Tag Archives: Material Lore

Introduction

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Many of our superstitions relate to daily routines – what food we eat, what clothes we wear, and what actions or activities do we partake in (e.g. stepping out the door with your right foot on the day of an exam). This is likely due to the fact that our everyday routines are subject to change and are within our control, unlike the result of our actions (exam performance). Also, as expected, many of our superstitions exhibited elements of both homeopathic and contagious magic. Both terms were defined by Sir James George Frazer when he coined the term “sympathetic magic.” Homeopathic magic draws on the “Law of Similarity” of “like produces like” while contagious magic draws on the “Law of Contact” which states that there is a connection between a severed part and the original body that it was a part of. A superstition that we collected that draws on contagious magic is the Turkish tradition of swallowing a grain of rice draws on notions of contagious magic; the grain of rice makes “contact” with the prayer spoken by the parent, and this prayer is carried into the student when it is consumed. An instance of homeopathic magic would be avoiding wearing the color yellow in Spain because it is associated with the devil. The color yellow might not have directly come into contact with the devil himself, it is still associated with dark forces and would hence bring bad luck. While these two examples illustrate separate instances in which homeopathic and contagious magic are manifested in superstitions, many other items that were collected showed a combination of the two types of magic. 

In addition, we observed a few repeated pieces of collected folklore. One example of this was the superstition of eating kitkats before exams to channel good luck. This led us to conclude and see with our own eyes that many cultures and communities have similar superstitions, and that some of our superstitions are used by many different folk groups all over the world. Perhaps its possible that many of our collected superstitions originate from similar ancestral folk groups, or that the internet and other forms of communication have led to increased cultural diffusion of folklore around the world. 

Thank you for taking the time to review our collected folklore!

Red Underwear (China – John Zavras)

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Title: Red Underwear (China)

General Information about Item:

  • Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: China
  • Informant: MK (friend from Dover, MA)
  • Date Collected: 10-20-21

Informant Data:

  • MK is a friend from home (Dover, MA) and a College Student. He is Chinese and was born in China. MK, his family, and most of his extended family moved to the United States near when he was born. Although MK is not in China anymore, his family kept many of their Chinese rituals, folklore, and traditions. This is one of those traditions.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: In China, the color red is a sign of good luck. It is the color that symbolizes the Chinese Communist Revolution, which led to the Communist party’s takeover in China. It is a color of great honor and pride, and it along with yellow are two lucky colors in China. Red is also the main color of the Chinese flag.
  • Social Context: Just like in my folklore that I collected from my Japanese friend, exams are a very important and stressful part of East Asian culture. So much weight is placed on standardized exams, and the need for folklore and superstitions to channel luck and relieve anxiety is crucial.

Item:

  • The informant claims that he wears red underwear every time he has a big exam. The superstition is as follows: If he wears red underwear on the day of an exam, he will earn a great score; if he does not wear red on the day of an exam, he will do very poorly and earn a failing grade. This is an example of the law of similarity – the red color symbolizes Chinese nationalism and good luck.

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

2020 New 2 Pcs/lot Boys Girls Red Boxers Underwear Children Youngster 5 12T| underwear children|boys underwear boxer lotgirl boxer lot - AliExpress

Transcript:

  • “One of my favorite superstitions is always wearing red underwear when I take an exam. I even have a lucky pair that are super bright red that I always wear. Red is the color of China – it symbolizes our government and our proud nation. It is a lucky color for all of us Chinese-Americans, and with the power of China on my side, I can get a good grade on my exams. I first learned about this superstition from my older cousins, who also used to wear red underwear when they took exams. ”

Informant’s Comments:

  • The informant is very passionate about wearing your country of origin proudly. He recommended that everyone finds some way to honor their ethnicity and country of origin and let your connection with your roots bring you good luck and prosperity.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found this superstition inspiring, and it made me want to be more appreciative of Greece and the United States (my countries of origin).

Collector’s Name: John Zavras

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Superstitions
  • Red
  • Student
  • Exam

Kit Kat – “Surely Winning” (Japan – John Zavras)

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Title: Kit Kat – “Surely Winning” (Japan – John Zavras)

General Information about Item:

  • Material Lore, food
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Japan
  • Informant: RM (friend from home)
  • Date Collected: 10-03-21

Informant Data:

  • RM is a friend from home (Boston, MA) who is Japanese. He has a lot of family and many cousins that live in Japan. His family in general takes superstitions very seriously. He and his family are very high-achievers, and they place a lot of stress and importance on school.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: In Japan, exams and grades are taken very seriously. The entrance into university is much more dependent on placement in standardized tests than in the United States, for example. 
  • Social Context: This folklore was recorded in a FaceTime interview. Since exams are taken so seriously, there are many forms of folklore and superstitions revolving around good performance and good luck. When you only have one opportunity to take an exam, the stakes are high, and the demand for superstitions and good luck increases.

Item:

  • The superstition is to eat a kitkat the day of a large exam for good luck. This superstition is a modern interpretation of a more traditional superstition, which is Katsudon. Katsudon is a warm bowl of rice, egg, and deep-fried pork. It is eaten before or on the day of an exam for good luck. Katsudon in Japanese is similar in wording to Kit Kat – Katsudon is pronounced“Kitto Katsu” in Japanese, which means “Surely winning.” Kit Kats are pronounced “kitto katto” in Japanese, which is very similar to the Japanese for Katsudon. This superstition utilizes the law of similarity – if one consumes a kitkat, which is similar in name to Katsudon (the sacred dish that means winning), then they will succeed on their exam. 

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

Why Kit Kats Are Good Luck For Japanese Students

Transcript:

  • “I always eat a lucky KitKat before an exam. It’s my go-to snack”

Informant’s Comments:

  • The informant says that he was very quick to catch onto this recent superstition, even though he learned about it when he was in the US and its mainly only found in Japan.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found this fascinating, the fact that just because KitKat sounds like Katsudon, it’s also used as a superstition to forge good luck. This provides a great point about folklore – it can evolve in many ways and is always molding to modern culture.

Collector’s Name: John Zavras

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Food
  • KitKat
  • Superstitions

Greek Idol (Greece – John Zavras)

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Title: Greek Idol (Greece – John Zavras)

General Information about item:

  • Material lore, religious emblem
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: Greece
  • Informant: John Zavras
  • Date Collected: 11-10-21

Informant Data:

  • JZ (myself) is a sophomore (‘24) at Dartmouth and is from Boston. He was born in Greece and lived there for a few years before moving to the U.S. He is ethnically and culturally Greek, and his family has many Greek traditions which have been passed down from generation to generation. He also is Greek Orthodox Christian and his family is religious. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural context: In Greek Orthodox Christianity, idols are often used to represent Jesus Christ. Holding these idols enables Jesus Christ to be “with you” or “on your side,” which leads to good luck. Idols are often thought of as embodiments of things, and this is a prime example of this. 
  • Social context: Idols can signify many things, but in this social context, it signifies good luck on an exam. Idols come in many forms. They can be apparel, pins that one can put on a piece of clothing, various forms of jewelry (a cross/bracelet), etc.. The Greek-Orthodox religion is very beautiful and devotes a lot of artwork and jewelry to create idols. 

Item: 

  • The item is a little wool/cotton cross on a pin that one can put inside or on the outside of their shirt. The informant’s (my) family wears these little crosses whenever they have big exams, and it signifies good luck and Jesus’ protection and oversight. If one does not wear the idol to the exam, Jesus is no longer with this person and they cannot be protected from a bad grade. This is a prime example of the law of similarity and homeopathic magic – the item (the cross that Jesus died on) is similar to and represents Jesus Christ, who is a holy entity of hope and good fortune. 
Greek Orthodox Filakto Protection Charm Christian Amulet | Etsy

Transcript: “This is one of our most sacred family superstitions. We have a box in my living room full of these little emblems, and we only open it up during special occasions (like big exams).”

Informant’s Comments: There are many other religions that use idols to resemble or signify things that are intangible or supernatural. This is one of the informant’s example of the law of similarity in regards to channeling good luck.

Collector’s Name: John Zavras

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Superstitions
  • Religious Idol
  • Greek Orthodox Religion
  • Cross

A Christian Christmas

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General Information 

Informant: Ethan Davis 

Place: Hanover, NH 

Date: October 28, 2021 

Genre/Form of Folklore: Customary/Material 

Title: “A Christain Christmas” 

Informant Data: Ethan Davis is a 29-year-old former U.S. Marine and current student of Dartmouth College where he is pursuing a medical degree. As a member of the Class of 2022, Ethan is avidly involved in outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting and serves as a member on the board of a wildlife conservation club here in Hanover. Ethan was born in Boston, Massachusetts but lived much of his life in Andover. Ethan Davis is a registered EMT and leads a Sunday service group at his local church, while also engaging in community service events and helping non-profit organizations with their various goals. 

Contextual Data: At its roots, Christmas is a religious holiday, with its purpose being to observe and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ of the Christain religion. During this holiday, folk of the Christain religion use this time to express their gratitude to God and memorialize his exceptionality. Many rituals and decorations are utilized to express this, and members of the folk have found differing cultural methodologies for doing so.  

Social Data: When the Christmas season comes around every year, members of a Christain religion come closer together to celebrate what they all share, their faith. As a holiday that stems from this religion, this time of year brings commonality amongst family and friends, regardless of external factors. Christmas is a time of happiness and celebration and allows families to recognize the reasons they believe they are able to enjoy their lives. This item of folklore was collected through a face-to-face interview of the informant just before the beginning of the Christmas season. 

Item: Christmas, a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus, has evolved into a worldwide religious and secular celebration, incorporating many pre-Christian and pagan traditions into the festivities – observed primarily on December 25th. Different types of decorations developed across the Christian world, dependent on local tradition and available resources, and can vary from simple representations of the crib to far more elaborate sets. 

Transcript: 

Collector: “How does you and/or your family go about decorating your house during the Christmas season? What sorts of decorations do you put up every year and what factors do you think influence this decorative style?” 

Informant: “My family has always kind of looked at Christmas as a fairly religious holiday. Rather than your typical green and white decorations, my mom usually decorates the house with a lot of white décors. Things like pillows with Christmas carols on them, signs with “joy”, “hope”, and “peace” on them, and small nativity sets and figurines. In our front yard is usually an inflatable nativity set with a cross and even the lights around the house would be little angles rather than Christmas-colored bulbs. I think one of the biggest things I have noticed about our decoration is the angel on top of our Christmas tree, rather than a star or other symbol.” 

Informant Comment:  

Christmas has always seemed controversial in my opinion. It feels like it’s meant to be celebrated religiously, but it feels so culturally separated that it’s sort of ambiguous now. 

Collector Comment:  

Hearing about Ethan’s Christmas decorating customs and formalities was intriguing and somewhat relatable. Ethan and his family celebrate Christmas in a way so many others do, but even more are unfamiliar with. His family follows a strict narrative in recognizing the holiday and using a unique decorative style to express this. The holiday is recognized by Ethan and his family at its roots, rather than its cultural alternatives, which I believe emphasizes the aspect of folklore in this collection. 

Collected by: 

Joshua Betts, 21 

Bradenton, FL 

Hanover, NH 

Dartmouth College 

RUSS 013 

Fall 2021

Countdown Clock (Cameron Baller)

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Title: Countdown Clock

General Information About Item:

  • Material Lore
  • Language: English
  • Origin: Oklahoma State University
  • Informant: A.W.
  • Date Collected: 10-14-21

Informant Data:

  • A.W. is a 20-year-old male. He was born in Carnegie, Nebraska but was raised in Roanoke, Texas. He currently lives Stillwater, Oklahoma as he attends Oklahoma State University. He majors in mechanical engineering with a discipline in design. He is a student-athlete at Oklahoma State University and is a running back on the football team.

Contextual Data:

  • A.W. attends Oklahoma State University where football is extremely valuable. Each and every weekend in the fall is organized and planned around the team’s game. Therefore, the coaching staff wants to motivate the team each and every week by giving them a clear vision of what they are working for. The countdown clock is a reminder to block out the distractions and make the most out of today because the clock is ticking down to gameday. It creates anticipation and motivation for the team to continue to work hard every time they pass the clock and stay focused on their opponent that week despite all of the outside distractions that may come.

Item:

  • There is a countdown clock at Oklahoma State that is located between the locker room and the weight room. It is a countdown to gameday each week. The clock is first turned on at the beginning of preseason fall camp and is then reset after each game. It counts down to the second for the opening kickoff against their next opponent.
Project or Event Countdown Clocks

Transcript:

  • “Our main tradition is that we have this clock that is between the weightroom and the locker room and its a countdown timer of who our next opponent is. So if we are out in fall camp, it will be counting down for a whole month for the same team but each week it counts down for each game.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • “The meaning behind this is to keep the main goal the main goal. Its defintely to focus on who our opponent is each week so that we can take it week by week. It’s a reminder that each week we only have to focus on one opponent. This tradition that been up at Oklahoma State since I’ve been up there and I do not know when it started.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • I thought this countdown clock was extremely interesting because it is a way to keep the team focused on a particular goal and is positioned in a place so that the team can see it every time they enter the locker room as a reminder.

Collector’s Name: Cameron Baller

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Locker Room Traditions
  • Football

Santa Figurine Gifts (Julia Cross)

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General Information about Item:

  • Material Lore, customary 
  • Language: English
  • State of Origin: Massachusetts, USA
  • Informant: S.M.
  • Date Collected: November 10, 2021

Informant Data:

S.M. is a ‘24 at Dartmouth college, born and raised just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. His family has lived there for awhile and both he and his sister attend schools in New England. He actively enjoys Christmas, but gift-giving is a stressful thing for him because he often doesn’t know what to get for the recipient.  

Contextual Data:

Social Context: This interview was planned and the informant knew the theme was Christmas beforehand. Spencer became aware of this piece of folklore when he was much younger. This practice is done by the women in his family and exclusively around Christmas time. The social function of this practice is that the figures represent an aspect of the past year whether its a travel destination or a global pandemic and is another way for the family to share in each other’s experiences

Cultural Context: One of the most widely adopted pieces of American Christmas lore is the idea of Santa Claus bringing gifts to children. He is believed to ride in a sleigh and deliver gifts over the night of the 24th by entering the house through the chimney. However, many families only put effort into perpetuating the myth for younger children (as in trying to convince them Santa is real). When children get older, the myth of Santa is understood to be a myth and so Santa’s role takes a backseat. 

Item:

The item of folklore is the exchange of Santa-themed figurines. This exchange is currently  done by S.M.’s grandmother, mother and has now been passed on to his sister as well, so I expect it to evolve into an ongoing practice. The Santa figurines are collected from a variety of sources, from stores while on vacation or even made by his sister herself. They often have themes, for example last year he mentioned his sister made a Santa statue with the theme of the Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine. 

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

Recording of the interview with Spencer

Transcript:

“My mom, grandma and now my sister, they all exchange a Santa every year. It’s like a little statue of a santa and it’s kind of a spoof on whatever they want. So a lot of times it’s from travelling um and so my mom will find some variety of santa and will gift it to some member of the family. My sister has gotten really hands-on with it and made a Covid santa.”

Collector’s Comments:

Why does this count as folklore? At the moment, I think it’s on the border of counting. While it is something that has been passed down from generation to generation, and the time of origin is unknown, the inventor is known to be his grandmother. However, I included this because I believe this is a folkloric seed for a future practice for generations of S.M.’s family. Additionally, the figurines are rooted in the folkloric belief of Santa. It is a fun interpretation of the idea of Santa in that instead of being the giver, he becomes the gift. 

Collector’s Name: Julia Cross

Dartmouth College

RUSS13

Fall 2021

Christmas tree decorating technique (Julia Cross)

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General Information about Item:

  • Customary lore
  • Language: English
  • State of Origin: Kansas, USA
  • Informant: B.F.
  • Date Collected: Nov. 6, 2021

Informant Data:

B.F., now 24, was born and raised in Kansas until attending university at Stanford, where he now pursues his PhD. Religion, specifically Christianity, used to play a large part in Billy’s family, but has since taken a more minor role. B.F.’s parents and grandparents also come from the Midwest, and a lot of his Christmas traditions are specific to his family and extend back for generations. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural: As far as American Christmas traditions go, the practice of decorating a tree is among the most widely adopted. The tree is usually a pine, and gifts are placed under them prior to being opened. The tradition of decorating a tree, with lights and ornaments, has an unknown origin but is one that many families participate in. 

Social: This lore was collected in a casual conversation, and I unfortunately forgot to record it. The topic of Christmas came up and I asked further questions about the informant’s tree-decorating routine. The informant first learned this when he was little, he doesn’t remember when. The act of decorating a tree for this purpose only happens around the 25th of December (it can be up to a few weeks prior, but the reason it is decorated is for Christmas gifts). The specific technique of applying lights to the tree seems to be specific to B.F.’s family.

Item:

The item is firstly the practice of decorating a tree under which gifts are placed. This is a general practice adopted by many American families during Christmas time. This informant’s family has a very specific decoration technique in which colourful lights are added to the tree. This technique’s origin is unknown, but it has been used in the family ever since string lights were commercially available. The lights themselves need to be small, but colourful. Starting at the base of the tree, the lights are first wrapped around the base of the branch counterclockwise then worked up the branch. The wrapping of lights goes around the entire branch and then up the tree.

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

Transcript:

“How we put the lights on the tree is a big deal. It needs to be done just right, otherwise the whole tree is out of balance. I’m not sure when this method started, probably ages ago. Maybe even when our family started getting string lights. Basically you start at the bottom of the tree, pick a branch and then wrap it like crazy. The first wrap on the branch is counter clockwise, but the direction changes depending on the branch, sometimes the branch splits and you have to wrap each split individually. Basically, the whole thing takes ages, and usually involves the whole family because you get tired really easily. We usually go for a nice big bushy tree, so it can take up to 3 hours. At the end, though, it is so beautiful and bright.”

Informant Comments:

“This is a picture of my very bad attempt, but I was away from home and my mom wasn’t there to walk me through it, I’m a little ashamed that this is the only photo I have” 

Collector’s Comments:

The photo seems misleading because although he said he usually uses big bushy trees, the one in the photo is quite sparse, probably a consequence of having Christmas in a dry area such as California. Even still, you can see how the lights extend to the base of each branch. Given more time, I would see if I could get a photo from their home where the lights are done properly. This also could fall under the category of decoration, but I figured since the tree is an integral part of American Christmas gift-giving, I thought I would include it. The question then is does a technique count as folklore? I would argue yes. The origin is unknown, it’s been passed down in a folk group for generations and it is only used under a specific context. It is both material and customary.

Collector’s Name: Julia Cross

Dartmouth College

RUSS13

Fall 2021

Coal for Christmas (Julia Cross)

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General Information about Item:

  • Material Lore, (with accompanying belief)
  • Language: English
  • State of Origin: Texas, USA
  • Informant: A.K.
  • Date Collected: Nov. 10, 2021

Informant Data:

A.K. is a Dartmouth Sophomore in the class of 2024. She grew up in a lot of states as she and her mother moved around, but now resides mostly in Texas, and part-time in New Hampshire. She is not outwardly religious and her Christmas experience is one that is informed by a variety of traditions throughout her up-bringing. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: This informant is American and grew up primarily in New England and in the south. While it is unknown if the informant is religious, the topic of religious or religious icons did not come up in the interview. Gifts are an important part of American Christmas, especially for children. They are often something to be looked forward to as a reward for good behaviour. There is a belief that Santa keeps a list of well-behaved children called the ‘Nice List’ and a list of poorly-behaved children called the ‘Naughty List’. Coal is believed to be the punishment for naughty children on the latter list. 

Social Context: The informant initially learned this lore in her childhood. Coal for Christmas if one is naughty is a wide-spread belief across America, although it is rare for someone to actually get coal. As the informant mentioned in the interview, it is usually just an empty threat to children to encourage good behaviour. In the case of this informant however, giving coal for Christmas was used in a humorous setting as a prank instead of an empty threat. 

Item:

The item is receiving coal for Christmas. While receiving coal itself is not folklore, the accompanying belief in Santa and the ‘naughty list’ makes it folkloric. Coal is usually not given, although many American families are familiar with the superstitious idea that if one is bad, they will only receive a lump of coal instead of a gift. In the case of this informant, coal is actually given to their brother, but in the context of a joke or a prank.

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

Recorded interview with Anne

Transcript:

“stockings..I feel like my sister and I always got stuff and my brother would get coal every year”

“I think [the idea of getting coal on Christmas] is a thing parents would put in place before Christmas, like ‘if you’re bad then you’re going to get coal’ “

Collector’s Comments:

The belief in Santa wasn’t very important in my household so although I was aware of the idea of receiving coal, it never occurred to me that this was something that was done. I was interested in this interview because I learned how it was used not just as a warning to children, but as a prank gift. 

Collector’s Name: Julia Cross

Dartmouth College

RUSS13

Fall 2021

Purple Poos (Cameron Baller)

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Title: Purple Poos

General Information About Item:

  • Material Lore, hidden object
  • Language: English
  • Origin: Tarletono State University
  • Informant: R.R.
  • Date Collected: 10-25-21

Informant Data:

  • R.R. is a 37-year-old male. He was born and raised in Celina, Texas. He currently is a football coach, track coach, and recruiting coordinator for a high school in Argyle, Texas. He attended and graduated from Tarleton State University where he played college football.

Contextual Data:

  • R.R. attended Tarleton State University which was established in 1899 and has a rich tradition surrounding football especially in the state of Texas. The Purple Poos were a secret organization of 10 males and 10 females who were unknown to the student body and whose mission was to promote the spirit of Tarleton. Many members would eventually unmask themselves the final spring that they are on campus. This specific tradition of hiding an item was meant to increase the school spirit. Whenever one of the players carried around that item, everyone on campus knew what it meant. It was also a way to keep up the rivalries between the schools across the Lone Star Conference at the time.

Item:

  • After a win, Tarleton State has a group of unknown individuals who dress up in purple and are known as the Purple Poos. After every win, the Purple Poos will come into the locker room and hide an object that represents the rivalry between Tarleton State and the school they just played. Whoever finds the item after singing the song “Way Down Yonder” gets to keep it until they play the team again the following year. 
Purple Poo suspended for hazing – Texan News Service | Tarleton State University

Transcript:

  • “One of the main traditions is after a win, we have these people who dress up in different costumes and no one knows who they are and they are called the “Purple Poos”. After every win, they come into the locker room and they hide certain objects. If we were playing Midwestern which would be called the “Lonestar Battle of the Axes” then they would hide a golden axe in someone’s locker or bag. If you find it after we sing “Way Down Yonder” then thats a special keepsake for yourseld that you hold onto until the following year when you have to give it back. Its one of the corky traditions that has stayed with my heart for a long time.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • “I think its trying to get us to show school spirit and the Lonestar is rooted in rivalries and is not just one big rival. At the time, each school had a different rivalry with a different meaning to it. I think they were trying to keep the rivals up and then walking around with the object promoted school spirit because if you had that axe, then everybody around campus knew what that meant.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • This is defintley one of the most intersting traditions that I observed. I thought it was a great idea in order to not only promote school spirit but also give some motivation for every single opponent that the team plays.

Collector’s Name: Cameron Baller

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Football
  • Tarleton State University
  • Locker Room Traditions