Talking to dead relatives in dreams could lead to the death of a loved one and putting a mirror in front of an infant’s face could make the child mute, according to Caribbean folklore.
These, and other Caribbean superstitions, were discussed during the Boston University Caribbean student group SPICE’s first meeting of the semester in the Howard Thurman Center in the George Sherman Union last night.
About 20 students gathered to eat traditional Caribbean foods and discuss the myths from their common heritage at the SPICE event.
The students recounted stories of how their parents and grandparents passed on island folklore, pausing now and then to relive anecdotal memories of the past.
“It was interesting to see how we have similar cultural experiences,” College of Arts and Sciences senior Francesca Okolie said.
These beliefs have been passed down orally and still have an effect on students today, SPICE President Daphne Norvin said.
Norvin said she chose to host the night because she thinks it is important to shed light on the cultural traditions and create an environment in which students with Caribbean heritage can reflect on myths in their shared culture.
Dreams have had an important role in Caribbean culture because they can predict upcoming events, Norvin said. Dreaming of fish could mean upcoming pregnancy, while dreams of missing teeth could be an ominous prediction of death.
Home remedies were a popular conversation topic as College of Engineering senior Billy Andre discussed the possibilities of curing childhood asthma by hammering a nail into a tree at the child’s height. The asthma should stop progressing at that mark and the child will grow out of the sickness, myth states.
Other students talked about rituals used to help ward off evil spirits or bad luck, including the common practice of walking into a home backwards after 6 p.m. to ensure harmful spirits do not follow.
Most attendees said they were among the first generation of their families to be born in the United States.
“I don’t [believe it], but I’ll find myself doing it,” attendee Rachel Sajous, a CAS senior, said.
Although most students said they did not necessarily agree with the old traditions of their parents and grandparents, they all agreed the stories were an important link to their past.
“It’s funny sometimes, but the lesson behind [the myths] is important,” Andre said.