Superstitions in the DR

[toby]

My daughter has cultivated a new friendship with a dominican canadian child at her school. On a recent visit he was very interested to know why we have sets of bells at the front door. I explained that they are there due to an old superstitious belief that the bells would ward off evil and are placed there as an advanced warning should spirits enter the home.(Foolish yes, but an old and long standing tradition of the family, and a great way to display our collection of bells from all over the world).
This young dominican child grasped the concept and told us of some of his families superstitions making for an interesting conversation. Was wondering if the DR1 folks would like to elaborate on the Dominican Republic superstitions they have come across over the years? Would make for some interesting reading..
Looking forward to the posts...
Toby

[NY1]

I don't know if its superstition, but just about every dream you have, has a symbolic number attached to it. Of course you have to play a "parle" for that number, otherwise end up kicking yourself if the number happens to hit.

Oh yeah, never open the fridge after you iron and don't cross your eyes while a rooster is crowing.

[toby]

Originally Posted by NY1

I don't know if its superstition, but just about every dream you have, has a symbolic number attached to it. Of course you have to play a "parle" for that number, otherwise end up kicking yourself if the number happens to hit.

Oh yeah, never open the fridge after you iron and don't cross your eyes while a rooster is crowing.

Thanks NY1
...very interesting as I have a french Canadian uncle who swears by picking his lottery numbers from his nightly dreams. (Over the years we have nicknamed him Lucky Marcel as he seems to have won lots of small jackpots). What will be interesting is how the Dominican superstitions relate or are similar to other culture's supersitions. Keep them coming please...
(there is in the archives a thread on this subject that is interesting but as it is a few years old maybe the moderator and new DR1 people can keep this thread alive.
My interest would be supersitions of the home, family and social supersitions...and why do you think these superstitions still exist...any other takers other then NY1...?
Toby

[El Tigre]

One my family always uses is to put cermic elephants with their A$$ facing to the front of the house. I believe it is done for "good luck".

Edited to add dollar marks since you can't say the actual word.

[Susanita]

You have to have a 'cubo de agua' (a bucket of water)placed at the furthest corner of your house the week of New Year's. Thennn exactly at midnight you dump the water out the backdoor. The belief is you gather all the bad spirits/feels of the year and you dump them out to not come back the following year.

Always have your 'asabache' (this is more cuban influenced than anything) - a little black stone usually given to a baby as soon as he/she is born and never taken off until someone says it's nonsense - on your body to ward off the 'mal ojo' (evil eye).

Oh, the fridge one..you should never open the fridge right after you get up, or any time you are going from warm to any cold temp change because 'te pasma'. I have never found a translation for 'pasma' except..get sick.

[Forbeca]

If you drop a knife in the kitchen, a male visitor w/b stopping by. If you drop a spoon, it w/b a female.

If a wasp comes into the house it's bad luck.

If a young girl walks under a ladder, she w/ never marry.

[pati]

Originally Posted by Susanita

Oh, the fridge one..you should never open the fridge right after you get up, or any time you are going from warm to any cold temp change because 'te pasma'. I have never found a translation for 'pasma' except..get sick.

This bares some truth. You should never go from one extreme temperature to another. If you come in from extreme heat and you stand in front of an open refrigerator you risk sending your body into shock and dying. The same reason why they tell you not to drink ice cold water after being exposed to extreme heat.

[toby]

[quote=El Tigre]One my family always uses is to put cermic elephants with their A$$ facing to the front of the house. I believe it is done for "good luck".

..this was one of the superstitions that my daughters new friend told us about. Interesting that elephants are used in the DR as a symbol to ward off evil and bring good luck. We have a family policy that should an elephant ornament be brought into the house the elephant must have its trunk in the air as this is a way of catching good luck from the surroundings it is placed in. My sister told us this one as she has lived and worked on the african continent most of her adult life.
...i wonder if african cultural supersitions is the basis for this one and others and have evolved over the years in the Carrabean areas? Would be interesting to hear of Haitian superstitions , Hebrew superstitions in the Sosua area, or other ex-pat superstitions that have stuck to the DR cultures physic...knot on wood more responses will arrive to this interesting thread.
Toby

[Tom F.]

We werer visiting my wife's friend with new born twins. Another friend had held one of the babies a few days earlier and had her menstration. The baby was getting congested after so they tied a piece of the menstrating friends hair around the baby's wrist. They swear by it.

I used to help a bodega owner friend of mine in Brooklyn and he never let me sweep out the front door, there go your profits. He also had the alter with the half smoked cigar, some plata, some rum, other other knick, knacks (I've seen this in many).

My mother-in-law tells me if I keep letting our two dogs sleep on my son's bed, he won't be able to have children. Another Dominican friend told me it is cats. No problem with dogs he says.

My sister-in-laws always throw the glass on water out the window on New Years, but I see them getting it directly from the sink.

I will have to ask my wife and get more of these.

[MrMike]

Many Dominicans seem to believe that hissing at attractive women from accross the street will make them want you...