SUPERSTITIONS

A L E X I S , A L I C I A , S T E VA N U S B R YA N
 Hello!
About superstition
Indonesia’s superstition
Other countries superstition
Defining bad/good luck superstition
 What is a superstition?

Base on our discussion, we conclude that superstition is an irrational belief or

myth that is developed by misunderstandings of science and casualty. It also
commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy and
certain spiritual beings. It usually includes magics, omens, and ritual
 Bad luck superstition from Indonesia.
If someone cooks a food too salty, it means that the person is in love and
wants to marry him/her
Bad luck superstition from other countries

Japanese : Don’t cut your nails at night

Japanese : Don’t Step on the Border of a Tatami Mat
South Korean : Fan Death superstition
UK : Don’t put new shoes on the table
Canada : Don’t walk under ladders, it will bring us bad luck
Good luck superstition from Indonesia

Placing red onions, red pepper and turmeric in a bag and

hung above the door protects the house and family against
black magic people and negative.

You should avoid sleeping on the floor to psychic attack.

Good luck superstition from other countries

Irish : The Holly Wells

Japan : Cat brings us good luck/fortune
European and Middle Eastern : Lucky Horseshoes
Irish : The Four Leaf Clover
England : Horseshoes
 Superstition associated with good luck

Japan Good luck cat : The cat was seen as an incarnation of the
goodness of mercy that bring good luck to human., because it
saves a federal lord’s life.

Indonesia :
Superstion associated with bad luck

From other countries : South Korea : The Fan Death

 Indonesia Supersition
• If someone cooks a food too salty, it means that the person is in love and
wants to marry him/her

• Avoid cleaning the ears at night as this would lead to bad luck.

• Children should eat a lot of chicken wings, if we want to visit abroad.

• When a dog howls at midnight: a visit to the ancestral spirits.

• I usually do not bite the lower lip, as it brings bad luck.

• Avoid usually biting her upper lip, as this lead many of monetary
obligations in life.
 South Korean : “ The Fan Death “

It is a well known supersition in Korea after the invention of

an electric fan. Having an electric fan running overnight on a
clossed room could kill us by experiencing a suffocation or
hypotherima. Because of this famous supersition, many
companies who make electronic fans started to incorporate
timers in this electric fans so we can turn it off when we are
about to sleep
 Canada : Don’t walk under
ladders, it will bring us bad
luck

• Walking under ladders means that we are a blaspheme.

This superstition is a belief by the Christians. The belief
about Trinity : God is made up of 3 parts and those 3 parts
are considered as a sacred thing. Those 3 parts is shaped as
a triangle, and it is associated with its 3 sides. Since a
ladder that leans up against a building was seen as a
triangle, it means that by walking under the triangle, we
will break the Trinity and it is consider that the person is
part of the devil league.
 Irish : The Holly Wells

In Irish myth, wells are decipted as origination the

other world. Water flows from the other wold to fill
springs or gush forth as rivers such as Boyne and
Shannon. It is believed that drinking the holy water
could bestow the power of other wold such as poetic
inspiration, wisdom, healing, etc. Some people hang a
red colored cloth above the well, it was believed that it
could resist the power of evil spirits. With the advent of
Christianity these springs became known as ‘holy
wells’and their reputed healing water for those who
drink it, it was attributed to local Christian saints.
 (point 4) Israel (Jewish
people) : Sneezing on the
Truth
A traditional belief is that when a person sneezes
during a conversation, whatever has been said by
the person will occur. It could be also a sign of good
fortune or an omen of bad luck. A legend maintains
that a sneeze used to announce a death : The story
is told that until the time of Jacob, a close person of
his life, sneezed and died suddenly. Some ancient
peoples believed that sneezing ensured approaching
eternity.
 Japan : Cat brings us good
luck/fortune
Around 17th-19th century, there was a cat that stood in the door of
“Gotoku-ji”. It is a temple in Japan and it raised its paw in the traditional
gesture of Japan to a feudal lord who was passing by. The lord itself
followed the cat into the temple and a sudden lighting bolt struck the
place where the lord stand before, because of that incident the feudal
lord became a benefactor of that temple and brought much prosperity.
Because of that, cat was seen as an incarnation of the goodness of mercy
that bring good luck to human. The cat itself is called as Maneki Neko.
Because cat is considered lucky, many companies or shops like to own a
ceramic cat figure since it could bring fortune/lucks. (there were many
stories or legend about Maneki Neko, one of the story is told as before)
UK : Don’t put new shoes on the table

Putting a shoe on the table symbolises death.

Many years ago, when a miner passed away, his
shoes would be placed on a table and this is
often how his family would find out about his
death. Due to this, people started to believe that
putting shoes on a table was tempting fate
(doing something risky or dangerous and
relying on luck).
It is not clear why people specifically don’t put
NEW shoes on a table, but one reason could be
that when people used to buy new shoes, there
were nails holding the shoes together. If they
were put on a table, the nails would scratch it.
 SOURCES.

• South Korea : http://www.allkpop.com/buzz/2015/06/15-korean-

superstitions-you-need-to-knowIndonesia :
• Japan : http://blog.asiansecrets.co/myth-and-legend-japanese-superstitions-
on-cat/
• British : https://www.bloomsbury-
international.com/blog/2014/02/07/origin-of-common-british-
superstitions/
• Good luck from other countries :
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/superstitions-and-their-origins.html
• http://www.guy-sports.com/months/bad_luck_trouble.htm