Category Archives: Superstitions

Entrée: Braised Pork and Gold Ingot Egg

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish, recipe; Customary Lore – celebration, family tradition, superstition, historical story
  • Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: Y.Z.
  • Date Collected: November 7, 2020

Informant Data:

  • Y.Z. is about ~50 years old, and she currently resides in Shanghai, China. She was born in Beijing, China during the Cultural Revolution and grew up in relative poverty, as was the case with most Chinese families back then. After attending university in Beijing, she pursued her graduate studies in the US. She learned many traditional Chinese dishes from her mother and enjoys cooking for her family.

Contextual Data:

Historical & Cultural Context

  • During the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368) in China, the main currency was gold and silver ingots shaped like tiny boats called “yuán bǎo” (元宝). Many traditional Chinese New Year dishes such as dumplings are prepared in the shape of these ingots as a symbol for wealth and prosperity.
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, China’s economy was in a terrible state. Meat, eggs, and sugar were heavily rationed. As a result, most families could not prepare meat dishes and desserts for their daily meals. During Chinese New Year, the rations were temporarily increased, so families would celebrate by making large meat dishes and fancy desserts.

Social Context

  • Chinese New Year meals are always eaten as family. Most of the dishes have auspicious names, colors, or shapes that symbolize longevity, wealth, or good fortune. By eating these dishes, families express their hope for more prosperity and blessings in the coming year.

Item:

  • Braised Pork and Gold Ingot Egg, or “hóng shāo ròu yuán bǎo dàn” (红烧肉元宝蛋) in Chinese, is a popular meat dish eaten for Chinese New Year, both in the northern and southern provinces. Diced pork belly is braised in a broth consisting of soy sauce, sugar, star anise, ginger, and garlic. Boiled eggs are then flavored using the remaining meat stock. Afterwards, the top half of the egg whites are removed to give the eggs a distinctive “yuán bǎo” (元宝) shape. Finally, the eggs are plated on top of the pork belly, and the family shares the dish together to express their wishes for the new year. There are several variations of this dish according to regional preferences. For example, in Shanghai, families tend to add much more sugar to the dish to give it a sweeter taste.

Image File:

image file

The completed dish (Photo was taken by Y.Z. on November 7, 2020; she prepared the dish using a recipe from her mother.)

Translation of Interview Clip:

Y.Z. (informant): The dish I’m introducing is called “hóng shāo ròu yuán bǎo dàn” (红烧肉元宝蛋). Um, this dish, we always had it for Chinese New Year when I was a child. So, when I grew up in the 60s and 70s, China’s economy was pretty behind. Ingredients like pork and eggs were scarce resources, rationed every month by the government. For each person, every month, um, there was about one pound of meat and eggs in total. So, usually, we rarely had a chance to eat meat. That’s why during Chinese New Year, when the rations are slightly increased, we would use, um, pork and eggs to make the dish. One reason why this dish is so popular is because the meat is braised in soy sauce and other condiments, including star anise, scallion, ginger, and garlic… uh, the remaining meat stock is used to flavor the eggs and can also be saved for other dishes. The reason why the eggs are called ” yuán bǎo dàn ” (元宝蛋), is like this. “Yuán bǎo” (元宝), they are Chinese ingots, the shape is like a boat. During the Yuan Dynasty, gold and silver were used as currency, and they were molded into such a shape. ” Yuán” (元) refers to the Yuan Dynasty, and ” bǎo” (宝) means treasure. So in this dish, you can make the eggs resemble “yuán bǎo” (元宝) by removing part of the egg white. I guess this is a nice wish, the hope that, next year, life will be bountiful, the family income will increase, so people make this dish “hóng shāo ròu yuán bǎo dàn” (红烧肉元宝蛋). That’s about it. Are there any parts that you are not clear about?

W.W. (collector): Great, thanks for sharing. So I wanted to ask, is this dish a Beijing specialty or eaten widely across China?

Y.Z.: Uh, this is great question. This dish, I think it is eaten in many places, by many people. For Chinese New Year, both in the north and in the south, it is one of the most common dishes on the dinner table, suitable for young and old alike. Everyone likes it very much and eats the dish to show their wishes. Even though, the standards of living are higher now, and the dish can be made any time of the year, but as a tradition, many families still prepare it as a festival dish for Chinese New Year.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I remember eating “hóng shāo ròu” (红烧肉), or braised pork, as a child, but this is my first time hearing about “yuán bǎo dàn” (元宝蛋). I am impressed by the level of creativity in the preparation of the eggs.
  • Homeopathic magic is present in the superstitions related to the informant’s dish: eating the ingot-shaped eggs brings wealth and good fortune.

Collector’s Name: Winston Wang

Back to Main Page

Entrée: Soft-shell Turtle

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: J.T.
  • Date Collected: November 23, 2020

Informant Data:

  • J.T. is a 16-year-old high school student. He was born in Zhejiang Province, China, which is along the East coast of China and is considered the southern part of China. He celebrated the Chinese New Year every year with his family. The way his family celebrates the Chinese New Year consists of traditions that are common in southern China.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Soft-shell turtles are eaten during the Chinese New Year mainly because they resemble turtles, which are a common symbol of longevity. The soft-shell turtles eaten during the Chinese New Year are often the middle-aged ones since they represent strength and health. The elders often eat the head of the soft-shell turtle since they are the “head” of the family. The children often eat the soft shell, since it is the most delicious part of the soft-shell turtles, and it is believed that it nourishes people’s skin.
  • Social Context: During the Chinese New Year’s Eve, it is customary for an extended family to hold a large dinner gathering at home, and soft-shell turtles are often cooked as soup and shared among family members.

Item:

  • Soft-shell turtles are commonly eaten for the Chinese New Year because they resemble turtles, a common symbol of longevity. Since people do not commonly eat turtles, soft-shell turtles that resemble turtles are eaten instead. Soft-shell turtles are often cooked as soup. There may be different things added to the soups, such as meatballs, vegetables, etc.

Image File:

soft-shellturtle soup

Soft-shell turtle soup with meatballs (Photo was taken by J.T.; J.T.’s mother cooked this on the Chinese New Year’s day last year.)

Transcript of Interview Clip: 

S.T. (collector): What is one of the most interesting or important dishes that is eaten during the Chinese New Year in your family?

J.T. (informant): The most unique dish is probably the soft-shell turtle soup. 

S.T.: Wow, that is not a common dish. How do you normally prepare it?

J.T.: The first step is to kill the soft-shell turtle, and it is not easy since once the soft-shell turtle puts its head inside of the shell it is hard to get it out. There is a trick. We have to flip the soft-shell turtle upside down and as it takes the effort to flip its self back, it has to stretch out its head. We use scissors to shear off the head as soon as the head is out. After we kill the soft-shell turtle, we cut it pieces and clean it. We often make it a soup and add ginger and meatballs into the soup. To make the meat of the soft-shell turtle soft, we cook it with a pressure cooker.

S.T.: Why do you eat soft-shell turtles? Any meaning associated with it? 

J.T.: Turtle is obviously a symbol of longevity, but people don’t often eat turtles. So, we eat soft-shell turtles instead. People who eat soft-shell turtles are believed to live longer and healthier. Also, soft-shell turtles are nutritious. It is believed the skin of the soft-shell turtle nourishes people’s skin.

S.T.: Any custom when eating the soft-shell turtle?

J.T.: The elders often eat the head, and the children often eat the softshell. It is probably like the elders are the “head” of the family. The elders often let the children eat the soft shell of the soft-shell turtles, since it is the most delicious part of the soft-shell turtles, and it is believed that it nourishes their skin.

Informant’s Comments:

  • My favorite part is I get to eat the soft-shell every time since I am the youngest kid in the family. The skin of the soft-shell is very delicious. This custom also shows the elders’ love for the kids.

Collector’s Comments:

  • The soft-shell turtles are often eaten in the southern part of China probably because there are more lakes in the south and thus more soft-shell turtles. Additionally, people in the southern part like to drink soup, and the soft-shell turtle soup are very nutritious. My family also eats soft-shell turtle soup. We often associate the soft-shell turtle with heath and strength. People believe that the soft-shell turtle can make them live long because of the resemblance to turtles, and the skin of the soft-shell turtle nourishes people’s skin. These are both homeopathic magic.

Collector’s Name: Stela (Yunjin) Tong

Back to Main Page

Entrée: Lamb

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition
  • Language: English with some Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: X.L.
  • Date Collected: November 23, 2020

Informant Data:

  • X.L. is a 21-year-old senior studying art history at Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts. She currently lives in Shanxi province, China, which is in the northwest part of China. She grew up in the southern part of China. Therefore, she understands how people celebrate the Chinese New Year in different areas of China. She celebrated the Chinese New Year every year with her family in the South and with her friends in Shanxi province.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: There are several reasons that lamb is eaten during the Chinese New Year. First of all, the word “lamb” (羊) in Chinese has auspicious meanings. Lamb in Chinese is pronounced as “yáng” (羊), and many auspicious words are related to it. For example, sān yáng kāi tài” (三羊开泰), which means the New Year ushers in renewal and a change of fortune. Chinese people always say: “Three yangs bring bliss” or “three yangs meet bliss,” as blessing words at the beginning of a year. Another phrase is “xǐ qì yáng yáng” (喜气洋洋), which means be bursting with happiness. Additionally, in ancient China, the word “羊” is the same as “祥,” which means good fortune. Lamb is eaten also because according to traditional Chinese medicine eating lamb can help people better resist the coldness in winter. Lamb also represents prosperity and wealth in some sense since in the Agricultural Age the number of lambs is closely related to wealth.
  • Social Context: Lamb is eaten often on the Chinese New Year’s Eve when all the family members are gathered together at home. Lamb is often cooked and shared among all the family members.

Item:

  • Lamb is commonly eaten for the Chinese New Year because of its auspicious name and the fact that lamb can warm up our body in winter. Lamb is eaten almost in all areas of China, but in different areas of China, different types of lamb are eaten, and they are often cooked in different ways, such as grilled lamb, lamb soup, braised lamb, lamb hotpot, etc.

Image file:

lamb hotpot

Lamb hotpot (Photo was taken by X.L. when she ate lamb hotpot with her family on the Chinese New Year’s Eve last year.)

Transcript of Interview Clip: 

S.T. (collector): What is one of the most interesting or important dishes that is eaten during the Chinese New Year in your family?

X.L. (informant): My family likes to eat braised lamb. It is a big dish that requires a lot of time to cook. Therefore, we only eat it at big festivals, such as the Chinese New Year. It is like the Chinese New Year to us is a very important festival, so we cook the most delicious and most time-consuming dish to show that we treat this festival carefully.

S.T.: Why does your family like to eat braised lamb during the Chinese New Year?

X.L.: My family has the tradition of eating braised lamb in the winter because eating lamb can warm up our body. So, the Chinese new year is just a perfect time to eat lamb since it is the coldest time of the year. 

S.T.: Is there any good meaning associated with this dish? Any good hope behind it? Like you know fish is associated with wealth.

X.L.: There is a Chinese proverb called “sān yáng kāi tài” (三羊开泰). It is a very auspicious word and basically means a good start. This is what I can think of now, but I am sure that there are many other auspicious words related to lamb.

Informant’s Comments:

  • The braised lamb is considered a “big” dish, which needs to be cooked very carefully for like 2 hours. Everyone has to eat at least a piece to warm up and to gain good fortune.

Collector’s Comments:

  • For the Chinese New Year, my family also eats braised lamb for similar reasons as the informant. The kind of lamb we eat is Hu sheep, which is usually cooked with braising. In other areas of Chinese, people may eat different kinds of lamb or even goats, and they are often grilled or made with soup. Eating lamb is both homeopathic magic and contagious magic. The fact that lamb brings good fortune because the word “羊” resembles “祥” is an example of homeopathic magic, and the fact lamb brings wealth because it is a part of people’s property is an example of contagious magic.

Collector’s Name: Stela (Yunjin) Tong

Back to Main Page

Entrée: Rooster

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition; Verbal Lore – folktale
  • Language: English with some Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: G.P.
  • Date Collected: November 23, 2020

Informant Data:

  • G.P. is a 22-year-old senior studying computer science at Middlebury College and Dartmouth College’s dual degree program. He grew up in Jiangsu province, China, and went to college in the US. He normally celebrates the Chinese New Year with his family in Jiangsu province, which is along the east coast of China.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Roosters are eaten during the Chinese New Year mainly because of its auspicious name. Rooster in Chinese is pronounced as “” (鸡), and in ancient China, the word ” (鸡) is the same as “” (吉), which means good. Many auspicious proverbs are related to ” (吉). For example,  “jílì” (吉利), which means good fortune, and “jí xiáng rú yì” (吉祥如意), which is used to wish people good luck. Additionally, roosters are traditionally considered an auspicious animal because of the many folktales associated with it.
  • Social Context: During the Chinese New Year, family members gather together to have dinner or lunch. The rooster is served as a main dish. It is cooked in many different ways, for example, chicken soup, boiled chicken, and calabash chicken, etc.

Item:

  • Roosters are eaten commonly during festivals. They are cooked in very different ways across different areas of China. In the southern part of China, people like to cook the whole chicken altogether as chicken soup. Chopped boiled chicken with salt and soy sauce is also common. In the northern part, roosters are often fried. For example, in the northwest part of China, calabash chicken is common. Roosters are eaten during the Chinese New Year mainly because of its auspicious name. The name of the rooster is a homophone for good fortune.

Image File:

rooster

Calabash chicken (G.P. ordered this calabash chicken last year on the Chinese New Year’s Eve)

Transcript of Interview Clip:

S.T. (collector): What is one of the most interesting or important dishes that is eaten during the Chinese New Year in your family?

G.P. (informant): We often make chicken soup during the Chinese New Year Eve. Although we also eat hens at other times, we deliberately choose the strongest rooster to make the soup during the Chinese New Year. The rooster is a symbol of prosperity and health. We often cook the whole rooster altogether, which symbolizes that good fortune is held together. 

S.T.: Is there any reason that rooster has such an auspicious meaning?

G.P.: The story that I heard is that rooster crows actually not in the morning but at the darkest time of the night. The morning comes following the crow of the rooster. At the darkest time of the day, monsters often come out to search for people to eat. The loud crow of the rooster is a way to drive away monsters and thus protect the villagers. Thus, the rooster is often considered an auspicious animal. 

S.T.: The name of the rooster in Chinese is probably also related to some auspicious words, right?

G.P.: Yes, I think the word rooster in Chinese is (鸡) which resembles “” (吉), which means good fortune. 

S.T.: Any custom when eating the rooster?

G.P.: The elders often eat the head and the rooster crest. The rooster crest symbolizes the “top.” Eating the rooster crest expresses the hope of becoming the best at whatever you are doing. The elders eat the head because they are the “head” of the family. The children often eat the legs of the rooster, since it represents that the children can “run fast” (become the best students) in their schoolwork. 

Informant’s Comments:

  • The rooster is an auspicious animal in traditional Chinese culture. In ancient China, people wake up and go to work when hearing the crow of roosters. Thus, the rooster is often associated with diligence.

Collector’s Comments:

  • My family also eats roosters during the Chinese New Year. We also have the tradition of cooking the whole chicken altogether. My family believes that the whole chicken represents the union of the family. This is an example of homeopathic magic.

Collector’s Name: Stela (Yunjin) Tong

Back to Main Page

Dessert: Glutinous Rice Ball

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition
  • Language: English with some Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: S.G.
  • Date Collected: November 23, 2020

Informant Data:

  • S.G. is a 22-year-old senior studying engineering and mathematics at Vassar College and Dartmouth College’s dual degree program. He grew up in Beijing, China, and went to college in the US. His family is a traditional Beijing family, which practices many northern-China traditions.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Glutinous rice balls are eaten during the Chinese New Year mainly because of its auspicious name and shape. For many Chinese families in mainland China as well as overseas, glutinous rice balls are typically eaten together with family. The round shape of the balls and the bowls in which they are served symbolizes family cohesion. The name of Glutinous rice balls, “tāngyuán” (汤圆), is also a homophone for union, “tuányuán” (团圆).
  • Social Context: During the Chinese New Year, family members gather together and glutinous rice balls often serve as a dessert at the end which is typically eaten together with the whole family.

Item:

  • Glutinous rice ball is a Chinese dessert that is a ball of glutinous rice flour and water that has been either boiled and served in a hot broth or syrup or else deep-fried.  Glutinous rice balls are traditionally eaten during Yuanxiao in the Lantern Festival and also serve as a dessert during the China New Year. It is pronounced “tāngyuán,” which a homophone for union “tuányuán.” Thus, the glutinous rice ball is a symbol of family reunions.  It is eaten in both northern and southern China, but in different areas, people may prefer glutinous rice balls with different fillings.

Image File:

riceball

Unfilled rice balls, cooked with osmanthus and sweet fermented glutinous rice (S.G. took this photo last year during the Chines New Year when he and his parents were eating dinner at a restaurant.)

riceballs

Sweet rice balls with sesame filling (S.G.’s family made this two years ago on the Chinese New Year’s day.)

Transcript of Interview Clip: 

S.T. (collector): What is one of the most interesting or important dishes that is eaten during the Chinese New Year in your family?

S.G. (informant): My family likes to eat the glutinous rice ball, which is also called “yuanxiao.”  

S.T.: I like it as well. What flavor of the rice balls does your family normally eat? Sweet or salty? What fillings?

S.T.: We like to eat sweet rice balls with fillings such as sesame and sweet bean paste. When I go to the southern part of China, I often eat small rice balls with no filling. These rice balls are cooked with soup of osmanthus and sweet fermented glutinous rice.

S.T.: Why do you and your family eat glutinous rice balls? Any meaning or hope associated with it? 

S.G.: The glutinous rice ball is called “tangyuan” and “yuanxiao.” The name of it resembles the pronunciation of “tuantuanyuanyuan,” which means the union of the family. Eating glutinous rice balls expresses the hope that the family members are always united and bonded together.

S.T.: How do you normally cook glutinous rice balls? 

S.G.: We normally just throw the rice balls into boiling water and cook them for 15 minutes. 

Informant’s Comments:

  • Glutinous rice balls are often eaten during family reunions. Eating glutinous rice balls conveys a very traditional Chinese idea that family is an important part of one’s life. Instead of individualism emphasized in western culture, the Chinese people often prioritize the interests of the whole family.

Collector’s Comments:

  • The most renowned glutinous rice balls come from Ningbo in Zhejiang Province, which is near my hometown. My family also likes to eat glutinous rice balls. Unlike people in the northern part, who often like the filled glutinous rice balls better, we eat the unfilled rice balls more often. Glutinous rice balls are a very common dessert nowadays. People eat it during important festivals, but it really can be eaten whenever they want. The fact that the round shape of the balls and the bowls in which they are served can help with family cohesion is an example of homeopathic magic.

Collector’s Name: Stela (Yunjin) Tong

Back to Main Page

Entrée: Dumpling

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition
  • Language: English with some Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: H.S.
  • Date Collected: November 23, 2020

Informant Data:

  • H.S. is 48 years old. She studied at Hangzhou Law school and worked in the field of law for years. At age of 30, She became a businesswoman. She grew up in the northern part of China and currently lives in the southern part (Zhejiang province, China). Because of her experience living in the northern part, she likes dumplings, which are more popular in the North. Her family likes dumplings as well: make and eat dumplings every year during the Chinese New Year.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Dumplings are eaten during the Chinese New Year almost in all areas of China. This dish is eaten mainly because of its auspicious name and shape. Dumplings in Chinese are “jiǎozi” (餃子) and are also called “交子,” meaning the transition from the old to the new. Thus, eating dumplings is a way to celebrate this transition. Also, the shape of dumplings resembles the shape of Chinese gold ingots. Thus, making and eating dumplings also expresses the hope of gaining wealth.
  • Social Context: On the Chinese New Year’s Day or the Chinese New Year’s Eve, family members gather together to make and eat dumplings together for the hope of gaining a good fortune, as well as to celebrate the transition from the old year to the new year. 

Item:

  • The dumpling generally consists of minced meat and finely chopped vegetables wrapped into a piece of dough skin. In China dumplings usually refers to boiled dumplings. Some people will place a coin or candy inside the dumpling in the hope of obtaining a fortune or having a sweet life, on the Chinese New Year’s Eve and special family reunions. 

Image Files:

dumpling

Dumplings are being cooked (Photo was taken when H.S. was cooking dumplings this year during the Chinese New Year.)

dumpling

Dumplings with pork inside (Photo was taken by H.S. when the dumplings were ready for eating.)

Transcript of Interview Clip:

S.T. (collector): What is one of the most interesting or important dishes that is eaten during the Chinese New Year in your family?

H.S. (informant): My mother is from the northern part of China, so as I grew up, we love cooked wheaten food. We eat dumplings a lot, and during the Chinese New year, the dumpling is a must.  

S.T.: What kind of fillings do you put inside of dumplings and what kind of flour do you use?

H.S.: We normally use wheat flour and sometimes cornflour. There are lots of different fillings, like pork with different vegetables, beef, shrimp, sheep, eggs with vegetables, or even something weird like sea urchin…

S.T.: Why do you and your family eat dumplings? Any meaning or hope associated with it? 

H.S.: Dumplings are often eaten during family reunions. Eating dumplings express the hope that the family members are always united. The shape of dumplings resembles the shape of Chinese gold ingots. Thus, making and eating dumplings expresses the hope of gaining wealth.

S.T.: Any custom when eating dumplings? Any tradition that you do only during the Chinese New Year?

H.S.: We sometimes place a coin or candy inside of one or two of the dumplings. Whoever gets the dumpling with the coin is the luckiest one. He/she is believed to have good fortune and sweet life in the new year.

S.T.: Do you know any folklore that is related to dumplings, since dumplings are such a representative Chinese New Year dish?

H.S.:  I heard that if you don’t eat dumplings, your name will be removed with the world of the dead and the living. After you die, you will become a ghost that has nowhere to go.

Informant’s Comments:

  • Making dumplings is also a social activity, during which all the family members gather together and make the dumplings. Even someone may not know how to make dumplings, but the fact that everyone is making the effort to do it strengthens the tie between family members.

Collector’s Comments:

  • My family also likes to eat dumplings a lot. Every time I went back home after leaving for a while, my mother will make dumplings with me together. For me, dumplings are a symbol of family reunions. It is also interesting to hear that dumplings are also related to the afterlife. The dumplings symbolize the transition from the old to new and from life to dearth, which is like the liminality stage. The fact that we eat dumplings for the hope of gaining wealth because of the resemblance in shape is an example of homeopathic magic.

Collector’s Name: Stela (Yunjin) Tong

Back to Main Page

Entrée: Filipino Spaghetti

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, superstition
  • Language: English Country of Origin: Philippines
  • Informant: E.R.
  • Date Collected: November 12, 2020

Informant Data: 

  • E.R. is a Filipino American that immigrated to the United States when she was 10 years old in 2012. She is from Nueva Ecija in the Philippines and lived in Manila with her mom before she moved. This dish is something she loved eating during Christmas time, as her mom made it for her, along with her siblings. Nowadays, she tries to make it during Christmas with her cousins in the United States.  

Contextual Data:    

  • Cultural Context: Filipino spaghetti is a special occasion treat because of its red color and stringy shape. Red represents good luck, and the noodles represent longevity. It is eaten during Christmas as the year comes to an end, and Christmas in the Philippines is celebrated similarly like New Year’s. Since rice is the most common source of carbohydrates, noodles like spaghetti are not eaten everyday. This is from American influence during colonialism, as spaghetti was liked by American army men. 
  • Social Context:  Filipino spaghetti is part of the Nochebuena feast. Specifically, it is made for the kids due to its sweetness. It adds on to the celebratory feel of the dinner as spaghetti represents festivities and brings joy and happiness to the dinner.

Item: 

  • Filipino Spaghetti is a Christmas dish that is not like the American and Italian pastas. It is made with either ground pork and beef, with tomato sauce, but also has sugar, Filipino red hotdogs, and sometimes, banana ketchup. It is topped with grated cheese, and made for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas.

Transcript from Interview Clip:

X.D. (collector): Hi, so please give a little introduction of yourself and your life. Do include life in the Philippines if you can.

E.R. (informant): Hey, so my name is ER, I am 18 years old, and I currently live in Eagle Rock, California. I did live in the Philippines in Manila, but my family was from Nueva Ecija.  I moved to the United States around 2012, when I was about 10 years old.

X.D.: What Christmas dish will you be talking about? Please do give some cultural context.

E.R.: So a special dish during Christmas I loved eating growing up was Filipino Spaghetti.

X.D.: Do explain how Filipino Spaghetti is different from the typical American Spaghetti.

E.R.: So Filipino Spaghetti is a sweet version of spaghetti. It has sugar, banana ketchup, Filipino hotdogs. People do eat it outside of Christmas, but only for birthdays and holidays because no one in the Philippines eats pasta on a regular basis. Filipino Spaghetti became a dish when the Americans came and introduced it to the Filipino people. Usually, Filipinos eat rice, so noodles are special. When the spaghetti is part of the meal, I don’t know, but it makes the meal more fiesta-like and festive. It feels happier around the table. And because it’s sweet, kids like to eat it. 

X.D.: A previous interview did state about red being good luck with Queso De Bola. Do you think spaghetti has some sort of connection with fortune and good luck too? Or is it just festive?

E.R.: No Yes! It kind of does play into that red is for good luck, so eat spaghetti for good luck. But another superstition with Filipinos is that noodles represent a long life. That is why it is eaten during birthdays with pancit (another Filipino noodle dish). Spaghetti is a Christmas meal since you do want to share good feelings with everyone and you hope for the best for everyone since it is the end of the year and you are looking towards a new year.

X.D.: Is there more on why Filipino Spaghetti is eaten during Christmas?

E.R.: I think that’s it.

X.D.: Thank you!

Informant’s Comments

  • Filipino Spaghetti is not just a Christmas dish, but also a dish for birthdays. This is due ot the noodles and its symoblism for a long life.

Collector: Xenia Dela Cueva

Back to Main Page

Snack: Queso De Bola

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Material Lore – dish; Customary Lore – celebration, belief, superstition
  • Language: Tagalog
  • Country of Origin: Philippines
  • Informant: R.P.
  • Date Collected: November 26, 2020

 Informant Data:      

  •  R.P. was born in 1975 in the Philippines, where she grew up in a region north of the capital Manila called Pangasinan. She was raised in the Philippines all her life, and went to a private Catholic school in Manila for college. She then married and settled in Manila, where her parents also moved, and ran a small convenience store for the local neighborhood. She later immigrated to the United States with her family in 2008, staying in a Southern California suburb named Norwalk.

Contextual Data:    

  • Cultural Context:  In the Philippines, processed foods before the mid 1980s were scarce in rural areas as most people lived in the countryside provinces. Therefore, Queso de Bola was not as accessible until the nation was more modernized. Queso de Bola nowadays is given by companies to its workers as Christmas gifts and is sold by groceries during the Christmas season.  Christmas can be seen as a mega holiday for Filipinos, depending on their wealth. Because many Filipinos work in the cities, they come back only at Christmas time to their families in provinces, which is why Christmas is celebrated to not only be thankful for others, but also to look forward to the next year or the future (as they would not be able to come back for New Year’s). The dish is red and round, and in the Philippines, round things represent fortune and good luck. The red also means luck due to Chinese influence but is simultaneously significant as a Christmas color.
  • Social Context:  The Queso de Bola is not an entrée, but rather a snack eaten during Christmas. By giving a piece to everyone, they will then have good luck and fortune for the days to come. Christmas is a time for getting together with loved ones, so it also has significance in spreading happiness and good fortune. 

Item:

  • The item is a dish called Queso De Bola, which is a ball of Edam cheese, covered in red wax. It is usually bought from an outside source instead of being home made, but, during Christmas eve, it is cut into smaller pieces to be eaten either by itself or with Filipino bread rolls called pandesal.

Translation of Interview Clip:

X.D. (collector): Hi, can you introduce yourself and a backstory of your life.

R.P. (informant): Hello, my name is RP, and I am originally from Pangasinan, but I later moved to Manila. I went to college there too, in an all females Catholic school. While I had my family in Manila, my parents also ran a Sari-Sari (Filipino convenience) store, until we moved here in 2008.

X.D.: Thank you. Now can you please talk about your Filipino Christmas dish. What it is, how it’s made, what the traditions behind it are. 

R.P.: The Christmas food is Queso de Bola, which is a round piece of cheese in red wax. I don’t know how to make it, but it’s usually given by a company or bought in the grocery store. I didn’t eat it growing up because it wasn’t common to get branded foods like that. But it’s on display during Christmas because it signifies good luck and fortune. You eat it will pandesal (bread) and ham, for merienda (snack time).

X.D.: Why is it eaten at Christmas when good luck is usually a New Year’s thing?

R.P.: Christmas is like a combination of New Year’s too, well for some people in the Philippines. A lot of people go back for Christmas to the provinces, but return by New Year’s, so they can’t really celebrate New Year’s with their families. So Christmas in a way also celebrates New Year’s. Round things display luck, which is why things like ham or Queso de Bola are eaten. The red also kind of signifies that, like in Chinese New Year’s, but I think they make it red for the Christmas season. Eating a piece of that ball means you will be prosperous, so that’s why you share it with family and friends.

X.D.: Thank you!

Collector’s Comments:

  • Queso de Bola is always bought and never made at home. Here in the United States, it is not easy to find. It is sold by Filipino grocery stores during Christmas time, and not every town has a Filipino grocery store, which is why Filipino Americans rarely eat this.

Collector: Xenia Dela Cueva

Back to Main Page

Hiking in the Morning

Title: Hiking in the Morning

General Information about Item:

  • Superstition, Tradition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States/Canada
  • Trail of Origin: Chilkoot
  • Informant: Sam D
  • Date Collected: 10-29-19

Informant Data:

  • Sam D is a 40 year old male from Juneau, Alaska. Sam grew up in Southeast Alaska, and currently works for the state government. Sam hiked the Chilkoot trail in 2015.

Contextual Data:

  • Historical Context: First used by the Tlingit people of Alaska as a trade route, the Chilkoot became an important trail for miners and prospectors coming to Alaska during the Klondike gold rush in the 1890s. The trail was mostly abandoned after the end of the gold rush in 1898, until the trail was restored for recreational hikers in the 1960s. Currently, the trail is a popular recreational hike, and stretches between Skagway, Alaska, and Bennett, British Colombia. (Source) Dyea is a small town a north of Skagway, between the residential part of Skagway and the entrance to the Chilkoot trail.
  • Cultural Context: Currently, there are a number of public cabins and campgrounds located along the Chilkoot trail, maintained by the US and Canadian governments. These are areas where hikers will often congregate, and rest for the night. Sheep Camp is one such area.
  • Social Context: Sam mentioned this superstition when asked about his experience hiking the Chilkoot, and any advice he would give to someone hiking the trail for the first time.

Item:

This is a superstition about the time of day to hike the section of the Cilkoot Trail leading to the Chilkoot summit, colloquially known as The Golden Staircase.

When you hike the summit of the mountain, there is avalanche danger, unless you hike in the morning.

Transcript:

  • “They [the American Park Rangers] make everyone leave [Sheep Camp] at about 5 AM the day they hike the Golden Staircase. The earlier in the day you do it, the less likely it is for avalanche problems. It’s not much of a problem in the summer, but they have a routine of it.”

Collectors Note:

This is a magic superstition, that uses the law of similarity. The hikers climb the mountain in the morning, like the sun rising to the top of the sky in the morning.

This may also be a practical piece of advice that extends beyond the law of similarity. During the day, snow exposed to the sunlight melts, creating a heavy, unstable slab of snow that is more likely to break off in an avalanche.

Collector’s Name: Soren Thompson

Tags/Keywords:

  • Landslide
  • Superstition
  • Chilkoot Trail
  • Thru Hiking

Passing Salt (Version 2)

General Information about Item:

  • Mexican Superstition
  • Language: Spanish
  • Country of Origin: Mexico
  • Informant: Jennifer Lopez
  • Date Collected: 11-01-18

Informant Data:

  • Jennifer Lopez was born in Chicago but her parents originate from Mexico. She is currently studying Studio Arts modified with Digital Arts at Dartmouth College. Jennifer only speaks Spanish at home with her parents and siblings. Although Jennifer grew up in America, her parents made sure to instill the Mexican culture in her upbringing.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: This superstition is very similar to another one collected (Passing Salt (Version 1). These two superstitions are similar in a sense that they both involve avoiding bad luck through how one handles salt. However, Rosa does not have to throw a little salt behind her every time she passes the salt. A possible reason for the difference in the superstition could be due to the fact the informants come from different places in Mexico and thus slightly varying cultures.
  • Social Context: Jennifer heard this superstition from her mother as a child. She strongly believes in it and always makes sure to throw some salt behind her whenever she is asked to pass the salt. Jennifer believes that the social context behind this superstition is to promote good relations between friends and family. She continues to practice this because she does not want anything to get in the way of accomplishing good relations with other people.

Subgenre: bad luck superstitions

 

Item (translation)

When you pass the salt to someone, you must grab a little and throw it behind you or else there will be future problems with the person you are passing the salt to.

Collector’s Name: Ama Kyerewaa