Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for 798 returned 112 results.
SCHOOL CUSTOM
DURING GRADUATION, ALL GRADUATES WALK IN WITH THEIR
TASSELS ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AND AFTER ALL HAVE
RECEIVED THEIR DIPLOMAS THEY FLIP THEIR TASSELS
TO THE LEFT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
HAWAIIAN DEATH CUSTOM
IN THE 'OLDEN DAYS' WHEN A MAN'S WIFE DIED, HE
WOULD POKE HIS EYE OUT WITH A STAKE AND POUND
HIS HEAD AGAINST A ROCK UNTIL ALL OF HIS TEETH
FELL OUT FOR MOURNING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 04-08-1971
HAWAIIAN DEATH CUSTOM
WHEN A PERSON DIES, HIS MOURNERS STRING FLOWERS ON
TOOTHPICKS, PUT THEM IN A ROUND BLACK TUBE
(ONE FOOT X SIX INCES), PUT THEM ON STANDARDS AND
CARRY THEM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 04-08-1971
THE BIRTH OF A CHILD IS ANNOUNCED IN GLENDALE, OHIO
BY PLAYING NURSERY RHYMES ON CHURCH BELLS. THEY PLAY
"LITTLE JACK HORNER" FOR A BOY AND "MARY HAD A LITTLE
LAMB" FOR A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 10-00-1971
PROPER NAME
I WAS NAMED AFTER ST. CHRISTOPHER.
FOR WHEN MY FATHER WAS GOING TO SCHOOL
HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT AND
WORKING FOR FORD, HE DID A LOT OF DRIVING.
THEREFORE, MY FATHER AND MOTHER DECIDED
TO NAME THEIR FIRST BORN CHRISTOPHER SINCE
HE WAS THE PATRON OF TRAVELERS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT STILL SAYS A PRAYER TO ST.
CHRISTOPHER EVERY MORNING BEFORE HE
STARTS OUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Baptism Naming rite SPEECH -- Proper Name |
HAPPY IS THE BRIDE THE SUN SHINES ON!
HAPPY ARE THE DEAD THE RAIN FALLS ON!
Submitter comment: INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HER SISTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | 860 Belief Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.546 |
THE FIRST BORN SON TAKES THE FATHER'S NAME AS HIS MIDDLE NAME.
Submitter comment: THIS TRADITION DATES BACK TO THE EARLY 1700'S
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. |
Date learned: 01-00-1968
EASTER EGG GAME
ON ORTHODOX EASTER, EVERYONE IN THE FAMILLY DYES HARDBOILED EGGS
DEEP RED. THEN EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY PICKS OUT AN EGG AND
TRIES TO BREAK THE OTHER'S EGG BY HITTING THE TWO END TO END.
THE PERSON WHOSE EGG DOESN'T BREAK ON BOTH ENDS WILL HAVE A
LUCKY YEAR.
Submitter comment: THIS IS A RELIGIOUS TRADITION OF THE GREEK OTHODOX
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
Date learned: 03-00-1968
WHEN A CHILD REACHES THE AGE OF 3, PLANT A TREE OF THE SAME HEIGHT
AS THE CHILD AND MEASURE THE CHILD'S GROWTH WITH THE TREE TO SEE
WHICH IS GROWING BETTER. THIS WILL TELL HOW TALL THE CHILD WILL
BE IN THE FUTURE.
Submitter comment:
THE TRADITION WAS PASSED THROUGH THE FAMILY, BUT THE PROCESS WAS
LOST WHEN THE FAMILY MOVED FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO DETROIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of space: distance, height, depth BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 01-00-1966
To insure that a healthy baby will be born, make a sign of the
cross on the mother's belly every day before delivery.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Birth SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Method of determining who is "it"
"My mother and your mother were hanging up clothes. My mother
socked your mother right in the nose. What color of blood came
out? Red. R-E-D."
Submitter comment:
In this song, each person holds out a fist, and the leader
sings the song while touching each fist in the circle. The fist
which is being pointed to at the end of the song is not "it." And
the song is sung and fists are pointed to until everyone's fist is
eliminated except for the last person. The last person is then
"it." At the time in the song above, the person who has their
fist being pointed to when the singer is singing,"What color of
blood came out?" gets to choose the color of blood he wants. Then
the singer must spell out the color, pointing to a different fist
when he sings a new letter. When he is done spelling the color,
then the fist he is pointing to is "it" because that is the end of
the song.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Method of determining who is "it"
Ink-a-bink-a
Bottle-a-ink-a
The cork fell out-a
And you stink-a
Submitter comment:
This is a song we used to sing while trying to determine who
would be "it" while playing childhood games. In this song, each
person holds out a fist, and the leader sings the song while
touching each fist in the circle. The fist which is being pointed
to at the end of the song is not "it." And the song is sung and
fists are pointed to until there is only one person left. This
person is "it."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Riddle
Have you ever seen Indian snow? Look there is Apache here and
an Apache there. This is when there is a very thin layer of snow
over the grass leaving some of the grass exposed.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
James Callow Keyword(s): pun on patch
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 06-00-1978
How to determine who is "it"
When there is a group of children gathered together, one
member of the group yells, "One, two, three, not it!" The last
person to finish this statement is deemed "it."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Humorous "Jingle Bells"
Jingle Bells, Batman smells./ Robin laid an egg./ The
batmobile lost its wheel/ And the Joker got away. This song is
sung to the tune of "Jingle Bells."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
Keyword(s): Comic book characters
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery |
Date learned: 00-00-1981
HAWAIIAN FESTIVAL
THE ROYALTY ARE BURIED AT A MAUSOLEUM AND AT THE TIME OF
THEIR ANNIVERSARY AND BIRTHDAYS, THE PEOPLE HOLD
CELEBRATIONS: DECORATE THE VAULTS, CHOIRS SING, ETC.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 04-08-1971
HAWAIIAN FESTIVAL
THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT OF A CHILD IS HIS FIRST
BIRTHDAY. IT IS CELEBRATED BY HAVING A "LUAU," WHICH
IS THE NAME FOR THE FEAST OF ROAST PIG THAT THEY HAVE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 04-08-1971
THE POLISH HAVE A CUSTOM WHICH IS THAT THEY COLOR
THEIR EASTER EGGS BY BOILING THEM IN ONION SKINS.
THIS GIVES THE EGGSHELL A BROWN COLOR LIKE THAT
OF THE ONION SKIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs |
Date learned: 00-00-1959
TO BE PLAYED AT A PARTY. EVERYONE LAYS DOWN ON HIS
BACK WITH HIS HEAD ON THE STOMACH OF THE PERSON
BEHIND HIM. THE FIRST PERSON SAYS "HA!" AND THE
SECOND SAYS "HA, HA!" AND SO ON. EVENTUALLY,
EVERYONE BREAKS OUT LAUGHING.
Submitter comment: HE PLAYED THIS AT A PARTY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Bodily Activity Song: Game, Pastime, Sport |
Date learned: 11-03-1967
PARIS IN THE THE SPRING (PRINTED IN A PYRAMID)
THE WORDS ARE ARRANGED IN THE PYRAMID THUS:
PARIS ON FIRST LINE, IN THE ON SECOND LINE, THE
SPRING ON THE LAST LINE.
MOST PEOPLE WILL READ THIS AS "PARIS IN THE SPRING,"
BUT ACTUALLY IT IS "PARIS IN THE THE SPRING." YOU ASK
THE PERSON WHO IS TO READ IT TO READ IT AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
James Callow Keyword(s): OPTICAL ILLUSION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Wit |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN