  a border town just north of Tijuana, Mexico. Influenced by memories and conversations with her great great grandmother, many of her practices, customs, and beliefs were passed down from her maternal side of Mexican customs. Fluent in both English and Spanish, the informant has always felt conflicted about her culture as she wanted to fit in with American customs but wanted to preserve her Mexican heritage and traditions. The informant had her first child when she was 18, and worked her way as a single mother with two kids to attain her Master’s Degree and is now the Executive Vice President at a non-profit health clinic that serves the community she was raised in.

Context

During our interview, we were discussing all of the different experiences with folklore that she experienced when she was pregnant with her kids. She mentioned a safety pin and eclipse in passing, and I asked her to discuss it further as it was my first time hearing about it. 

Analysis

This form of folk protection is very rooted in the belief of superstition and fear of the unknown that expecting mothers can feel when they are carrying. Wanting to do everything to protect the child, the informant listened to the superstitions and how to protect the baby that were passed down to her from her own mother. This shows the flow of pregnancy superstitions via maternal channels, and the spread of cultural premonitions and protecting practices.

Aloe Vera Plants to Ward Off Evil

Nationality: Half Irish half Guatemalan
Age: 20
Occupation: Biology student at University of California Santa Barbara
Residence: Southern California
Performance Date: 4/21/20
Primary Language: English

AB: Aloe Vera plants in the front of your house to protect you from evil. I didn’t know that was why we had Aloe plants in the front of our house. I have never heard of that before. 

Context

AB is a 20 year old biology student at UCSB from southern California that is half Guatemalan and half Irish. She is describing a conversation she had with her mother asking her about the aloe plants they had in front of their house. Her mother is a nurse that is originally from Guatemala and lived there until her teenage years. This information was taken from a casual interview over Facetime. Earlier in the interview she talked about how her mother believed people practiced witchcraft and AB thought it was somewhat weird. 

Analysis

It is interested that there had been aloe plants in front of her house and AB had not realized until recently why they were there. However, it seemed that she felt it was more of a superstitious practice than something that really worked. The belief in magic seems to be related to the practice of using magic to protect yourself from people who may use it in a way to harm you. The aloe plant is considered to have many healing qualities both in the field of medicine and folk medicine. This seems to be somewhat of a spiritual extension of this belief. Not only can the plant heal you physically, but heal your spirit from evil energy that is trying to enter your space. Thus, making it the perfect plant to have in front of your house.

The Red Paper

Nationality: French
Age: 59
Occupation: n/a
Residence: Guadeloupe
Performance Date: 04/19/20
Primary Language: French
Language: English

There is an old Caribbean myth that says if you write a person’s name on a red paper and stick it in your shoe, they’ll stop giving you trouble.

H: “When someone is causing you trouble you can write their name on a red paper and put it in your shoes. In red ink pen because red represents victory and the blood of Jesus.

H: “Because his blood was shed it symbolizes victory. You walk on the paper and it breaks down negativity. You do this until you see results.”

It’s a way to manipulate the problem in your favor so you can get back on your feet. According to the informant, this myth was passed down from Great grandmothers and Elders and it gives them a sense of protection. This practice is also clearly rooted in religion (Catholicism) which, in itself, provides a sense of security for those who practice it. The red ink and red pen symbolize Jesus’ sacrifice and the victory that followed. But perhaps, this myth compels people to give their problems time to digress which teaches us to pick our battles wisely.