General Information About Item
- Superstitions
- English retrieval
- Country: Puerto Rico
- Informant: JJ
- Collected: Nov 12, 2021
Informant Data:
JJ is a current Dartmouth senior who was born in 1999. His mother is from Puerto Rico, and raised him as the primary parent in the household. JJ was raised in Queens, NY and identifies strongly with the city.
Contextual Data:
Cultural Context:
Puerto Rican culture is a unique blend of pre-Christian animistic and spiritual beliefs, and beliefs associated with Catholicism. Queens, NY has a considerable population that identifies with PR culture, and subsequently adorns their house in a manner traditionally found on the island.
Social Context:
Various pre-Christian beliefs in Puerto Rican households still remain today. Much like the East Asian concept of ‘Feng Shui’, households are set up to provide good flow of energy between rooms and spaces. JJ recalls hearing this superstition from his mother.
Item
In JJ’s household, mirrors below a certain size were always covered by some sort of cloth or blanket that covers up their reflectivity. This is to ward off any spirits or negative energy that may infiltrate a house after the reflection brings them in. Large mirrors are often left uncovered, however, because they serve a very practical purpose in hygiene and such. Yet, small mirrors such as those on bathroom vanity, are frequently covered after use to prevent such spirits from entering the house.
Informant’s Comments:
JJ does not believe in this superstition, and thinks it is annoying that most mirrors in the house are covered.
Collector’s Comments:
I did not know this existed, and had never been in a house that followed this superstition/ritual.
Tags
Superstiton
Latin American
Elderly
Puerto Rico
Mirrors