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Superstition 1:
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Item: “Don’t open and close the blades of a scissor without anything in between – otherwise you will have problems at home.”
General Information:
- Customary Folklore, Magic Superstition
- English
- Pakistan
Informant Data:
- Sheherzad Mohydin is from Lahore, Pakistan. She spent the first 18 years of her life there before coming to Dartmouth College. She identifies as Punjabi.
Contextual Data:
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This superstition is followed at all times. She explained that this superstition is particularly important to her because she values her family and is very afraid of any domestic issues. It is used at any time an individual is holding scissors at home, according to Sheherzad.
Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):
Transcript of Associated File:
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“Don’t open and close the blades of a scissor. If you do that it means you will have domestic problems like your mom and dad will fight or something. I really believe in that one.”
Informant’s Comments:
- By cutting with a pair of scissors (without anything in between), you’re damaging the environment that you are in and hence opening the way for domestic problems. To this day, Sheherzad still strongly believes in this superstition.
Collector’s Comments:
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It seems that this superstition was originally intended to prevent children from using scissors in a negligent manner. I know when I was growing up I would be extremely upset if my parents ever got into fights, so I can see how this superstition would deter children from using scissors absentmindedly.
Collector’s Name: Edric Wung
Tags/Keywords:
- Customary Folklore, Magic Superstition, Miscellaneous superstitions, Pakistani Superstitions
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Superstition 2:
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Item: “If you sneeze, that means someone is missing you.”
General Description:
- Customary Folkore, Sign Superstition
- English
- Pakistan
Informant Data:
- Amenah Hassan is from Lahore, Pakistan. She spent the first 10 years of her life in Pakistan before moving to England. She is Punjabi.
Contextual Data:
- Amenah believes that superstitions are definitely prevalent in Pakistan’s society, regardless of class or social status. She stated that she herself believed in these superstitions quite seriously when growing up. This superstition is something an individual would say to a person who just sneezed.
Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):
Transcript of Associated File:
- “People say that if you sneeze, that means someone is remembering you, or if you hiccup.”
Informant’s Comments:
- This is a superstition that is widely believed among most Pakistanis.
Collector’s Comments:
- I remember this superstition when I was growing up as part of Pakistani culture. I never really believed in it because no one in my family really practiced it. I’m not sure where it comes from or why so many Pakistanis believe in it.
Collector’s Name: Sheherzad Mohydin
Tags/Keywords:
- Customary Folklore, Sign Superstition, Miscellaneous Superstition, Pakistani Superstitions
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Superstition 3:
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Item: “Dreaming about someone’s death means they will have a long life.”
General Information:
- Customary Folklore, Magic Superstition
- English
- Pakistan
Informant Data:
- Ahsan Azim is from Lahore, Pakistan. He has spent roughly 10 years of his life there and considers himself Punjabi.
Contextual Data:
- Ahsan believes that superstitions are “definitely” prevalent in Pakistan and stated that growing up, he believed in a lot of them. However, he thinks that belief in superstition varies with social class and quality of education. This superstition is realized after a person wakes up and realizes they dreamed about the death of someone else.
Ahsan Azim Interview Transcript
Informant’s Comments:
- Originated mostly likely because it discourages people from harboring bad thoughts about one another.
Collector’s Comments:
- I thought this was interesting because it keeps people from thinking negatively about others. It seems like a great social construct to encourage good relations socially with other people that you know.
Collector’s Name: Ian Kelsey
Tags/Keywords:
- Customary Folklore, Magic Superstition, Miscellaneous Superstitions, Pakistani Superstitions