Title: Sal y Limon (Salt and Lemon)

General Information about Item:

• Supersititions 
• Langauge: Spanish
• Country of Origin: Puerto Rico
• Informant: AS
• Date Collected: October 28, 2021

Informant Data:

• AS grew up and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. AS grew up in a predominantly black and latino/hispanic community, where they learned about the puerto rican tradition of “sal y lemon.” They have their BA in Sociology and are also a Dartmouth alum. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

Salt is said to have powers that ward off ghosts or promote good health by people of many religions and civilizations. This particular ritual appears to have originated in Buddhist tradition, where it was performed during funerals to protect one’s family. However, in Puerto Rican cultures there is a similar tradition, just one that also involves the use of a lemon or lime. 

Social Context: 

AS originally learned about this tradition when they were at a family reunion. During the family reunion family members started talking ill about each other and being disrespectful and AS noticed his mother and other relatives would throw salt over their shoulder and bite into a lemon. When AS asked their relatives why the relatives did that, they were told that it was to prevent “la maldicion” (curses) from coming true. 

Text:

Whenever someone speaks ill about the dead or about a particular person, that person or their relatives have to throw salt over their shoulder and bite into a lemon or lime to prevent the curse from happening.

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

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Transcript:

• “This practice is usually displayed by many puerto ricans when they’re in the presence of others (family and friends)… however, when I am with my own family it is rarely displayed…”

Informant’s Comments:

• “I, myself, rarely ever do this and if i ever do, it is because of the pressure felt by my family.”

Collector’s Comments:

• Across various cultures we see the use of salt to ward off evil omens and spirits. I will admit this was the first time I heard of it being used in conjuction with lemon.

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

• Customary Lore
• Puerto Rican
• Salt and Lemon