ESL NEWSLETTER a Publication from Spring Semester 2009 English As a Second Language Students
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ESL NEWSLETTER A publication from Spring Semester 2009 English as a Second Language Students Superstitions as a Part of or avoid doing in their everyday life out of fear that something bad will happen. For example, Russian Culture people do not whistle indoors because they By Olga Betzel Every culture has a certain set of beliefs might lose all their money, if they do. I have that reflect its history and the way its people been living in the USA for about a year and still view the world. These beliefs can be either do not feel comfortable hearing somebody rational or irrational. For centuries people all whistling indoors or in the car. In Russia, as over the world tried to explain things they did well as in some other cultures, talking about not understand, and one of the ways to get future success, especially boasting about it is control over the considered bad luck. It’s safer to be silent or to unexplainable was to sound pessimistic until the success has been believe in superstitions. achieved even when one is sure of success. If Despite the fact that you cannot help yourself, after saying, “Next modern science has month I will get a promotion”, immediately spit proved most of the three times over your left shoulder. Don’t do it irrational beliefs wrong and literally – three symbolic spits will do. You can senseless, in some also knock on wood. Knocking on wood is cultures people still, cling to practiced in Russia as well as in other superstitions in their countries; however, everyday life. Russians tend to add a I was raised in Russia, a country symbolic three spits over abundant in superstitious beliefs, but I never one's left shoulder (or thought about the nature of these beliefs until I simply with the head moved to the United States and saw a different turned to the left), and culture. In the U.S., people do not care much Russians will often knock about the supernatural forces and ill omens; three times as well. they look at things in a very materialistic way. Traditionally one was After seeing the differences in the two cultures, spitting on the devil, who I realized that superstitions are truly an is always on the left. important part of Russian mentality which Another very popular superstition has to reflects its ancient do with flowers. If you want to get off on the and modern history wrong foot with a Russian woman, give her an as well as the nature even numbers of roses; even numbers in of Russian people. Russia are for funerals. She will think that What is a something is wrong with you. I am lucky “Russian because my husband even though he is superstition”? It is American, knows about this superstition and something that always puts an additional rose for me in the Russian people do traditional American bouquet of dozen roses. 1 The list of popular Russian superstitions with words, “domovoj, you have played can go on and on like an endless train. They enough; give it back to us now.” After that, we encompass every aspect of life from birth until usually found the missing thing. My mother death. Many of the superstitions come from also used to tell me that coming back home for folk tales or fairy stories, Russian Orthodox forgotten things is a bad omen, and it is better tradition, or have peasant roots. Since most to leave it behind, but if returning is necessary, Russians are only one or two generations from one should look in the mirror before leaving the the farm or village, house again. Otherwise, the journey, will be superstitions are wide bad. Everybody in my family used to look in the spread not only in the mirror in that case. Every time before leaving rural areas of Russia, the house for a long journey all my family where people believe in would sit together for a moment in silence. It witches and magic spells was a time “to sit and think” of anything we and blame health might have forgotten. troubles on the evil eye, Many superstitions became customs and but also in the big traditions. For example, when someone metropolitan cities like Moscow and St. sneezes, Russians say, "Be healthy”. Petersburg. Otherwise, the sneezing person will get sick. I Russians are raised with these think 99% of Russians think this “Be healthy” superstitions, so they have no need to consult thing is just a tradition. But actually, it’s a a manual. Everybody in Russia knows that if a superstition whose cat in your house washing its face it means meaning was you should expect guests soon; if you have the forgotten long ago. It hiccups, someone is remembering you at this took me several moment; if your nose itches, you'll be drinking months of life in the soon, or you will get hit in the nose; if your right USA to give up telling hand itches, you're going to get money soon; if someone who your left hand itches, you're going to give sneezes to “Be someone money. People all around the world healthy”, but I still think that kitchen utensils are just instruments keep saying these words in my mind, just in for eating and cooking, but Russians have case. found another meaning for this. People in I believe there are two major reasons Russia know that if a fork or a spoon falls on why people in Russia still cling to superstitions the ground, they should expect a female guest; in their everyday life. For the last hundred if a knife falls, a male guest will show up soon! years, life in Russia has lacked stability. Superstitions in Russia are passed on Constant political and economic changes have from generation to generation like a box of made people worry about the future and left family’s treasures. I have learned about the them feeling helpless. When people do not strange meaning of things from my family. My have anything to hold on to, they turn to mother did not let me sit at the corner of the superstitions. Superstitions give a certain table for the fear that I would never get degree of confidence, encouragement, and married. She also control. For example, students never wash always reminded their hair before an exam for the fear of me not to place an forgetting everything they empty bottle back know. Of course, it does not on the table. That is make any sense, but it sure considered bad helps those who did not study luck. My father feel better. The second recommended to reason is hidden inside the me not to start anything serious on Mondays. If Russian national character. It something is lost in the house, my mother is easier for a Russian to usually addressed a “domovoj”, an imaginary blame the misfortunes of his or her life on creature that supposedly lives in every house, supernatural forces than on his or her own 2 mistakes. It can be blamed on a black cat or a A Powerful Celebration - “The Day of Dead” woman with an empty bucket, or whistling By Maria “Teresa” Reyes inside the house - anything that one can The Day of the Dead is a very special possibly think of. It is amazing that even if one ritual in which Mexicans celebrate in many or several birds defecate on a Russian, he will towns and cities. There are many activities like satisfy himself with thoughts that it was for a parades where people dress in scary costumes good luck! Moreover, it is so tempting for a mainly skeletons, witches, ghosts, and Russian to eat a lucky bus ticket, when the vampires. sum of the left three numbers equals to the Churches mass, sum of the three numbers on the right, to be plays, and outdoor happy forever! markets which sell There are, however, a few things that all kinds of items most Russians are not superstitious about at related to the all. Most Russians are not particularly holiday, but the concerned with the number 13, opening most magnificent umbrellas indoors or walking under a ladder, activity is a very old but it is just a drop of common sense in the tradition in which all ocean of prejudices. Mexican families Ultimately, the Russian people may gather to honor our believe in superstitions for a number of ancestors through reasons - out of fear of tempting fate, out of altars at home or in graveyards. habit, or just to be on the safe side, but the fact Two days before the celebration of the is that superstitions have played a very Day of Dead, my mother, sisters and I set up important role in the life of Russian people on a table the altar, which is decorated with throughout history. It is something that we, different kinds of fruits like apples, tangerines, Russians, have lived with for centuries, oranges etc. We include bread of the dead, something that we do consciously and made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, orange unconsciously in order to get through the peel, anise and yeast. The bread is adorned difficulties of ever changing life. with strips of dough simulating bones, and at the top, a small round piece of dough symbolizes tear drops. Sugar skulls are decorated with paper foil for eyes and colored icing for hair. Candles, special dishes, marigolds and glasses filled with water, juice, milk or chocolate are also on the altar. Moreover, we put up some photographs of my grandmother and my uncle, who both passed away several years ago.