Title: “Juice Check”

General Information about Item:

• Genre and Sub Genre
  • Customary Folklore: Custom

• Language: English

• United States of America

Informant Data:

Name: Joshua Davis

• Dartmouth Class of 2018
• Residence: Hanover, New Hampshire (During the school year) Los Angeles, California (during off-terms)
• Age: 20 years
• Jersey Number: 18
• Years of playing experience: 3rd year (Junior)

Contextual Data:

Joshua started playing football in high school at a very young age and he has carried through many of his customs and rituals into Dartmouth. Joshua and a few teammates from high school created several customs and rituals that are performed throughout the game several years ago and they remind him and his friends before every game to stay humble and reflect. He tells himself not to be worried about other things going on in life and to just focus on football during this moment.

Item:

Custom “Hand Signs: Peace to the Ground”

• Joshua raises the “peace sign” (the index and middle fingers) upwards, then twirls his hand downwards before every practice and game to help him focus, reflect, and stay humbled. The exact performance can be seen through the interview performance.

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Interview with Joshua

Transcript of Associated File:

“My name is Joshua Davis, I’m 20 years old and I’m Number 18 on the Dartmouth football team.

After we do some of our ritual stuff with the team, I like to do my own little thing during the game and during practice. It’s some funny thing that me and my friends started back in high school, it’s like peace, peace to the ground.

I don’t remember the last time I practiced without, so I can’t really tell you how it feels [not having done it]. As for doing it, it’s just a time to reflect because it is a moment I have to myself and where I remind myself to focus up and don’t be worried about other things going on in my life. For this one moment, be grounded in football.”

Collector’s Comments: 

Joshua shares with us an important ritual that he has individually partaken in since high school, demonstrating that many of such custom folklore begin long before athletes arrive to Dartmouth. He shares his emotions that occur before games and how he uses various types of folklore to cope with those emotions. He reminds himself of the importance of staying humble and this ritual helps him focus on playing at his best.

Collector’s Name:

Kang Min Daniel Lee

Tags/Keywords:

• Customary Folklore
• Rituals
• Football
• Dartmouth