Title: Spitting

General Information about Item:

• Customary Folklore: Greek Superstition (Good luck)
• Language: English
• Country of Origin: Greece
• Informant: Niko Lalos
• Date Collected: November 2nd, 2018

Informant Data:

• Niko Lalos is a junior studying economics at Dartmouth College. He is on the Dartmouth Football team and participates in many philanthropic groups around campus. Niko is from Copley, Ohio but both sides of his family have very strong Greek origins. He is very close with his grandmother on his father’s side and she has always shared stories of growing in in Greece to her grandson. Niko says that their families are very involved in the church and the traditions of their culture.

Contextual Data: 

• Cultural Context: The bad omen surrounding the curse of the Evil eye is undoubtedly one of the most popular and commonly-practiced Greek superstitions. The origins of the Evil Eye date back to 100 AD with the works of Plutarch, a Greek biographer. He claims that the eyes are the primary source of the deadly spells cast by evil individuals. Spitting, in most cases three times, has been used by Greeks to ward of the Evil Eye, the devil, and other bad omens for centuries.
• Social Context: The informant was interviewed over FaceTime and when asked about the Greek tradition of spitting on someone he told stories about when he has attended Greek weddings. At the end of the ceremony as the bride and groom leave the church, guests spit on the ground. Niko explained that it is not a sign of hostility but rather to protect the married couple and ward off the devil.

Item:

• Spitting three times, especially used at Greek weddings, is a sign of good faith and an act believed to ward of unwanted spirits or bad omens, like the Evil Eye.

Informant Comments:

• “It’s a funny little tradition that the older generation believes strongly in and the younger ones just have fun fooling around.”

Collectors Name:

• Madeline Donahue