Category Archives: FA21-Grp-10

Topic: Defenses against supernatural creatures

Mamemaki (Quinn Calhoun)

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Title: Mamemaki

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Holiday
  • Language: Japanese
  • Country of Origin: Japan
  • Informant: DP
  • Date Collected: 11-14-21

Informant Data:

  • DP was born in 1999, in Southern, VA, where he has lived all of his life. He is half-Japanese, his father having immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1990s from Japan. However, it was his paternal grandparents who primarily taught him about Japanese culture and rituals.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: In Japanese folklore, the Oni are evil demons, trolls, or ogres who are born when evil people die and are transformed into these evil creatures. Usually large and ugly, and both strong and capable of shape-shifting. While the Oni vary in size and color, they are all malignant, often seeking to murder people or wreak havoc such as war, disease, or famine.
  • Social Context: QC learned about the tradition when QC reached out to DP about his cultural traditions involving defenses against supernatural creatures. DP learned about the holiday through his grandfather, who, while he didn’t believe in the Oni, thought the tradition was an enjoyable one and important to the culture. 

Item:

  • Every year during the Setsubun holiday celebrating the end of winter, a family would roast soybeans and throw them at a person wearing a mask to represent the Oni while shouting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” and chase them out of their home. This ritual would help cleanse the house of evil spirits for the upcoming year. 

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

Informant’s Comments:

  • Not something his family did often but still remembers it being fun.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found this ritual to be a uniquely fun and simple way of driving out evil spirts: by simply throwing them at them until they leave.

Collector’s Name: Quinn Calhoun

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Holiday
  • Japan
  • Oni
  • Setsubun

Pa Then Fire Festival (Quinn Calhoun)

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Title: Pa Than Fire Festival

General Information about Item:

  • Material Lore, food recipe
  • Language: Viet
  • Country of Origin: Vietnam
  • Informant: VN
  • Date Collected: 11-12-21

Informant Data:

  • VN was born in 2002, in Ho Chi Minh city, where she grew up in an ethnically Kinh household. Her mother has lived in the city for many generations, but her father grew up in the countryside before moving into the city, where more cultural traditions are observed. Her wider family lives throughout Vietnam, but her closest relatives all live in the city. VN learned about most of her cultural traditions from her grandparents. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: VN credits some of the rituals with a wider Vietnamese cultural belief in a spirit world which either protects or harms them, particularly, as VN argues, in the aftermath for the generation who lived through the Vietnam war. Pa Then, a remarkably small minority group in Vietnam, believes that the Universe was created by a benevolent goddess Quo Vo and an evil goddess Me Quo O, who are both associated with many good and evil spirits. 
  • Social Context: QC first learned of the practice from VN when discussing cultural traditions we had learned at school and from our families. VN first learned about the practice in school, when she, as a member of the majority Kinh ethnic group, was taught about the cultural practices of minority traditions: in this case, Pa Then. VN later learned more about the practice when she was present at one such event in the center of Vietnam when she was visiting relatives in the region. The ritual is regular, performed by Pa Then, typically at the end of the harvest season to both enrich the practitioners and protect them from spirits.

Item:

  • Held every year at the end of harvest season on the Lunar Calendar (Oct. 16), first offerings are prepared for the heavens, which include a rooster, a bowl of rice, incense, a bottle of traditional wine, and ghost money (fake money to be burned). Then a shaman lights candles and incense and the women of the ethnic group play music, which is meant to call the spirits of the heavens down, who are thought to induce the dancers into a trance. The dancers then run through a large bonfire. This entire ritual pleases the heavenly spirits who follow the good goddess Quo Vo, who, in turn, protects the village and its residents from evil spirits who follow Me Quo O, the underworld goddess. 

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

Informant’s Comments:

  • Interest use of fire to entice good, rather than to directly fight away evil.

Collector’s Name: Quinn Calhoun

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Vietnam
  • Fire
  • Festival
  • Pa Then

“La Barrida de Huevo” (Quinn Calhoun)

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Title: “La Barrida de Huevo”

General Information about Item:

  • Superstition, Protective
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Mexico
  • Informant: KH
  • Date Collected: 11-10-21

Informant Data:

  • LH was born in 2001, in Brownsville, TX, where he grew up in a Hispanic, Catholic household. His wider family, including his parents, have lived in the city for many years. He learned most of his cultural traditions from his girlfriend and his grandmother, who were also of predominantly Hispanic and Mexican descent. Today, he is a student at Dartmouth College.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: LH credited the existence of the ritual to a wider culture of superstitions in Mexico, where his family is originally from. Additionally, he credited strong familial cultural bonds with allowing superstitions to foster. He believes that the superstitions are derived from some religious traditions in the predominantly Catholic culture, as many of these rituals involve prayer to become successful, and a wide belief in supernatural creatures in the rural areas of Mexico and the American Southwest.
  • Social Context: QC first learned of this tradition upon inquiring about different superstitions from LH’s life and family. LH first learned of this practice from his girlfriend and several of her friends, when, as this group of friends were gathered, LH’s girlfriend began to perform the practice on herself and he inquired about what she was doing. She explained that she was doing it because she felt very stressed and was doing it to make herself feel better. She also indicated that she did it when sick to help remove the evil that caused either of those conditions.

Item:

  • One gets an egg (or sometimes a lime) and submerges the egg in alcohol overnight. The following morning, one rubs the egg over themselves while praying the lord’s prayer to remove evil spirits and emotions from themselves. Then, they crack the egg over a glass and put in a pinch of salt to neutralize the evil. Then the egg is discarded.

Associated file:

Informant’s Comments:

  • LH does not personally believe in this superstition but said he finds it relaxing nonetheless.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found the use of the egg to be particularly interesting, as it is traditionally a symbol of new life, as a way to draw out evil.

Collector’s Name: Quinn Calhoun

Tags/Keywords:

  • Superstition
  • Mexican
  • Catholic
  • Hispanic
  • Egg Rituals

Double Ninth Festival (Quinn Calhoun)

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Title: Double Ninth Festival

General Information about Item:

  • Protection, Festival, Ritual
  • Language: Chinese
  • Country of Origin: Hong Kong
  • Informant: KF
  • Date Collected: 11-6-21

Informant Data:

  • KF, born in 2002 in Hong Kong, and grew up in the city. She is of Han Chinese descent, although her parents did not grow up in the same culture. She primarily learned of many of her cultural traditions through her classes and peers, although her mother, American education, did strive to teach her parts of Han Chinese culture. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Long ago a plague struck China, and it is believed that the reason that the plague disappeared was that a man climbed a nearby mountain which drove out the evil spirits which caused the plague. It is believed that one should hike a mountain in this vain in order to prevent a plague like this to occur again, and when an outbreak occurs, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is believed, or at least joked, that it is partially a result of individuals not adhering to the tradition.
  • Social Context: QC learned it from KF when discussing some our the different holidays. KF learned it from her mother as a public holiday, and while her mother did not believe in the superstition herself, she still observed tradition by teaching her children about the holiday and taking them to hike a mountain. 

Item:

  • Every year on August 8 on the Lunar calendar, one must climb a mountain to prevent the return of evil spirits (gui) from descending down and causing the renewal of the plague.

Associated file:

Informant’s Comments:

  • Highly would not recommend eating it if better options are available.  Not a huge fan.

Collector’s Name: Quinn Calhoun

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual, Festival
  • Hong Kong
  • Chinese
  • Plague
  • Protective

Zhong Kui (Ian Hsu)

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Title: Zhong Kui

General Information about Item:

  • Custom, Superstition
  • Language: Chinese
  • Culture of Origin: Chinese
  • Informant: BF
  • Date Collected: 10-25-21

Informant data: 

BF is an Asian-American who grew up in the California Bay Area. He grew up in a predominantly Asian community, and so was surrounded by Chinese culture all his life. Following high school, he underwent university studies in Los Angeles, where he resides at time of interview. 

Cultural context: 

Social context: I once visited my BF in his home, and saw a peculiar-looking statue near his doorway. I remembered this, and asked him about it recently, thinking that it might have to do with supernatural creatures. Upon asking him what this was, he told me the story that had been told to him by his parents, who were born in China and immigrated to the US. 

Cultural Context: Many Chinese people often put statues of Zhong Kui next to their doorways. It is thought that this statue embodies the presence of Zhong Kui, and in doing so protects the home from evil spirits, and in doing so allows the house to have better fortune. 

Item: 

According to folklore, there was once a smart but ugly man named Zhong Kui who travelled to the state capital city to take the imperial examination that would allow him to achieve a high status in society. Zhong Kui scored very well, and was supposed to be awarded the highest score. However, when the emperor saw how ugly he was, he refused to grant him the title. Out of anger and frustration, Zhong Kui committed suicide. After his death, he was given divine judgment and sentenced to Hell because he had committed the sin of suicide. However, the Chinese King of Hell recognized his intelligence and potential, and gave him the job of hunting and capturing escaped ghosts to maintain order throughout hell. As a result, people often put statues of Zhong Kui near the door in order to make sure evil spirits do not come in. 

Informant Comment: 

BF does not really believe in this superstition. It is more a family tradition. 

Collector Comment: 

I wonder if there is some correlation between having a terrifying statue near the doorway. Perhaps, in the past, thieves were scared off by a terrifying and ugly statue.

Tags/Keywords:

  • Custom
  • Superstition

Guan Gong (Ian Hsu)

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Title: Guan Gong

General Information about Item:

  • Custom, Superstition
  • Language: Chinese
  • Culture of Origin: Chinese
  • Informant: TC
  • Date Collected: 10-25-21

Informant data: 

TC is an Asian-American who grew up in the California Bay Area in a predominantly Asian community. Because he is of Chinese descent himself, he was constantly surrounded by Chinese culture. Following graduation, he moved to New York City for university studies, where he is currently a computer science student. 

Cultural context: 

Social context: In a conversation recently with TC, he made a joke comparing his brilliance to Guan Gong. Confused, I asked him who Guan Gong was, after which he launched into the short explanation detailed below. 

Cultural Context: Because of Guan Gong military might, many fighting organizations such as martial arts temples, police organizations, and even the Chinese Triads have statues of him as a means of embodying his fighting spirit. Additionally, some people have statues of him as a means of defending against thieves as well, since he is a guardian of morality. 

Item: 

During the time of the Han dynasty, there was a general known as Guan Yu who was recognized for his military success. Throughout the years, he was given increasingly higher titles, and during the Qing dynasty he was granted the title of Holy Deity who is guardian of morality. Because of his role as a defender of morality, it is thought that placing his statue near the doorway defends against thieves and evil spirits. 

Informant Comment: 

TC did not really believe in the superstition, but liked the idea of the strong general defending against evil. 

Collector Comment: 

It seems that there is a trend of more people keeping superstitions more out of tradition than out of belief. It would be interesting to study this demographic shift.

Tags/Keywords:

  • Custom
  • Superstition

Hungry Ghosts (Ian Hsu)

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Title:  Hungry Ghosts

General Information about Item:

  • Custom, Superstition
  • Language: Chinese
  • Culture of Origin: Chinese
  • Informant: MR
  • Date Collected: 10-25-21

Informant data: 

MR grew up in the California Bay Area in a predominantly Asian neighborhood. MR is of Chinese descent himself and was also constantly surrounded by Chinese culture. Following graduation from high school, MR began university studies at UC Berkeley, where he is currently an electrical engineering and computer science student. 

Cultural context: 

Social context: Upon inquiry about historical traditions, MR told me about a tradition his family does from time to time of going to a temple to burn incense. Presumably, he learned this tradition from his parents, who he goes to the temple with from time to time. 

Cultural Context: The Hungry Ghost Festival occurs every year on the Lunar calendar’s 15th day of the seventh month. During this day, it is believed that the dead ghosts come out from their places of rest and it is their descendants’ duty to pay homage to them with offerings of food and paper money. As a result, people light incense sticks and burn joss paper (representative of money) so that the ghosts of their ancestors do not become angry spirits that haunt them. 

Item: 

MR said that his family occasionally goes to the temple during the Hungry Ghost Festival to make offerings to our ancestors. The last time he went, he says they brought “a bag of oranges, some paper money, and several sticks of incense”. After placing the oranges on the altar, the money was burned in a nearby fire pit, and the incense sticks were lit and placed upright inside of an ashtray to burn slowly. In this way, the spirits are happy and do not haunt people. 

Informant Comment: 

MR said that he did not really believe in these customs, but enjoyed spending time with his family. 

Collector Comment: 

It would be interesting to investigate the origin of this custom.

Tags/Keywords:

  • Custom
  • Ritual
  • Superstition

Chinese Mugwort (Ian Hsu)

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Title: Chinese Mugwort during the Dragon Boat Festival

General Information about Item:

  • Custom, Superstition
  • Language: Chinese
  • Culture of Origin: Chinese
  • Informant: JH
  • Date Collected: 10-20-21

Informant Data:

JH is a Taiwanese national who immigrated to the California Bay Area in the 1980s. He currently lives in a predominantly Asian community and has seen Chinese culture for all of his life. He currently works as an IT engineer in the California Bay Area. 

Contextual Data:

Social Context: I recently had a conversation with JH where I asked about a situation several years ago when JH handed me a sachet filled with pleasant-smelling herbs. As I was young at the time, I took for granted that it would bring me good luck. I did not inquire further until recently, when I remembered the situation and asked about it. 

Cultural Context: The Dragon Boat Festival is an annual festival that lies on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. The festival is meant to reinforce good health, as it is believed that natural disasters and illnesses are common during this month. During this time, people believe that Chinese mugwort can ward off evil spirits. 

Item: 

During the Dragon Boat Festival, it is thought that more ghosts may come out and spread disease. To protect children against disease spread by these ghosts, children are given perfumed medicine bags filled with dried Chinese mugwort. In this way, it is thought that children are able to ward off evil. 

Informant Comment: 

JH thought that these medicine bags smelled good. 

Collector Comment: 

It was unclear whether the informant actually believed this superstition, or if this was more a tradition. 

Tags/Keywords:

  • Custom
  • Superstition

The use of lime to ward off evil spirits (Isuru Abeysekara)

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Title: The use of lime to ward off evil spirits

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
  • Informant: Isuru Abeysekara
  • Date Collected: 10-21-2021

Informant Data:

  • Isuru Abeysekara was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 17th, 1998. He grew up in Sri Lanka before he moved to the United States for his undergraduate education. He is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Computer Science modified with Quantitative Social Science.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Sri Lankans believe that lime has a purification effect. Therefore, Sri Lankans use lime in order to ward off evil spirits in very specific scenarios. It is typically used when a family acquires new property. It is said that buying new property, such as a house or a car, casts an evil eye on the family and in order to mitigate the effects of it, they cut lime prior to the first use of the said property. For example, families often cut lime at the start of housing warming events in the presence of a kapumahaththaya (shaman). 
  • Social Context: Isuru hails from a deeply traditional Sinhala family. The Sinhalese are the biggest ethnic group in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan tradition is primarily based on Sinhala beliefs. He learned about the use of lime to ward off evil spirits, at the age of seven, when his family bought their first house and car in Sri Lanka.

Item:

  • “Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease.”

Associated file:

Typical set-up for aforementioned practice.

Collector’s Name: Isuru Abeysekara

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Superstition

Karaniya Metta Sutra (Isuru Abeysekara)

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Title: Karaniya Metta Sutra

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
  • Informant: Isuru Abeysekara
  • Date Collected: 10-21-2021

Informant Data:

  • Isuru Abeysekara was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 17th, 1998. He grew up in Sri Lanka before he moved to the United States for his undergraduate education. He is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Computer Science modified with Quantitative Social Science.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: This is a specific sutra that is recited in Indian Buddhist households.  It was originally taught by the Buddha to a group of monks that were distubred by a forest demon. The idea of this sutta is not to exorcise and remove evil spirits. Instead, it uses Buddhist teachings extending loving kindness to them so they can be a “friend”. At the end of the tale, the forest spirit becomes guardian for the monk during their stay in the forest. Sri Lankan buddhist households have been using this practice to this day to convert the evil spirits into good-natured ones.
  • Social Context: Sri Lanka’s primary religion is Indian Buddhism. As a Buddhist himself, Isuru has witnessed the importance of Buddhism in every aspect of Sri Lankan culture. There exists Buddhist prayers to protect one against demons but this practice involves converting demons into more pleasant spirits instead of casting them away. Isuru would often hear his mother reciting this sutra in the morning as she completed her daily prayers and inquired about its significance in Sri Lankan culture.

Item:

  • “Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease.”

Associated file:

Summary of the sutra

Collector’s Name: Isuru Abeysekara

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Superstition
  • Buddhism