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Posted on 08/07/2014 3:58:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Growing up in a Latino household meant that there were a lot of hardcore superstitions running rampant throughout daily life. Superstitious beliefs go together with Hispanic homes in the way that rice and beans and chanclas do. They just fit.
From purses on the floor to itchy palms, we've gathered the top eight superstitions every Latino grew up with, and put them in a list, of course. And here they are.
Don't Put Your Purse on the Floor
Listen, you like your money, right? Well you won't have any if you put that purse on the floor. So pick it up, fool. And if there's no where feasible to hang it from, then you'll have to just hold it in your lap while a thousand of your cousins climb all over you, or try to balance it on your knee as your mom lectures you about why you're still single and now broke.
Because you put your purse on the floor, obviously. Itchy Palms Means Dollar Signs
Want to fix that issue you had after you put your purse on the floor? You know, the broke one? Well, you can't if you scratch that itchy palm of yours. If your hands itch -- you knew knew not to scratch. That was bound to get your palm slapped by whatever relative was walking by.
Rather, you were to slip it in your pocket like a normal person, because itching meant money was coming, and where should money go? Your pockets. Everyone knows that.
No Haircuts Til the First Birthday
Or at least tip that kid is walking. You can't cut a child's hair before his first birthday; it will stop them from learning to walk. And then what will you do?!
Every River Had a Version of La Llorona
La Llorona was just about the scariest child-drowning ghost ever. And somehow -- somehow -- the crying ghost who haunts the river happens to be everywhere all at once. She's at every river, every waterway, every anything she can be at, and in every Latino community that ever existed.
Brooms Have Some Serious Powers
Want to make sure your guest leave? Place that broom upside down behind a door, fool! But be careful if you're using it to actually sweep or something; you don't want to run the broom bristles over your single cousin's foot. After all, brushing the foot of a single person will mean that you've destined them to be single forever -- which is a fate worse than death in most Latino households. Just watch the broom. Seriously.
The Teeth Dreams Mean Either A) Death, or B) A Baby
Had a dream that your tooth fell out? Well, someone's gettin' knocked up. Or someone's dying, depending on who you're talking to. Either way, those tooth dreams are pretty darn serious in Latino households, so make sure you pay attention to them.
Not that they didn't already freak you out or something.
Watch Out for Ojo
Feeling bad out of nowhere? Stomachache that won't go away? Eh, it's probably not some bacteria-borne illness. It's just oho. Oh, and you'll need an egg and some old Latino lady who knows what she's doing to remove it.
But don't worry. You get oho by people being envious of you. And stop staring at that pretty girl! You're going to give it to her, too.
Are your ears burning? Oh, it just means someone's talking about you. Better check your friends; they're probably gossiping about whatever you did last week. That's the only reason your ears would burn, you know.
Chupacabras are real.
They’re and they’re fabulous.
Did you get that from a “Wise Latina Woman”? LOL
El chupacabra is a space-alien.
Was this written by Mr. T?
i grew up with the haircuts before first birthday, ojo, La Llorona, and itchy palms... i grew up hearing about these beliefs, but i did not grow up thinking they were true... my parents always relayed these beliefs as beliefs that the old ladies in their little town believed... my parents did not beieve them... i just mentined the itchy palms belief to my son yesterday... i said i have itchy palms, that means i will come into money... and a minute or so later my son said, “let me see your hand.” i gave him my hand, and he put two pennies into it... :)
The only one of these I ever heard of was a version of the drowning ghost. But only one river and it was a guy who jumped after losing his girlfriend to a flood. He would grab any girl who swam by thinking that it was her and he was trying to save her. (How they knew the ghost's motive I am not sure but that was the story)
My grandma on the other hand (not Hispanic) did tell me the one about the ears burning.
One of my friends from Puerto Rico is really serious about this one, but another friend from Mexico doesn't care.
I’m married to a Mexican woman. I haven’t heard of any of these, but I’ve heard a bunch:
- don’t take garbage out at night time or you’ll be throwing out money.
- don’t take an unbaptized baby into a cemetery
- don’t bring a baby or toddler near a pregnant woman or they’ll throw tantrums.
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My best friend in this life was a Latino. He died a few years back.
One time as he and his wife were visiting our house he saw one of the cats heading for the kitty box, and told us an old Latino sayings that if you watched a kitty in the kitty box you would get a stye in your eye.
I’ve had the misfortune of looking over at the occupied kitty box numerous occasions, but fortunately never got a stye in my eye, but then I’m NOT Latino.
"Don't believe that lie about America welcoming our kids"
"There are no freebies for undocumented Mexicans in America. Welfare is only for poor Americans"
"If you cross the border into Arizona and get caught by A guy named Sheriff Joe Arpaio he'll only feeds you stale sandwiches and makes men wear pink underwear before shipping you home"
A lot of this is straight from Spain.
Old peasant stuff.
Oho - the evil eye, pan-European or pan-Mediterranean also.
Nancy pelosi on a good day?
In my family it was if you spilled salt, toss some over your left shoulder. I still do it. Always had to have fresh ham (pork roast), cabbage and especially black eyed peas on New Years Day. Still do. If someone shivered it was because someone was walking over their grave. I never quite figured that out. We’re not latinos. Scotch Irish and Irish.
My dad loved his coffee with apple pie and ice cream was a must. The first time he had that combo in front of some of the locals they kept waiting for him to fall over.
About a month later they were saying, "yes, please" to the coffee with apple pie and ice cream. No one can say no to my mom's apple pie!
No haircut before 1 year? Shoot, I would’ve been happy if my babies HAD hair before they were 1! LOL
Great with Fava beans.
Didn’t finish the article yet, but I have to say I follow that purse on the floor thing. And I was actually told it by a black gal years ago. And she was very, how can I put this? Non-urban? I had no idea this was a Spanish thing. Hey, it works for me!
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