Birthday Folklore Collected by Emanuela Tsesarsky Overview Collected

Birthday Folklore Collected by Emanuela Tsesarsky

Overview • Collected birthday folklore from a variety of genres, but today’s presentation will focus on songs and superstitions

Songs

Item #1 • Informant: Katie Goldstein • Social/Cultural Context – From California, feels like she has a typical American birthday – Katie’s grandmother used to sing this song mother continued tradition – This is sung in the days/weeks leading up to a family birthday

Item #2 • Informant: C. P. (asked not to be identified for the class presentation) • Social/cultural context – From New York, feels like she has a typical American birthday – C. P. ’s grandparents sang this to her mother, who in turn sings it to her (and everyone else in the family) – Sings this throughout the day of the birthday

Item #3 • Informant: Caroline Smith • Social/cultural context – From California, feels like she has a typical American birthday – Caroline’s uncle created this song– it is a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” • They call it the “Black Birthday Song” – This is sung while having cake

Analysis • It’s more important to highlight when the songs are sung as opposed to the lyrics of the songs • Arnold Van Gennep Les Rites de Passage – Rituals are divided into three stages: separation, transition and incorporation • We can understand each of these birthday songs as belonging to a particular stage – Katie’s: separation – C. P. ’s and Caroline’s: incorporation

Superstitions

Item #1 • Informant: Priscilla Salovaara • Social/cultural context – From New Jersey, feels like she has a typical American birthday – Has 4 brothers, which impacts the way birthdays were celebrated in her home – Not sure if she would call this a superstition, or if her dad is just trying to be funny • Item: as kids, they could only open a birthday present on the birthday or anytime after. They were not allowed to open a present before the birthday

Item #2 • Informant: Emanuela Tsesarsky • Social/cultural context – From New York, feels like she has a typical American birthday – Father is from Ukraine and has many superstitions/rituals that he has passed down • Item: Emanuela was never allowed to have a birthday party before her actual birthday. She could have it the day of or any day after

Analysis • Rituals always mark natural events – Presents/birthday parties mark a full revolution around the sun • Want to make sure that the ritual is not done before the natural event – Perhaps bad luck: maybe the natural event won’t happen if we perform the ritual too soon

Thank you!