Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Folklore (W18)

Introduction:

  • Everyone knows what lucky numbers are and everyone has a lucky number to call their own. Several numbers though, are shared by larger groups, which we attempted to investigate by surveying students of various cultures at Dartmouth College.
  • Generally, lucky numbers fall under folklore superstition, specifically sign superstitions (if A, then B).
  • The inspiration for this project came from Juergen, whose mother always taught him about Chinese culture, to help him keep in touch with his half Chinese side. This included teaching him about lucky and unlucky numbers.
  • John had a genuine curiosity in lucky Chinese numbers as well, as he pursued a Chinese Minor at Dartmouth College.
  • Taringana heard about this project and thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about his Zimbabwean background. Furthermore, he wanted to explore how numbers are viewed across various cultures on this school campus.

Presentation:

Items:

Lucky Numbers

Unlucky Numbers

Collectors:

  • Taringana Guranungo
  • Juergen Wei Buchsteiner
  • John Lazor

Tags/Keywords

  • superstition, lucky, unlucky, number, Zimbabwe, China, Korea, Germany, Dartmouth, sign superstition, Slovakia, Judaism, Japan, Seventh Day Adventist, golf.