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Art, Culture & Lifestyle - Dante Alighieri Society in Hong Kong
Italy is a country where superstitions reign: from lucky charms to those always wearing the same clothes or shoes for a big event…And let’s face it, you also have your own “just in case” rituals, don’t you?!
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The origins of such folk beliefs are the most varied: from Ancient Rome to our grandparents’ rural tradition. They have been handed down through generations, up to our days. And we bet in the future there will always be someone counting the misfortune years coming after breaking a mirror!
For all the superstitious out there, we are here to give you all the useful tips and secrets to drive away any bad luck. We will go through the most popular beliefs, the story behind and most importantly, the remedies!
Let’s find out some new dos and don’ts!
IT’S NOT TRUE… BUT I BELIEVE IT TOO!
- ITALIAN FOLK BELIEFS AND REMEDIES
SLEEPING CAN BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU EXPECT!
The bed is our sacred place, the place where we leave our thoughts behind and give ourselves a well-deserved rest at the end of the day. But that’s not all.
Have you ever been told that the position you sleep in might not be the right one? According to popular belief, especially in southern Italy, it is advised to avoid sleeping with your feet facing the door. This position is in fact the same one in which deceased people are left to “rest”. Not only will this position bring bad luck, but it is also considered disrespectful towards the people who are no longer with us.
However, this is not the only Italian belief regarding our sleep. Many believe that leaving a hat on the bed is bad luck for whoever sleeps in it. In the past, when someone was ill and would call for either the doctor or the priest, these people would usually come to take care of the ill and in the haste would leave their hats on the bed. This is why leaving a hat on a bed is a bad sign as it reminds of an eternal rest rather than a nap.
DO NOT OPEN THE… UMBRELLA!
In Hong Kong, always remember to take your umbrella with you before leaving the house. However, in Italy, remember not to bring your umbrella with you when entering the house!
According to an all-Italian belief, opening umbrellas indoors not only would be an inconvenience but would also bring a significant amount of bad luck. The origins of this superstition are several. One dates back to Ancient Rome when umbrellas were used as protection from both rain and sun. Whoever dared to open an umbrella indoors was not respecting the God of the Sun and therefore would bring a great deal of misfortune to the family. Later on, the superstition evolved into the idea that opening umbrellas indoors would bring financial troubles, as umbrellas were used to plug holes in damaged roofs.
The last and creepiest origin behind the superstition is that the shape of an umbrella is similar to a canopy, a tent that is usually held over the head of the priest who brings the final rituals to people on their deathbeds. This is why you should hurry to go buy an umbrella stand so that no one will bring an open umbrella to your house!
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL…
This is one of the most common superstitions worldwide. Who has never broken a mirror? If this happens to you, there are more things you should worry about rather than just collecting the fragments. The popular belief is that breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck to you. The reason behind the number seven might derive from the ancient Roman belief that a person’s life was renewed every seven years. This superstition is most likely linked to the symbolic value of mirrors: they have always been considered ‘magical’ objects, capable of duplicating everything, including people. This is why ancient people thought that damaging the reflected image of a person was somehow equivalent to harming the person in real life.
In ancient Greece, mirrors were used to foretell the future; if during the ritual the mirror slipped and broke, it would mean that misfortune was coming.
As the famous fairytale says “Mirror, mirror on the wall…” we should all try to keep it that way or we should be prepared to face a lot of bad luck!
MIND THE LADDER!
What can be more dangerous than an umbrella? A ladder, of course!
The ladder is a common symbol in many religions, as it symbolises the path towards the ‘divine light’. Stepping under a ladder would clearly mean that you are going in the opposite direction. During the Middle Ages, the shape of the ladder resembled a triangle, the symbol of the Holy Trinity. Going under it meant breaking the sacred bond and attracting the sympathies of the devil. To avoid infernal encounters, the most intrepid Italians would walk under the ladder with their arms and fingers crossed. Another origin behind this superstition goes back to medieval times when enemies would try to take control of castles and try to go in by using ladders. In order to avoid the invasion, the guards of the castles would pour boiling oil or tar on the enemies who were climbing on the ladders. This might be why some people are reluctant to walk under ladders, even if nowadays the risk of having tar poured on you is low, you can still risk some paint falling on your hair, so you never know!
PUT THOSE FEET UP!
“I’m sweeping the floor, put your feet up or you won’t get married”. Every Italian girl who is single has probably been told this at least once in her life. But you may wonder what the connection between cleaning and the chances of matrimony is. The belief suggests that sweeping over unmarried girls’ feet would wipe out their chances at marriage. This is probably due to the fact that in the past a woman who accidentally swept on her feet with a broom was not good at cleaning and therefore, not a suitable wife.
So if you are thinking of getting married soon, make sure to take a big step away from anyone who is sweeping the floor, just to play safe.
