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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2011 23:34:34 GMT
There's an African sayings thread on anyport, and HW just recounted a shocking traditional practice in his Ratakaniri thread, but this thread is for the various "differences" we've all personally encountered in different parts of the world, maybe even in our own countries.
I went out to buy a gift for a baby boy and found a shop that had some lovely hand-knitted things. The item I really liked was a little pants and sweater set. The pants had suspenders knitted on and the sweater was white with touches of the pants color .......... which was RED. Yep, deep true red, maybe appropriate for a pickup truck.
The two pieces were adorable and very well made, but I just couldn't get past that alarming color. The young sales woman just smiled and said that red was for boys or girls and no, there were no other colors.
Finally she unbent and pointed out there were various other RED items available in the shop for new babies. She explained that was because people dressed their newborns in that color to ward off the evil eye, or bad intentions and thoughts. She went on to tell me that babies attract people's attention and that even unawares they could be laying "pensamientos pesados" (heavy-duty thought waves) on the poor little new person.
She went on to tell me how "limpias" (cleansings) are done to remove the evil eye. This involves the herbs rosemary and/or basil, prayers, and passing an egg all over the body of the afflicted person to cleanse them.
Of course I wanted to follow this up, so mentioned it to a neighbor. She said, "Oh yes, and you can protect anything with red." She said for example if someone admired your plants, after they were gone you should throw a red cloth over them, as they might have been gazed upon with envy.
Today I asked a young woman from Teotitlán del Valle about this. Teotitlán is a very traditional Zapotec village. She knew all about the belief, although she said she didn't subscribe to it. She also finally explained something I'd always wondered about -- that of people covering their babies up completely when taking them out on the street. She said that in earlier times, sometimes babies didn't go out until they were upwards of a year old.
I asked about rue, which is widely planted in front of houses on both sides of the Mexican/US border to ward off envy. She knew about that, and also shed light on something else I'd seen but didn't understand -- aloe vera plants covered all over with little red bows. I'd thought they were just for adornment, but no -- contra la envidia.
So, you learn something new every day.
What about you all -- have you run into any interesting beliefs, or committed social gaffes due to not knowing certain local customs?
pee ess ~~ I bought the pants & sweater set!
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Post by tod2 on Jul 19, 2011 8:20:02 GMT
Going with the RED theme, a neighbor a few houses down from us was accosted along with her daughter during the day in their home by two African youths some years back now. What saved them from being raped and assaulted was the crucifix hanging around the daughter's neck - With the rest of the rings and bracelets removed from their person, the one man reached for the chain baring the crucifix around her neck but recoiled several times when trying to grab it. Eventually tying them up they made their escape. Now to the RED part - After this ordeal they were advised to paint the eyes of the two concrete lions sitting on top of the gate posts, RED. The lions were painted gold at the time, but with red eyes no intruders would dare enter the property!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2011 12:06:43 GMT
The evil eye appears to be the exclusive domain of gypsies in France. Only gypsies give the evil eye and only other gypsies can remove it (generally for a fee, of course). I often heard about the evil eye in the small villages of the east, but I have never about it in the big city. In Paris, we have all of the African marabouts (witch doctors) and are often handed their cards coming out of the metro. They claim they can cure just about anything, and they are often consulted by desperate non-Africans. The police have constant reports of their methods, such as the great scheme to get rich quick -- they tell you to bury a suitcase at the foot of a special tree with a certain amount of money in it. Then you wait 48 hours and dig it up and it is completely full of money. For some reason, though, all of those suitcases go missing. There is a boutique that I pass every day with a window full of witchcraft ingredients such as gazelle horns and goats' teeth, but I am afraid to take a photo of it because I might get the evil eye. There are also a lot of cards parodying the normal marabouts.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 20, 2011 16:19:53 GMT
I mentioned this in another thread but this is just the place for 'Native Customs' -
We have many African Tribes in South Africa who speak 11 different languages (probably more but those are "Official") - With each tribe goes a custom and I only know of very few and mostly related to the Zulus as I stay in the province of the Zulu nation.
One very cute (if one can call it that) is when offered ANYTHING from a subordinate to a higher ranking person....say 'worker & Boss' for example, the item offered is presented with the right hand while the left hand simulates the drawing back of a sleeve from the wrist to the elbow. The hand is sort of turned horizontal and quickly swept along the arm upwards in a swift movement. This is to show that the bearer of goods, items, whatever, has no hidden dagger or knife which could be used to harm the receiver.
It happens all day everyday and is hardly noticed but always thanked by those of us who do!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 22, 2011 13:38:27 GMT
That is really interesting, Tod. It is sort of a variation on shaking hands in the European-background world isn't it? That is to say, a remnant of a way to show "friend, not foe".
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Post by tod2 on Jul 22, 2011 13:51:37 GMT
Yes, I guess so. When it comes to shaking hands that takes on a whole new ritual here!
How to shake hands Zulu style:
Stick your right hand out and engage with the other persons hand - like normal but with only ONE shake. Then withdraw your hand and immediately grab around the base of the other persons thumb by encircling it between your thumb and "pointing' finger. The recipient does exactly the same to your thumb at the same moment. Not finished yet.....then go back and shake hands normally again BUT only ONE shake before releasing hands. (No up, down, up, down movement!)
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 28, 2011 2:31:53 GMT
That's really interesting, Tod. I guess it all looks pretty seamless when it's being done. Do you generally know with whom to use different kinds of handshakes? Most people where I live have extremely soft handshakes, even men. It's almost just laying the hands together without the slightest gripping at all. The ritual hug is pretty common, too -- a soft handshake that segues into hug. There's some form to it where one person's head is automatically on the left or right side of the other person's, and I always get it wrong.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 28, 2011 8:00:10 GMT
Bixa - actually you don't know which kind of handshake you will be getting if it's a complete stranger of African nationality. But, when the first 'shake' is in progress the "grabber of the thumb" will proceed to go straight into it ! Then you know what to do. I can't stand a "pithy" wimp of a handshake and normally if this is what I get I tend to squeeze their hand even harder! ;D I do find however, people in business shake hands with a nice firm grip and of course a nice smile .......well they want your money don't they
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Post by onlymark on Jul 28, 2011 9:26:56 GMT
Most people where I live have extremely soft handshakes, even men. One reason is that men don't want to have too firm a handshake with a woman. So we err on caution. The best thing to do, as a woman, is not follow the lead of the male, and do a wimpy shake, but immediately apply a little pressure. You'll find virtually instantly that the male will reciprocate and follow your lead. The more firm you start to shake, the more firm he will shake. Try it. Kenya (and surrounds) handshake - right hand out, grasp other hand, one shake up and down, place thumb in vertical position (whilst still in the handshake), the other person will do the same, place pad of thumb on pad of opposite thumb, apply a little pressure and flick thumb to right. Release. Egypt - variations - 1) Never, as a male try to shaken hands with a woman unless she offers first. And then it's a bare touching of the fingers to each other. No grasp, no pump up and down, just touch fingers and a slight encirclement of the thumb, then release. 2)With unknown male (as a male) - often same as with a female, bare touching of hands but follow lead of other local person. He might want to be more friendly. 3) With slightly known male - firm grasp, one or two pumps, upon release quickly place open palm over heart and drop arm. 4) With known male - firm grip, left hand placed on opposites right shoulder, lean forward, brush right cheek of person with your right cheek and then change to left/left cheek - hold hands then for as long as you feel comfortable. 5) The time may occur when you offer to shake with a person who has dirty hands (mechanic etc) - he will offer a relatively clean part of his right or left arm. A quick grasp and release is fine.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 28, 2011 10:23:32 GMT
Thanks Mark! I never knew or ever saw a Kenyan handshake but it sounds like a 'relative' of our African Bantu handshake which I described. Now you have got me curious and I am going to find out what a Malawian, Nigerian, and Zimbabwe handshake is like! I'll start with our principal seamstress (except it's a man) from Malawi and let him to show me if there is a kind of ritual.. Others may take longer as I have to wait for customers from these countries to enter my shop.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2011 17:45:33 GMT
In the French countryside, one should never turn a baguette face down. "The devil is dancing on the bread!"
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 7, 2011 18:08:36 GMT
Thanks to Tod & Mark for those very interesting, but subtle and bewildering variations on handshakes.
Kerouac, that's interesting about the bread. I immediately thought of that Hans Christian Anderson story about the little girl who steps on the loaf of bread.
I don't know if this is still done in Spain, but when I was little any bread that had to be thrown away was kissed first.
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Post by auntieannie on Sept 21, 2011 18:03:06 GMT
ah, yes, it is said where I come from that any bread should not be put face down. Bixabella, can you tell me more about the rue thing? it is a plant we are not allowed to use. but we know of it.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 7, 2011 18:50:18 GMT
My Nan and MiL used to have some strange folky customs...
Never look at a new moon through glass, it's financial ruin...if you DO by accident..then you should take your wallet outside, look at the moon and turn your wallet over and over in your hands to ward off bad luck.
Every time you see a single magpie (large bird of the crow family...rather pretty) you should address it politely...MiL used to say 'Morning Major' and a neighbour actually salutes them! It's really funny if we're on the bus together when we see one...I mutter 'morning major' under my breath and she tries to salute discretely so that nobody else notices.....
Never put new shoes on a table....bad luck. (and not particularly polite.....)
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Post by hwinpp on Oct 8, 2011 2:55:29 GMT
My girlfriend always gets mad at me if I cut my nails on a Wednesday.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 8, 2011 4:40:56 GMT
Annie, I just know a few medicinal uses for rue and the only other folklore use I've heard of is that it's used in "limpias" (spiritual cleansings) in Mexico. I assume when you say "we are not allowed to use", you're talking about your profession, right? For healing uses of rue, go here, #51. Interesting customs, Cheery. I think the one about looking at the new moon through glass migrated to the new world. I've also heard that sleeping with the full moon in your face will lead to madness or at least nightmares. Never heard the magpie one before and the military aspect to it is fascinating! The shoe one reminded me of a belief or two about hats, although I don't remember them well. I think one says that the first one of a newly married couple to throw his/her hat on the bed will be the first to die. This obviously dates from a time when people all wore hats. And putting a hat on the bed in general is bad luck, again something about death. What will happen if you cut your nails on a Wednesday, HW? You've already lived to tell about it, at least.
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