Title:

General Information about Item:

• Genre and Sub Genre: Customary Folklore-Superstitions

• Language: English

• Country where Item is from: Greece

Informant Data:

• Vungelia Glyptis was a 2017 graduate of Dartmouth College. Both of her parents are Greek (from the island of Chios). Her maternal and paternal grandfathers are actually from the same village. Everyone in her house speaks Greek, but she usually speaks English with her parents. They follow very old-school customs and superstitions.
• Mary Wallenmeyer is a 55 year-old woman from Shermans Dale, PA. Both of her parents, her two sisters, and her one brother were born in Greece. Her parents were raised in a small village in the mountains of central Greece. Her father came to the U.S. first and worked for two years so he could bring the rest of the family to America. She was born a year after her parents were reunited in the U.S., and her younger brother was born seven years later. Her father and his siblings are deceased, but she still have cousins from his side of the family that live in Greece. Her mother has six siblings still living in Greece along with their families.  Growing up, Mary and her family spoke Greek at home and attended Greek classes. Her husband and children do not speak the language fluently, but they do understand some of it. Her family belongs to the Greek Orthodox church, which she says “ helps keep the ‘Greek’ alive in [their] lives.” Their family still prays in Greek and cooks many Greek foods. They are very proud of their Greek heritage.  
• George Spanos is a 50 year-old man from Hummelstown, PA. Him and one of his sisters were born in the U.S., but his two oldest sisters and his older brother were born in Greece. His parents came over as immigrants from a very small remote mountain village in central Greece called Neohori. Greek traditions are a big part of how he grew up and how he raised his children.

Contextual Data:

• Social Context: This was a popular superstition amongst those we interviewed. Greeks often have large gatherings and this is a clear symbol of the end of the event. Mary’s parents followed this belief but she herself did not.  Vungelia learned of this superstition through her mother and grandmother and all three women follow it. George is not superstitious and does not follow it, though he finds it interesting.

• Cultural Context: Walking out of the same door one entered symbolizes the closing of the event or meal. To not do so, would leave the event “open” and not completely finished. It helps life to flow correctly. To fail to do so will result in a business deal gone wrong, a marriage proposal not occurring, or just general bad luck.

Item:

• A person must exit the same door they entered through. This applies for all buildings and rooms.

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

• Segment of George Spanos’ interview:  IMG_6147.TRIM.MOV

Transcript of Associated File:

• • Carmen: Do you have any examples of Greek superstitions that you or your family members follow or have heard?
  • George: Yeah, a couple. Some small ones like they always leave the same door that they came in. Right, so never go out another door. And another one is if somebody’s sitting on the floor or laying on the floor, you never step over them because that would bring bad luck. Some of them are rooted in traditions.

Informant’s Comments:

• None

Collector’s Comments:

• None

Collector’s Name:

• Interviews by: Carmen Braceras, Katie Spanos, and Ellen Pattinson
• Published by: Jessica Valvano

Tags/Keywords:

• Greek superstitions, bad luck, doors

Title: Stepping Over People

General Information about Item:

• Genre and Sub Genre: Customary Folklore-Superstitions
• Language: English
• Country where Item is from: Greece

Informant Data:

• George Spanos is a 50 year-old man from Hummelstown, PA. Him and one of his sisters were born in the U.S., but his two oldest sisters and his older brother were born in Greece. His parents came over as immigrants from a very small remote mountain village in central Greece called Neohori. Greek traditions are a big part of how he grew up and how he raised his children.
• Ally Stone is a student at Penn State. She is from Carlisle, PA. Her mom is Greek but her dad is not. Her mom was born in Greece and her family is mostly from Agrenio, although some live in Athens now too. Most of her family still lives in Greece. Her mom speaks Greek very fluently and they speak it together. Her Yiayia (grandmother) also lives very close and speaks Greek with her. When she was young, she spent most of her days with her Yiayia which is primarily how she learned to speak Greek. Her family is a part of the Greek Orthodox Church and follows many of the Greek customs.

Contextual Data:

• Social Context: This applies to anytime someone is sitting on the ground regardless of their age or location. Ally heard this from her mom and she believes in it. She always walks around someone’s legs so she doesn’t risk bad luck.

• Cultural Context: Greek families often have large gathering whether it’s for meals or for church functions. It is considered socially “rude” to step over someone and that’s likely how it came to be associated with bad luck.

Item:

• It is rude and back luck to step over someone’s legs when they are sitting on the ground.

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

• IMG_6147.TRIM.MOV (Segment of George Spanos Interview)

Transcript of Associated File:

• • Carmen: Do you have any examples of Greek superstitions that you or your family members follow or have heard?
  • George: Yeah, a couple. Some small ones like they always leave the same door that they came in. Right, so never go out another door. And another one is if somebody’s sitting on the floor or laying on the floor, you never step over them because that would bring bad luck. Some of them are rooted in traditions.

Informant’s Comments:

• This tradition was passed down from George’s grandmother.

Collector’s Comments:

• Ally Stone was interviewed via FaceTime.

Collector’s Name:

• Interviewed by: Katie Spanos and Carmen Braceras
• Published by: Jessica Valvano

Tags/Keywords:

• Greek Superstitions, Bad Luck, Rude

Title: Taking the Trash Out at Night

General Information about Item:

• Genre and Sub Genre: Customary Folklore-Superstition

• Language: English

• Country where Item is from: Greece

Informant Data:

• Judith Varlamos is from Seattle, WA. Her mom is from Karpenisi in Central Greece, and she still has relatives who live in Greece. Her husband also speaks fluent Greek, and they follow many Greek customs. They are also practicing Greek Orthodox Christians. They own a Greek pizza place in the neighborhood.

Contextual Data:

• Social Context: Judy owns a restaurant but still insists on following this rule. She learned it from who grandmother who also followed it.

• Cultural Context: This superstition applies to both homes and places of business, regardless of the neighborhood. This likely stemmed from a time or an area where people who took the trash at alone at night were robbed. Taking the trash out at night then became associated with bad luck.

Item:

• It is believed that taking the trash out at night is bad luck.

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

• None

Informant’s Comments:

• None

Collector’s Comments:

• Judy was interviewed over FaceTime

Collector’s Name:

• Interviewed by: Ellen Pattinson
• Published by: Jessica Valvano

Tags/Keywords:

• Greece Superstitions, bag luck, trash, night

Title: Knife Passing

General Information about Item:

• Genre and Sub Genre: Customary Folklore- Superstition

• Language: English

• Country where Item is from: Greece

Informant Data:

• Vungelia Glyptis was a 2017 graduate of Dartmouth College. Both of her parents are Greek (from the island of Chios). Her maternal and paternal grandfathers are actually from the same village. Everyone in her house speaks Greek, but she usually speaks English with her parents. They follow very old-school customs and superstitions.

Contextual Data:

• Social Context: A large part of Greek culture is family meals. Often people will cook together and share utensils. Vungelia does not believe in this superstition but her yiayia (grandmother) who told her of it always follows this belief.
• Cultural Context: It is believed that passing a sharp item between two people will lead to a physical altercation or a friendship cut short.

Item:

• There is a superstition to never grab or pass a knife from hand to hand. Instead, the knife should be put down on a table and the person on the receiving end should pick it up.

Informant’s Comments:

• none

Collector’s Comments:

• Vungelia was interviewed over FaceTime

Collector’s Name:

• Interviewed by: Carmen Braceras
• Published by: Jessica Valvano

Tags/Keywords:

• Greek superstition, Knife Passing, cooking, meals