Monday, January 25, 2016

A Portfolio of Superstitious Beliefs 1: Kalachuche or frangipani growing in the front of a house brings bad luck.

Dr Abe V Rotor
 
1. Kalachuche or frangipani growing in the front of a house brings bad luck.

2. A cogon grass tied around the one’s head or waistline is a protection against lightning, especially in the open field.

3. If the money spent on wedding was borrowed, the couple will always be in debt.
 

4. A pregnant woman should not scratch her tummy, otherwise she will develop stretch marks.

5. Bite the tip of your new shoes to avoid developing blister (paltos or kapuyo Ilk).

6. A conceiving mother who enjoys looking at the corn hair will give birth to a brown-haired baby.
7.Peanuts eaten raw will make one intelligent.

 
8. Pomelo (Citrus maxima) growing in front of, or bear a house, brings bad luck.

9. Katuray (Sesbania grandiflora) planted in front of a house might bring about a broken home or the disruption of good family relationships.

10. A woman should not be the first to gather sweet potato (kamote), otherwise the roots will crack.

11. Bury a big coconut shell along with the first potato yam seedling in order that the plant with produce big roots.

12. One must not spit in the fields while planting because it brings bad luck.

13. Offering native cakes under the tree will please the spirits (anitos).

14. Eating malunggay (Moringa oleracea) when somebody dies will cause another death to follow.

15. Certain seasons during which children become suddenly fond of playing games like sungka, marbles, jackstone. And the like, are expected to bring good harvest.

16. Playing sungka is bad because of the nature of the game to “kill” your opponent.

17. Do not plant on Tuesdays and Fridays because they are unlucky days.

18. Bury some pieces of beeswax along with squash seeds when planting so that the fruits produced will be glutinous (malagkit).

19. A person who eats any ripe fruit that is partly eaten by a mouse will develop twinkling eyes.

20. Do not eat leafy vegetables on New Year’s Day else you will be sickly the whole year.

21. Don’t cook leafy vegetables at the time of planting otherwise the plants will wither.

22. Don’t harm the seƱora, the matron rat; otherwise it will destroy more things in the house. In India rats are believed to be the re-incarnation of dead ancestors. Sometimes rats are called kabas, meaning little children, so that they are often treated with favor.

23. Papaya with fruits borne on elongated stem (peduncle) is said to be bisexual (bakla). The male papaya bears only staminate flowers, never any fruit; while the female produces the typical fruits we are familiar with.

24. Avoid mending clothes at night; it might cause blindness.

25. Avoid taking home food in a wake; otherwise a close relative is going to die.

26. Cat purring means it is comfortable in your company and care.
 

27. During funeral never look back, otherwise somebody is going to die.

28. Walking under a ladder brings bad luck.

29. If ants transfer to another place, the rainy season is near.

30. You will increase in height if you jump at exactly 12 o’clock noon.

31. Never buy needle at night, it will rust, so with the rest of the needles.

32. If you keep a cactus, you will remain single forever.

33. If a butterfly lands on you it means you are visited by the soul of a close relative.

34. Loves me, loves me not, is a favorite wish game, plucking petals of a flower one by one until you reach the last.

35. If a bee enters your house, it’s a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee you will have bad luck or the visitor is unpleasing one.

36. A swarm of bees settling on the roof is an omen the house will burn down.

37. A bird that enters the house is a sign of death.

38. If you blow all the candles out with a single puff, you will get your birthday wish.

39. The elevator does not open on the 13th floor.

40. It’s bad to expose a pregnant woman’s belly to photo flash – she will give birth to a baby with physical defect.

41. It’s bad luck to cut nails on Fridays and Saturdays.

42. Our shadow is our soul. A person who thinks he does not have any shadow will be mistaken to be a devil.

43. When a pencil suspended with string is placed over the wrist of a pregnant woman, and swings along the length of the arm, the baby in the womb is a likely a boy. If it swings across the arm the baby is a girl.
 

44. Banana with freckles and discolorations means it is sweet.

45. Water the plants with hugas bigas (rice washing), and they will grow fast and healthy.

45. Don’t take a bath during the wake of an immediate family member.

47. Put salt on the lower corners of the door jamb before going out of the house.
 

48. Egg shells induce flowering of orchids.

49. Place charcoal inside a refrigerator to remove bad odor. Vinegar does the trick, too.

50.  Wipe kitchen and dining tables with mild solution of natural vinegar to repel ants and other vermin. ~

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