Author Archives: f002qxh

The Late Bride

Title: The Late Bride

General Information about Item:

  • Family Lore, Late Bride
  • Language: Vietnamese
  • Country of Origin: Vietnam
  • Informant: Alexis Le
  • Date of Event: September 1, 2017

Informant Data:

  • Alexis was born June 22, 2000 in Naperville, Illinois. She is a senior at Metea Valley High School. Alexis and her sister were raised Catholic, but her family is not strict when it comes to upholding Catholic traditions. She is Vietnamese. Alexis’s mother is from Saigon and her father is from Hanoi. The majority of Alexis’ immediate family now lives in the United States.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: The women helped the bride get ready on her wedding day. This included Alexis, her aunts, cousins, mother, and grandmother. It is a wedding tradition within Alexis’ family for the bride and the rest of the women to show up to the wedding venue extremely late. That day they showed up one and a half hours late.

Item:

  • The folklore collected here is Alexis’ family’s tradition of the bride and women showing up to the wedding venue extremely late. This started when Alexis’ great-great-great grandmother showed up to her wedding four hours late due to flooding. Since then, it’s become a joke in their family for the bride to be intentionally late. I interviewed Alexis over the phone and took notes on what she told me about the folklore. These data are not direct quotes from Alexis but are rewritten from my notes to create organized content.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • The Late Bride
  • Family lore

Chest of Wine and Letters

Title: Chest of Wine and Letters

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore, Chest of Wine and Letters
  • Language: Vietnamese
  • Country of Origin: Vietnam
  • Informant: Alexis Le
  • Date of Event: September 1, 2017

Informant Data:

  • Alexis was born June 22, 2000 in Naperville, Illinois. She is a senior at Metea Valley High School. Alexis and her sister were raised Catholic, but her family is not strict when it comes to upholding Catholic traditions. She is Vietnamese. Alexis’s mother is from Saigon and her father is from Hanoi. The majority of Alexis’ immediate family now lives in the United States.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: This Vietnamese wedding tradition of writing letters and placing them in a locked chest with wines represents the solidifying of the relationship. Reading the letters on their anniversary is supposed to remind them of how they felt about each other on their wedding day and symbolizes revitalized love.
  • Social Context: During Alexis’s aunt’s wedding ceremony, instead of trading traditional vows the bride and groom write letters to each other and place them inside of a locked chest. The chest also contains two bottles of wine, one that they will drink on their five-year anniversary and the other on their ten-year anniversary. They will also read each other’s letters on their ten-year anniversary.
    .

Item:

  • The folklore collected here is the Vietnamese wedding tradition of placing letters that the bride and groom wrote to each other in a locked chest with wines that they will drink on their five and ten-year anniversaries. I interviewed Alexis over the phone and took notes on what she told me about the folklore. These data are not direct quotes from Alexis but are rewritten from my notes to create organized content.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Chest of Wine and Letters
  • Vietnamese lore
  • Customary lore

Intimate Moment

Title: Intimate Moment

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore, Intimate Moment
  • Language: Vietnamese
  • Country of Origin: Vietnam
  • Informant: Alexis Le
  • DDate of Event: September 1, 2017

Informant Data:

  • Alexis was born June 22, 2000 in Naperville, Illinois. She is a senior at Metea Valley High School. Alexis and her sister were raised Catholic, but her family is not strict when it comes to upholding Catholic traditions. She is Vietnamese. Alexis’s mother is from Saigon and her father is from Hanoi. The majority of Alexis’ immediate family now lives in the United States.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: This is a Vietnamese wedding tradition that represents the bride’s mother’s blessing of the marriage and the giving away of her daughter.
  • Social Context: Before the wedding ceremony begins, the bride’s mother has an intimate moment with all her present daughters. During this moment, the bride’s mother presents the bride with a diamond necklace that she wears as she walks down the aisle.

Item:

  • The folklore collected here is the Vietnamese wedding tradition of the bride’s mother having an intimate moment with her daughters and giving the bride a diamond necklace before the wedding ceremony begins. I interviewed Alexis over the phone and took notes on what she told me about the folklore. These data are not direct quotes from Alexis but are rewritten from my notes to create organized content.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Intimate Moment
  • Vietnamese lore
  • Customary lore

Offerings

Title: Offerings

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore, Offerings
  • Language: Vietnamese
  • Country of Origin: Vietnam
  • Informant: Alexis Le
  • Date of Event: September 1, 2017

Informant Data:

  • Alexis was born June 22, 2000 in Naperville, Illinois. She is a senior at Metea Valley High School. Alexis and her sister were raised Catholic, but her family is not strict when it comes to upholding Catholic traditions. She is Vietnamese. Alexis’s mother is from Saigon and her father is from Hanoi. The majority of Alexis’ immediate family now lives in the United States.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: It is a Vietnamese wedding tradition to give offerings to the men in the groom’s family and to the ancestors. By doing this, the families are seeking approval and acceptance of the marriage. A bountiful offering also represents a bountiful marriage.
  • Social Context: Alexis attended the wedding of her Aunt Jennifer at a winery in Kenwood, California. The wedding had the structure of a traditional American wedding, with a ceremony and reception, but it contained many traditional Vietnamese wedding customs. After the rehearsal dinner, the women of the bride’s family give offerings of fruit or platters of food to the men in the groom’s family. There is also an altar for their ancestors that has fruit, water, pastries, and incense.

Item:

  • The folklore collected here is the Vietnamese wedding tradition of giving offerings to the men in the groom’s family and placing offerings on an altar for their ancestors. I interviewed Alexis over the phone and took notes on what she told me about the folklore. These data are not direct quotes from Alexis but are rewritten from my notes to create organized content.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Offerings
  • Vietnamese lore
  • Customary lore

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Title: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: England
  • Informant: Leona Burner
  • Date of Event: September 22, 1957

Informant Data:

  • Leona was born December 7, 1931. She was raised as a Catholic and attended a Polish Catholic school until she was in fifth grade. Leona’s ancestry is entirely Polish, and her grandparents moved to the U.S. after they got married. Leona’s Polish and Catholic upbringing affected much of her life, including her wedding traditions, current religious beliefs, and her career as an elementary teacher at a Catholic school. Her family moved around a lot because her father was a corporal in the army, and she didn’t have her first permanent home, which was in Bellwood Illinois near Niles, until she was in high school.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: She decided to follow this tradition to honor her husband Jack’s English ancestry and to bring English traditions to the majorly Polish celebration. This tradition comes from an Old English rhyme Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in Your Shoe. These objects are good luck charms for the bride. The something old represents continuity in one’s life, something new represents a positive outlook on the future, something borrowed represents borrowing happiness from a loved one, and something blue means fidelity and love.
    Social Context: I collected this folklore by interviewing Leona over the phone. During her wedding day, Leona followed the English tradition of wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Leona’s something old and borrowed was a pearl necklace from her best friend, the something new was her wedding dress, and her something blue was her lace garter which she still has.

Item:

  • The folklore item collected is how Leona followed the English tradition of having something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue on her wedding day to honor Jack’s English ancestry. I took notes of what Leona told me during my interview with her via a phone call. These are not direct quotes from Leona but rewritten notes from our interview to provide organized content.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Something old
  • Something new
  • Something borrowed
  • Something blue
  • English lore
  • Customary lore

Polish Reception

Title: Polish Reception

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore
  • Language: English, Polish
  • Country of Origin: Poland
  • Informant: Leona Burner
  • Date Collected: September 22, 1957

Informant Data:

  • Leona was born December 7, 1931. She was raised as a Catholic and attended a Polish Catholic school until she was in fifth grade. Leona’s ancestry is entirely Polish, and her grandparents moved to the U.S. after they got married. Leona’s Polish and Catholic upbringing affected much of her life, including her wedding traditions, current religious beliefs, and her career as an elementary teacher at a Catholic school. Her family moved around a lot because her father was a corporal in the army, and she didn’t have her first permanent home, which was in Bellwood Illinois near Niles, until she was in high school.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Vodka is a very important part of Polish weddings. Poles are generally very experienced drinkers and vodka is usually the only type of alcohol that is served because they do not like to mix alcohols. Shots are refilled immediately, which is why it is very important to eat the fatty zakąski after each shot. Poles love to dance, which is why the Polish music and dancing for hours are an important part to the reception. Having a plus one at Polish weddings is considered to not be a big deal because while everyone dances, people switch partners throughout the night. It is also customary for guests to dance with the bride once.
    Social Context: I collected this folklore by interviewing Leona over the phone. After her wedding ceremony to Jack, the reception had traditional Polish foods, drinks, and music. Leona and Jack were immediately greeted by their parents with bread and salt and two shots of vodka, which they had to drink in one gulp and then throw the empty glasses behind them. For dinner, a Polish broth called rosół was served first. The second course consisted of many types of meats, potatoes, and salads. After this, they were served Polish tapas, also called zakąski, which consists of very fatty foods. Fatty foods help guests to continue drinking vodka throughout the night. In addition to the vodka, a large variety of beer was also served, because Jack is mainly of English ancestry and part Polish. After dinner, everyone danced for hours to traditional Polish music.

Item:

  • The folklore item collected is a Polish wedding reception, with details about the food, drinks, and music. I took notes of what Leona told me during my interview with her via a phone call. These are not direct quotes from Leona but rewritten notes from our interview to provide organized content.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Now I understand why my grandmother always jokes about drinking often.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Reception
  • Polish lore
  • Customary lore

Bouquet for the Blessed Mother

Title: Bouquet for the Blessed Mother

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Lore
  • Language: English, Polish
  • Country of Origin: Poland
  • Informant: Leona Burner
  • Date Collected: September 22, 1957

Informant Data:

  • Leona was born December 7, 1931. She was raised as a Catholic and attended a Polish Catholic school until she was in fifth grade. Leona’s ancestry is entirely Polish, and her grandparents moved to the U.S. after they got married. Leona’s Polish and Catholic upbringing affected much of her life, including her wedding traditions, current religious beliefs, and her career as an elementary teacher at a Catholic school. Her family moved around a lot because her father was a corporal in the army, and she didn’t have her first permanent home, which was in Bellwood Illinois near Niles, until she was in high school.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Leona was raised in a very traditional Catholic household. Her parents firmly followed Catholicism and practiced Catholic traditions such as prayers.
  • Social Context: Leona was given a bouquet of flowers from her mother, which she brought to the altar of the Blessed Mother. Leona said a prayer asking for the Blessed Mother to provide guidance and her blessing for their marriage. The bride praying to the Blessed Mother is a Catholic wedding tradition that Leona’s family has done for generations. Performing this provided a sense of security for Leona and her Polish relatives.

Item:

  • The folklore item collected is the act of placing a bouquet of flowers at the altar of the Blessed Mother during a Catholic wedding ceremony. I took notes of what Leona told me during my interview with her via a phone call. These are not direct quotes from Leona but rewritten notes from our interview to provide organized content.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Leona is my grandmother. I found this Catholic tradition to be interesting because Leona became a non-denominational Christian so I rarely hear about the Catholic traditions that have affected her life.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Bouquet
  • Catholic lore
  • Customary lore

Japanese Charm

Title: Japanese Charm

General Information about Item:

  • Sympathetic Magic, Customary Lore
  • Language: Japanese and English
  • Country of Origin: Japan
  • Informant: Akiko Kaput
  • Date of Event: August 29, 1958

Informant Data:

  • Akiko Kaput was born in Yahata, Fukuoka-ken, Kyushu, Japan on October 27, 1935. She was raised as a Buddhist and practiced Buddhism. She met her husband, Roland Kaput, while he was stationed at the Okinawa U.S. air force base from 1956-1957 after the Korean War.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: These charms are usually given to children in a Japanese family when they are very young, not only to represent the connection to your family but also to solidify Japanese beliefs and customs. Japan is a very insular country that places a lot of emphasis on respect, so it was considered dishonorable to Akiko’s family for her to marry an American and not have a Buddhist ceremony.
  • Social Context: I collected this folklore by interviewing Akiko over the phone. This folklore occurred while Akiko was marrying Roland, who was Catholic American citizen After they decided to get married, the paperwork process took about five months because Akiko was a Japanese citizen at the time. This included background checks on her family and several health inspections. Because Akiko was a Buddhist at the time and Roland was Catholic and because of the long paperwork process, they did not have a traditional wedding ceremony of any sort and got married at the U.S. consulate office in Tokyo. She was carrying a small Japanese charm with a bell inside that was handwoven by her mother and given to her when she was young. This type of charm represents family ties and means that you are connected to your family as long as you have it. The reason that Akiko had this charm with her on her wedding day was that her family refused to be there for her because they did not approve of her marrying an American.

Item:

  • Since Akiko’s family refused to be there for her on her wedding day, she carried a handwoven charm, which is symbolic of your family ties, that was given to her when she was young. Although Akiko’s family made it clear that they did not approve, the charm gave her comfort because of her love for her family. I interviewed Akiko over the phone and took notes on what she told me about the folklore. These data are not direct quotes from Akiko but are rewritten from my notes to create organized content.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Akiko is my grandmother. I found this folklore to be very bittersweet because I’ve known that my great-grandparents didn’t approve of Akiko’s wedding to my grandfather, but I did not know that she still decided to carry something from her mother with her.

Collector’s Name: Claire Burner

Tags/Keywords:

  • Japanese charm
  • Sympathetic magic
  • Customary lore