Tag Archives: superstition

Don’t Drop the Baton

Title: Don’t Drop the Baton

General Information About Item:

  • Customary folklore
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: CH
  • Date Collected: 10/22/21

Informant Data:

  • Female, 20 years old, Born in Los Angeles, CA, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • CH is a 100m, 200m, and 400m sprinter at Dartmouth

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: In every track meet there are individual races and team relays. During a relay a baton is passed from member to member until all four have completed the designated distance. This means only one per team is running at a time.
  • Social Context: There are usually three main relay races in every meet. The most difficult being the 100 meter relay. This is because the baton handoff has to occur in a certain zone on the track. Since the distance is so short, the speed at which the handoff occurs is extremely fast. This unfortunately makes it easy to mess up and drop the baton. Dropping the baton is an instant disqualification from the race.

Item:

  • CH described a tradition in which the relay batons are kept off the ground the entire meet.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

“The relay teams don’t let the baton touch the ground the entire day of the meet so that they won’t drop it in their race.” -CH

Collector Comments:

  • While this tradition is not Dartmouth specific, Dartmouth Track and Field has been practicing it for many years. CH does not know who started this trend, only that it has been with the team for many years. The superstition that dropping the baton before the meet could cause them to drop it in the race is very understandable considering how difficult and high stakes the hand offs can be in competition.

Collected by: Chloe Taylor

Runway Routine

Title: Runway Routine

General Information about Item:

  • customary lore, personal
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: LG
  • Date Collected 10/21/21

Informant Data:

  • Female, 19 years old, Born in Arkansas, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • LG is a Heptathalete, meaning she competes in seven track events: 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin throw and 800 meters

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Track competitions are often as much mental as physical, especially the field events (throwing/jumping). Since track is an individual sport there is a lot of self-motivated pressure on an athlete to do well. Messing up only leaves ourself to blame so superstitions are common in this sport.
  • Social Context: During a track meet, athletes have a certain amount of time once they step on the runway to jump. During this time they prepare themselves however they want as their competitors watch. Therefore personal folklore is easily passed around as having a certain routine before a good jump may convince younger competitors to do the same routine.

Item:

  • LG has a specific runway routine (superstition) which she believes she must perform before each jump (in her jumping events) or she won’t do well. Although this is personal folklore she says that it was very common among jumpers on her high school team as well as The Dartmouth team. Her routine may be slightly unique but has shared elements that she learned by observing other athletes in jump event competition.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

  • “I rock back and forth four times on the runway before actually going. If I don’t do this then the jump feels off.” -LG

Collector Comments:

  • As a jumper myself I can verify LG’s observation about runway routines and how they are learned from others. Although it has a sense of individuality, it is also a track-wide practice, especially at Dartmouth, so I thought it was still valid to include in this collection.

Collected By: Chloe Taylor

Tiger Balm

General information about item:

  • Tradition/superstition/ritual
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Informant: WS
  • Date collected: 11/9/2021

Informant Data:

  • WS is a current sophomore at Dartmouth College in the graduating class of 2024. She is originally from Richmond, Virginia and currently resides in Hanover, New Hampshire. She is an Anthropology major. WS now runs mid-distance races for the track team, competing in the 600 and 800, but in high school she participated in both hurdle races. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Some athletes use alternative medical techniques which can sometimes equate to superstitious activities, as they are often unfounded/not proven by science and serve the purpose of mental preparation.
  • Social Context: Athletes do whatever they can to prepare for races, and often this means partaking in activities that are simply for comfort’s sake or allow for peace of mind.

Item:

  • “I had to put tiger balm (like bio freeze) on my legs right before my race […] I would put tiger balm on my shins around 10 mins before my race just as a superstition to loosen up my muscles. And the smell calmed me down, it like put me in the right mind set to race.”

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

Transcript (description of image):

  • Image shows the tiger balm discussed by the informant.

Collector’s Comments:

  • This ritual was interesting to me as some may not see it as purely a superstition because of the believed medicinal benefits of tiger balm and similar bio freeze products. However, when my informant was describing her reasons for using the tiger balm, she mentioned how the smell calmed her down and put her in the right mental headspace to race. This displays the more spiritual/ritualistic nature of this superstition.

Collector’s Name: Anna Brause

Tags/Keywords:

  • Dartmouth
  • Track/XC
  • Tiger Balm
  • Superstition

Kakakool (Bibaswan Khadka)

General Information about Item:

Superstition

Language: English

Culture of Origin: Nepali

Informant: NR

Date Collected: 10-22-2021

Informant Data:

NR was born in Dhapakhel, Nepal on June 15th, 1999 and lives in Thasikhel, Nepal. She is currently pursuing a masters degree in Business Administration. NR has one older brother BR. She enjoys watching movies, and likes tasting new foods. 

Contextual Data:

Social Context:

NR was taught about Kakakool by her older brother. According to her older brother Kakakool was once a man who died because of thirst. Due to this if someone asks for water and one does not give it to them, Kakakool will haunt them. NR does not know if this is a tale her brother made up himself to make her get him water or whether it is actually true. 

Cultural Context:

Older siblings often try to get their younger siblings to do chores for them. Oftentimes they may make up fake consequences such as monsters to scare younger siblings who may not know any better. 

Item:

If someone asks you for water, get them the water, or Kakakool will haunt you. 

Yeti (Bibawan Khadka)

General Information about Item:

Superstition

Language: English

Culture of Origin: Nepali

Informant: BK

Date Collected: 10-27-2021

Informant Data:

BK was born in Baglung, Nepal on May 22th, 1970. She grew up in Waling, Nepal. She is half Gurung, who are a Nepali ethnic group that lives close to the Himalayas. BK speaks fluent English, Hindi, Gurung and Nepali. After retiring from teaching she moved to America in 2013. In America, BK calls Davenport, Iowa her home. BK’s hobbies include knitting, gardening and travelling. 

Contextual Data:

Social Context:

BK’s mom is Gurung who are a Nepali ethnic group that originate from the Himalayan region of Nepal and have close ties to Tibetan cultures. BK first heard the yeti from her mom when she was young since the yeti is a popular creature among people living in the himalayan region of Nepal. Since then she has also heard about the Yeti in western folklore since the Yeti is a popular creature in the west as well.

Cultural Context:

The Yeti, also known as the abominable snowman in the west, is a large ape-like creature covered with white fur. It is purported to inhabit the Himalayan mountain range. The yeti is one of the most popular supernatural creatures in the world and the most know worldwide from Nepal. Despite numerous expeditions no concrete evidence has ever been found to prove its existence. 

Item:

In Gurung culture, to protect from the Yeti and other supernatural and real creatures that inhabit the himalayan mountain range, people often carry a blessed charm that is said to look after you. 

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

How to see a Yeti… – Snow Cat Travel

Note Cards Under the Pillow – American (Caroline Carr)

Title: Note Cards Under the Pillow

General Information about item:

  • Customary Folklore, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: LB
  • Date Collected: 10-26-21

Informant Data:

LB is a (’24) sophomore at Dartmouth College. She is majoring in economics and is a member of the Dartmouth Investment and Philanthropy Program. She is from San Diego, California and has lived there her whole life. She attended The Bishops School for high school.  

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: LB’s family is very academically motivated, and both her parents have studied at amazing institutions. Her mother attended Stanford University for undergraduate school and later Georgetown Law School. Her father attended Yale University for undergraduate school and later Harvard Law School. Growing up her parents always expected very good grades and therefore LB studied very hard just like her parents had done.     
  • Social Context: LB first learned this superstition from her dad when she was younger. One night when she was struggling to study when she was around 8 years old, her dad told her to write out notecards with the material she needed to know and before going to bed that night to put them under her pillow. By putting the notecards under the pillow right before going to bed, it would allow her brain to absorb the information as she slept. Once LB’s younger brothers got old enough, her dad also shared this superstition with them, and they have since started to do it. LB explained that many of her friends also do it now after she told them about the superstition. This superstition was collected in an in-person interview.

Item:

Prior to tests, LB would sleep with her notecards under her pillow so that her brain would “absorb the information in her sleep”. 

Transcript:

My pre-test superstition is that the night before a test, I sleep with my notecards under my pillow so that my brain will absorb the information as I sleep. By doing this, I hope that I will know all the material on my notecards so that I can get a good grade on the test. My dad told me that he and all his siblings did this when they were going through school, so my siblings and I started doing it when we were younger, and we still continue to do it. Even some of my closest friends started putting their notecards under their pillows before tests after I told them about the superstition”.

Informant’s Comments:

  • Despite there being other more efficient ways to study, I still write out notecards so that I can put them under my pillow. I plan on doing this the rest of college and to pass it on to my children”.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found it interesting that LB continues to do this despite there being easier and more time efficient ways to study. It is evident that LB feels this superstition is important in her success in school because she continues to do it and plans on passing it to her children.

Collector’s Name: Caroline Carr

Tags/Keywords: 

  • Superstition
  • American
  • Female
  • Dartmouth
  • Note Cards

Lakhe (Bibaswan Khadka)

General Information about Item:

Superstition

Language: English

Culture of Origin: Nepali, ethnically Newari

Informant: BK

Date Collected: 10-25-2021

Informant Data:

BK was born in Kathmandu, Nepal on Sept 20th, 1968. He grew up in Dhapakhel, Nepal. Growing up in Dhapakhel, Nepal he was exposed to a lot of ethnically Newari culture due to the large Newari population in Dhapakhel. BK speaks fluent Newari along with English, Hindi and Nepali. After graduating from college he served in the military before moving to America. In America, BK calls Davenport, Iowa his home. He has 2 kids, a son and a daughter who are both in their 20s. BK’s hobbies include running, reading history and travelling.

Contextual Data:

Social Context:

BK grew up in Dhapakhel, Nepal. Nepal is an ethnically diverse country. BK himself is ethnically Chettri but grew up in Dhapakhel which has a big ethnically Newari population. Because of this he was exposed to a lot of Newari culture and festivals. From this he came to know about the Lakhe, which is a demon clown in Newari culture,

Cultural Context:

In Newari culture, the Lakhe is a demon clown. It is said to go from house to house and kidnap children who do not behave and eat them. The existence of the Lakhe is used similarly to many other cultures to scare children into behaving well. Every year during Newari holidays people dress up in scary Lakhe costumes and go house to house and host dances to scare little kids.

Item:

If you are a kid you better behave well or the Lakhe will kidnap you and eat you. 

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

Pre-Race Fuel

General information about item:

  • Tradition/superstition/ritual
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Informant: BG
  • Date collected: 11/6/2021

Informant Data:

  • BG is a current senior at Dartmouth College in the graduating class of 2022. She is originally from Washington State and currently resides in Hanover, New Hampshire. She is a Government and Human Centered Design major at Dartmouth. BG ran the 800, 1500 and 3000 for track, and competed in 5ks and 6ks for cross country. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Athletes often repeat specific superstitious or traditions before big races in order to control what factors they are able to in the face of competition uncertainty. For many athletes, their food becomes part of these superstitions. Often this means athletes will repeat the same pre-race meals in hopes of ensuring they have a successful competition.
  • Social Context: Many of the track athletes I interviewed told me about food superstitions they have before races. I noticed that this trend tends to start when the athlete has a successful competition. That athlete will then try and copy everything they did in preparation for their successful race, down to specific details such as the food they ate prior.

Item: “ […] I’m super particular about eating and I always stop drinking an hour before race time. For a while, I always used to eat a Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich before I raced. Also, for a brief stint I would always have burger king chicken and fries the night before a race. This started because I would beat my personal record by a ton every time I ate this meal, so it just became a habit.”

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

Transcript (description of photo):

  • Photo of the described Jimmy Dean Breakfast sandwiched eaten as a pre-race ritual.

Informant’s Comments

  • “I am not exactly sure how that one [the breakfast sandwich] started, but I am sure I continued doing it because I was seeing positive race results and making a subconscious correlation in my mind. ”

Collector’s Comments:

  • Many of my informants followed similar superstitious rituals surrounding their pre-race meals. Often, when athletes see positive race results, they will do their best to repeat all the steps that brought them those results. This includes eating habits.

Collector’s Name: Anna Brause

Tags/Keywords:

  • Dartmouth
  • Track/XC
  • Superstition/ritual
  • Pre-race food

Naag (Bibaswan Khadka)

General Information about Item:

Superstition

Language: English

Culture of Origin: Nepali

Informant: AK

Date Collected: 10-28-2021

Informant Data:

AK was born in Kathmandu, Nepal on April 12th, 1996. She grew up in Nepal before immigrating to the USA when she was 16. In America, AK calls Davenport, Iowa her hometown. She has one younger brother, BK, who is 4 years younger than her. AK’s hobbies include painting, running, and netflix. 

Contextual Data:

Social Context:

AK grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal. In Kathmandu, Naag Daha is a popular tourist attraction and lake. It literally translates to the lake of the Naag. The lake has a notorious reputation for drowning people who swim in it, especially young kids due to its depth. Thus, many people say that it is the Naag that pulls kids down into the lake. AK learnt about this through her mom. Nobody really remembers when the drownings started but every year 2 to 3 people drown in the lake. 

Cultural Context:

The Naag is a giant Cobra-like snake that calls the lake Naag Daha its home. It is said to live deep beneath the lake. The Naag can be both benevolent and malevolent depending on the context. Sometimes it is known to protect while other times it is known to kill. Culturally lakes and bodies of water are fun but also dangerous places due to the drowning hazard so it is not surprising that the Naag is seen as both benevolent and malevolent. 

Item:

One should not swim in the deep end of the Naag Daha unless they want to get pulled down and drowned by the Naag. 

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

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit- England (Caroline Carr)

Title: “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit”

General Information about item:

  • Customary Folklore, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: England
  • Informant: PA
  • Date Collected: 10-25-2021

Informant Data:

PA is a (’24) sophomore at Dartmouth College. She is a history major and plans on attending law school. PA’s parents are from the United States but moved to England for their careers. PA was born in England and lived there for most of her young childhood. When she was 10, they moved to Hillsborough, New Jersey and this is where she attended middle and high school.  

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: It is a tradition in England to say “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” on the first day of the month to ensure that you have good luck the rest of the month. PA explained that her family did this while they lived in England and as children, PA and her brother always wanted to be the first to say it in the month. In addition, rabbits in England are associated with good luck and thought to bring good luck.
  • Social Context: PA first learned this superstition from her mom when she was younger and living in England. As PA began to worry and study more for tests, her mom told her and her brother to repeat rabbit three times right before the test for good luck. So, prior to any exam or test, PA recites rabbit three times to herself which she has been doing since she was around 8 years old. This was collected in an in-person interview.  

Item:

Saying “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” before a test or exam, will give the student good luck on the exam and result in their desired grade.

Transcript:

“My pre-test superstition is if I say “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” before a test or exam, I will have good luck on the exam which will translate into me getting a good grade. I first learned this superstition from my mom when we lived in England when I was younger. In England, on the first day of the month, there is a tradition to say “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” to ensure that you have good luck for the rest of the month. Rabbits are also just associated with good luck, so my parents started saying it to my brother and I when we were younger as a way to wish good luck. As I got older and started to worry and study more for tests, my parents told my brother and I to repeat rabbit three times right before the test for good luck. Ever since we learned this superstition when I was around 8 years old, we continued to do it. My brother and I still say this before big tests and exams today.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • My brother and I have been saying “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” since we 8 years old and since we have found success in school, I don’t think that we will ever stop saying it.”
  • This superstition also reminds me about my childhood in England which I have so many great memories”.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found it interesting how PA and her family have continued to use this superstition despite moving to the United States. I found it surprising that rabbits were associated with good luck in England but in further research it became very evident of this established relationship. This superstition follows the magic superstition structure which is: if you do A then B. If the student says “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit”, then they will have good luck on their exam.

Collector’s Name: Caroline Carr

Tags/Keywords:

  • Superstition
  • British
  • Female
  • Dartmouth
  • Rabbit