Superstitious Rituals: A Cultural Analysis

Superstitious beliefs, whether good or bad, have been established in various cultures for thousands of years Jahoda, (1969), and statistics show that these beliefs continue to exist in today’s society (Newport & Strausberg, 2001, National Science Foundation, 2002, Rice 2003). While these beliefs can be illogical, once it forms part of the culture, it is accepted as the norm (Walsham, 2008). In a study conducted by Aksan, Kisac, Aydin and Demirbuken (2009), it is theorized that for these symbols to have meaning, there has to be consensus among members from the culture within which these symbols emerge. This essay attempts to explain the old age ritual that for a bride to have a lasting and happy marriage she should wear ‘something old, something

This event, common to countries all over the world, depicts the various superstitious rituals that are performed on such occasions (Buckley, 2006). Despite the different alternatives that are available to present day couples, marriage rates continue to escalate (Currie, 1993, Campbell & Wright, 2010), and so too are the different superstitious rituals which form part of this tradition.

Superstition may be defined as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary). Gilovich, 1991, supports this definition by theorizing that the human mind is invariably involved with irrational thoughts, one of them being superstitious thoughts and beliefs. In keeping with this premise, one event lends credence to these customs and beliefs is a wedding

This will no doubt, continue to be a tradition which will be passed down from generation to generation. However, it is important to note that our beliefs and superstitions are formed in the context of the environment in which we live which is created by our family, friends, associates, culture and societal influences. These beliefs, whether good or bad, emanate from a variety of psychological, personal, emotional and subjective reasoning. When these beliefs are formed, several explanations are used in an attempt to justify them, some can be explained from a rational standpoint, while others which are irrational and cannot be understood, are explained by the use of superstition. Whichever perspective is used, as the world evolves and civilization progresses, superstitions that have been handed down from generation to generation remain the same, while at the same time new ones are being formed by the very thoughts and beliefs which originally influenced the superstitious beliefs and rituals which have been inculcated into varying