Title: Not Eating Peanuts (Vietnam)
General Information About Item:
- Customary Folklore: Pre-test custom, superstition
- Language: English
- Country of Origin: Vietnam
- Informant: EG
- Date Collected: 10/28/21
Informant Data: EG is a member of the Class of 2024 at Dartmouth College, studying Computer Science, Economics, and Digital Art. She is from San Diego, California. Her mother is Vietnamese and her father is Eastern European.
Contextual Data:
- Cultural Context: In Vietnamese, the word for “peanut” and the word “get loss” sound very similar. Additionally, the informant’s mother grew up in Vietnam and was surrounded by many different superstitions and many were centered around academics.
- Social Context: My informant was exposed to this superstition when she was in elementary school by her mother. EG shared this with me in an in person interview. EG’s mother put a lot of pressure on her to do well in school. She also wanted to do everything she personally could to help her succeed. Thus, EG was required to follow this superstition when she was in middle and high school.
Item: In Vietnamese culture, one is not supposed to eat peanuts before a test because the words for “peanut” and “get loss” are similar in Vietnamese and it is believed that one may “get lost” on their exam if they eat them prior to taking it.
Associated File
Transcript:
- “I found it to be kind of strange, to be honest. I half-way understood why I couldn’t eat them [peanuts], but often asked, ‘What would happen if I didn’t?’ to my mother. Everytime she would more or less dismiss the question and still not allow me to consume any peanuts or peanut products.”
Informant’s Comments:
- EG understood the background and reasoning for this superstition, but thought it was pointless. Since leaving home, she doesn’t actively seek out eating peanuts on the days she has a test, but she doesn’t avoid them either.
Collector’s Comments:
- I share similar opinions to those of my informant. I understand why this is such a prevalent superstition in Vietnamese culture, but would not take part in it myself.
Collector’s Name: Claire Macedonia
Tags/Keywords:
- Superstition
- Vietnam
- Peanuts