WHERE A DUPPY LIVES 

Even though it is March 12th already, it is very cold and snowy outside. Therefore, I decided to choose some warm and sunny country to make this day less doom and grey. The first name that came to my mind was Jamaica.

Jamaican culture has been influenced by the indigenous peoples of the region, African slaves and the Europeans. Therefore, superstitions of this country are also blended and are the same as the ones in Germany, Spain and England. Here we will take a brief look at some of the most popular in Jamaican culture today.

When a new life is born:

• A baby boy who resembles his mother, as well as a baby girl who resembles her father, will be lucky.
• If a pregnant woman climbs a fence, her child will become a thief.
• A pregnant woman must be given whatever food she is craving or the child will have a birth mark resembling the food.
• When a child is born, his/her umbilical cord must not be allowed to fall on the floor. The mother must guard it and, within three days of the birth, must bury it in the ground. A tree is to be planted on the spot, which will be known as the child's naval string tree.

When a life is taken away:

• If a black moth hovers around a particular person, it means that a family member has died and his/her spirit came in form of moth to tell about it.
• When leaving a wake (a celebration of a person who has recently passed away), simply touch the person who should be leaving with you. If you verbalize your intentions, the ghost of the deceased person will follow you home.
• On your way home from a wake, walk backwards and spin three times. If a ghost is following you, it won’t be able to do it after this ritual. The belief is that ghosts can only walk in a straight line.
• Widows and widowers must wear red underwear to prevent their deceased spouses from coming back and having sexual intercourse with them (I find this one very funny even though the topic is sad).
• When a loved one passes away it is very important for each family member to say goodbye to the corpse. Children are lifted up and passed over the corpse while saying their name. If not to perform this task correctly, the spirit of the deceased person coming will come to haunt the mourner. The same is true for anyone allowing their tears to fall on the body.

It is very interesting to see how important it is for Jamaicans to meet a new life and let it go in correct way. Life is a priceless gift; therefore, it must be honored and respected even after its ending.

SUPERSTITIOUS CUBA

I could not decide which country to write about for a long time. However, when I saw a man walking along the street and smoking a Cuban cigar, I understood it is a good sign. As a result, I managed to find a lot of various and impressive Cuban superstitions.

As Cuban society consists of atheists, catholics and African religion followers, their superstitions and beliefs created a bright and impressive mix which is worth our attention:

• Having the last drink, never say "el ultimo", or you will die soon.

• A little bit of rum is poured in the room’s corner as an offering for the dead.
• Making a toast with a glass of water will bring you tears, but spilling water accidentally on the dinning table is good luck.
• If you leave a glass of water at your bedside overnight and there are bubbles in the glass the next morning, a good chance that you are surrounded by good spirits.
• When the New Year comes you take a full bucket of water and throw all the water on the street to “clean” your house from all the bad things.
• If you have an enemy and want to protect yourself from him, freeze his name. It is believed that if you put a piece of paper in the freezer with the full name of the person who is trying to harm you, neither bad thoughts nor actions from that person can hurt you.
• If you are pregnant, and a boy you know but have not seen in a while runs TOWARDS you, you are having a girl.  If he runs AWAY from you, you are having a boy.
• Never place your purse on the floor, or your plans will be destroyed.
• Placing scissors on the bed will bring you a fight with a loved one (especially if your SO will sit on them).
• Wearing your clothes inside out means that you will receive a present very soon.
• Itch in the palm of your left hand means you will soon get some money, while in the right one means shaking hands with someone (either friend or just guest).

I hope you found something interesting for you. Just remember that itchy palms and inside out clothes could also be a signal that it's time to wash your hands and be more attentive next time)) See you next week.

WHERE LA SEINE RUNS

Bonjour, my dear friends. Today I decided to search for some more superstitions in country of wine, cheese and croissants. France is famous for its highly developed culture, interesting genuine traditions and most adventurous love affairs in the whole Europe.  Therefore, if you go to France or have French friends just remember the following:

 

·         Mind your behavior with bread. If you try handing the French an upside-down loaf, they may throw it back in your face. Apparently handing someone a loaf of bread upside-down (or placing it on the table upside-down) brings both the giver and the recipient hunger and bad luck.

·         This superstition is very funny for me. In France, a dog poo is considered to contain the luck bestowing powers. If you step in dog poo with your left foot, good luck will follow you. Beware stepping on it with your right foot though as this means there’s even worse luck to come!

·         If you don’t want to attract bad luck, never cross a French stream holding a cat. And if a black cat crosses your path at night then prepare for some bad fortune coming your way.

·         French wives should never iron their husband's pants whilst wearing a belt – it will lead to him suffering kidney pain.

·         With all this bad luck around, if you are moving, bring the table in first. You will have excellent health in your new home.

·         When it comes to smoking, never light a cigarette from a candle, because the old wives tale says this will result in the death of a sailor, or he will at least lose his job. If you light a prayer candle in a church, always do it from a match or a lighter and never from another candle. If you do, then your wishes and good will will be transferred to whoever the first candle was lit for.

And last but not least: if you have a big fly or a dragonfly in the house, you’ll soon have company. Just check whether your ears are buzzing as it can help you to guess who is talking about you and will come soon.  See you next week :)

WHITE LOTUS IN FIRE

Welcome to the heart of Asia. Today I decided to write about the most common and unusual Chinese superstitions. During my research I noticed that the Chinese pay a lot of attention to colors and numbers; therefore, I have chosen the most interesting ones.

The importance of colors  

• ·       Red is the color of blood or life and will bring happiness, wealth, fame, and good luck. Because of this belief, red cloth or paper is always used during the funeral to cover statues of deities.
•         White is the color of mother's milk. It symbolizes moderation, purity, honesty and life and balances red and black. This color is also used in funerals. According to the tradition, white cloth must be hung across the doorway of the house.
•         Black is the color of feces and is associated with evil, disaster and bad fortune. Wearing black, blue or gray will bring bad luck to the marriage.
•         Wedding clothes should be red, yellow and/or white.

Lucky and unlucky numbers

•         The luckiest number is eight because it also means "prosper".
•       The unluckiest number is four as it sounds like the Chinese word for death. The number 44 is considered to be the worst one as it means you are sure that you will die soon.
•       Seven can also signify death.
•       The number one means loneliness. That’s why Chinese boys never give 1 flower to their significant others.
•       The number "9" is good, because nine in Cantonese sounds like the word "sufficient".
•       The number of steps in a staircase, the same as flowers in a bouquet, should be even-numbered.

As you can see colors and numbers are very symbolic in China. It is very important to remember these small details as you can be kicked out of the wedding ceremony because of your blue shirt or dress, or get a slap because of one odd rose.

Stay bright and happy. See you next week :) 

Women...

Welcome to the always sunny and extremely superstitious Turkey. This country is famous not only for its crystal clear waters and white sands, handsome and rich men, but also for their perception of a woman. With flow of history, the role of women in Turkey was constantly changing and developing; as a result, a lot of superstitions appeared where woman is the main character, usually negative one.

 If you are planning to visit Turkey one day, just remember a few most interesting beliefs:

•   If you are walking along the street, never walk in between two women as you will lose your beard very soon (unless you are the woman with beard and want to get rid of it);
•   If a woman passes in front of a man, it is for bad luck;
•   If a woman passes in front of a hunter, the hunt will be unsuccessful;
•   If a woman drinks only the half of her cup of tea, she will become a widow very soon;
•   If a young woman wears or simply tries on the ring of a married man, her marriage will be unhappy;
•   If a woman eats eggs while being pregnant, her future child will be very naughty;
•   If a pregnant woman is asking for something, her baby will resemble the man who helps her;
•   If a woman walks in between two men, she will become non-fertile;
•   A relative of a woman who sees penis in her dream will die;
•  A person who sees a girl child in his/her dream receives bad news.

I think you have already understood it is better not to pass in front of men, walk in between 2 people of the same gender, try somebody's rings and tell about your dreams. And always remember to drink your tea till the end.

I hope you found something new for you. See you next week in China.

Cheers!

Hallo. Today we are going to get a bit closer to German drinking superstitions as alcohol is a major part of the German culture. The German laws regulating alcohol use and sale are some of the least restrictive ones in the world. Its legislation is not designed to keep young people away from alcohol completely, but rather to teach them an appropriate way of alcohol consumption.

If you are going to drink with Germans, instead of waving, knock on the table. According to the legend, the table was traditionally made of Oak tree. Since the devil is unable to touch Oak, this lets the others know that you are not the devil. This makes the people feel like they are in a safe environment.

Once you proved, you are not the devil, remember one simple rule: NEVER, ever say "cheers," or "Prost," with water in Germany. Even if it was meant to be a joke, you are literally wishing death on all your drinking partners. It means you want your friends to be dead. If it is not what you want, drink your water silently.

 If you want to attract good luck, drink three or more drinks with the groom immediately before the wedding. To do it, you can even steal a bride to make the wedding more interesting. 

Our drunk journey is coming to the end. Drink healthy and see you next week in Turkey!

TSOK-TSOK THE EGG

Today we are going to Ukraine to taste some exotic superstitions. Many of them came to my culture from ancient times together with the pysankarstvo. A pysanka is a Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk ornaments using a wax-resist method. 

It is believed that the fate of the world depends upon the pysanka. As long as the pysankarstvo lives, the world will exist and abandoned evil – a horrible serpent forever chained to a cliff – will not break free.

You must be very careful as a witch can steal your pysanka and use its shell to gather dew to dry up a cow's milk or to poke people and sicken them. The egg shell had to be ground up carefully or broken into pieces and tossed into a running stream. 

Did you know? 

• Blessed pysanky are still used to find demons hidden in the dark corners of a house;

•      The older people should be given pysanky with dark colors and rich ornaments as they have already lived long and filled life;

•      The young people should be given predominantly white pysanky because their life only started;

•      A girl should never give her boyfriend a pysanka without an ornament on the top and at the bottom of an egg as the boyfriend would soon lose his hair;

•      Everybody who tramples on a pysanka will be punished by God with a variety of diseases.

 I hope you found something interesting for you. Keep an eye on your eggs and see you next week in Germany. 

Check out this link about pysankarstvo in Canada.