To start off, I have had a pleasant experience writing these essays. While writing these essays, I have learned a lot about my writing process. Since my personal artifact essay was a topic about me I had to incorporate something from my life into my writing. That was the easy part for me, I love using what some may call “author’s tone” which gives the readers an idea inside my head as  well as a detailed description of my writing. While writing an essay like a research paper, it’s hard to incorporate my own experiences and my own tone since it has to come from factual study. Nonetheless, I still enjoy writing these essays and bettering myself as an author/writer. 

The steps I took in order to begin my essays was I took the time to gather up information as well as taking the time to really know my topic well. For example, for my personal artifact, I had background knowledge but I wanted more insight from other cultures who also used the evil eye in their culture or religion. I want to learn something new every time I have to write about my topic. Not only it entertains me but it’s a different opinion or fact on my topic. For my peer interview I had to learn about another person from basically the other side of town. I went in depth, thanks to my questions, about another person’s life who isn’t closely related to me or my friend. I thought it was interesting. In my research paper, the first step I took to begin was again, I took my time researching my topic; which was the subculture of Dominicans and their traditions and myths. I am Dominican myself, so for me to learn more about our traditions and myths, some I don’t even know about, was amazing. Lastly, my mini-ethnography; the first step I took to begin was interviewing Michelle Perez and setting up the questions. I knew I wanted to ask open but yet closed questions and I wanted to go in depth with her Dominican side, I just did not know what the questions were going to be. In the end, we all have to start somewhere, I just thank god it all worked out. 

The steps that I began to revise and finish my major essays was rereading my papers and even going to the writing center. For my first essay, the personal artifact, I went to the writing center for help. This nice lady helped me with grammar problems as well as taking out and putting in phrases in places that were necessary. I feel like going to the writing center gave me confidence in my writing because I had that extra help. The most challenging obstacle I had to face was finding articles in the CCNY library because some of the articles were not found or they wouldn’t be related to my culture entirely. The most successful part was when I did find articles, I knew how to integrate them into my writing and make it fit based on my writing style. 

The mini-assignments, small homeworks, peer reviews, instructor feedback, and class discussions helped me a whole lot when it came to writing these essays. The mini assignments helped me know what to look for when I was writing my essays. The small homeworks like reading the ethnographies would help because it was an example I could look up to. Reading it puts my papers at a high standard. While reading Rick Zollo’s ethnography it made me want to add more of the emotion I saw in my interviews, it made me want to incorporate his writing into my essays but make it my style. Zollo made me want to get more in tune with whoever I interviewed and made me see people in a different light. The instructor’s feedback was very helpful. I often doubt myself because I never know if my ideas are good enough. Asking my instructor is very considerate because 1. He does not have to give me supportive feedback but he does. If I do something wrong he does not put me down, instead he helps me. I would like to thank Joseph Furlong for always supporting me and my work because I would have no motivation if it weren’t for him. The class discussions were helpful because it answered questions I did not need to ask directly. My classmates helped me along the way and it was very considerate of them as well. Talking to a group about the assignment shows you are not alone. Whether it is a question you think is “stupid” or if you are genuinly concerened about your topic, class discussions are always there to help you through difficulties. Finally, the course learning outcomes allowed me to progress as a writer because it allowed me to analyze my writing and learn how to better it. The most challenging was analyzing because if I look at it the moment I write it I see nothing wrong, but if I leave it then come back to it I can pick out my mistakes and fix them. To be completely honest, that was the most challenging and most successful part of being a writer. 

To make my writing style better I would use concepts like, analysis of evidence, summaries, paraphrasing, and even quotations. I would analyze my evidence/quotations to make the reader understand and know where it came from. I would also use summaries and paraphrasing to help the reader understand what my evidence is saying, that way they can come to terms with what they’re reading. I use ethnographies and culture/subculture, informant, insider/outsider, interviewee, rituals/insider phrases/behaviors/group identities in all my essays. I used the terms in my essays so that way I don’t have to use incorrect terminology. Brainstorming and the free writing helped me write some of my analysis for my evidence in my essays since I had to explain to my reader using my own words. Drafting also helped me since I can pinpoint my mistakes easier and fix them before sending in my final draft. MLA formatting as well as citations not only helps me organize my quotes but it can help my audience find where I get my sources. If they are interested, they can also pick up on the links of the sources I use and obtain their own knowledge of the matter. I feel like we all can learn something from each other and I want everybody reading to be enlightened with the words I write and the sources/articles that are in my citations.

To end off on a good note, each semester I take an English class, it has helped me improve more and more and I am very grateful to have a professor who cares about his students and their work. I am not a great author or writer but I know a lot who are and like I said we can all learn from each other. In the end, all the peer reviews, the interviews, the class discussions, is all just a group of people who are being educated by one another. 

PART 1

For my ethnography, I would have to interview someone who is professionally or directly involved in the Dominican culture. I will interview Michelle Perez, she is from the Dominican Republic. She was born and raised in DR and has kept with the culture and its norms her entire life. Michelle should be able to help me get more involved with the culture as well as help me understand more about it. She has been in New York for the majority of her life but that has not stopped her from blending her New York and Dominican culture. I chose her because I know she is directly involved but I still want to know more about her involvement. She is directly involved and I still want to know more. 

The interview took place on a zoom call. We began the interview with introductions. I proceeded with asking her the first question which was “where in Dominican Republic are you from?”. She told me she was from Santo Domingo which is the capital of Dominican Republic. More about Santo Domingo, it is located on the southeast coast of Hispaniola. It was founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus, which is Christopher Columbus’ brother. I then asked Michelle, What are some traditions of her culture?” Her answer was church on Sundays, big parties on big events like birthdays, horasantas. Michelle explained with the hint of amusement in her eye that horasantas are prayers to God. They read parts of the bible and use the rosary. When she was a kid, her mother told her that if she did not behave, she would not get presents from Santa Claus. We both laughed at the thought because I am also hispanic so I can relate. The next question was “what did you do for fun”. Michelle had to think back, she paused for about 5 minutes. She then said “I used to play with my dolls and run outside and play with the other kids”. It brought back memories to when I was a kid playing in the backyard.

I started to get deeper with my questions. I wanted to know more from her youth. The question was “did you go to school in DR? If so how was it?”. Michelle looked at me with sad eyes and said “Yes I did go to school but only for a few months because I moved to New York. But when I did go to school in Dominican Republic, we wore uniforms and the teachers were very strict”. Since she moved to New York I asked “How was the change from DR to NYC? Did it take you long to adjust to the New York American lifestyle?” she responded profoundly, “Yes it took very long since I had to learn the language. There were tall buildings which were not in Dr. Also, it was very fast paced in New York”. I agreed with her because to get anywhere, as a New Yorker we had to walk very fast everywhere. It was funny too because as she was recalling her first moments in NYC she looked scared, like she was having flashbacks. 

To take it back, I asked her if she had any food or souvenirs that are common to bring from DR to NYC? Miss Perez said sweets, cheese, shampoo and conditioner are the most common. I laughed at the weird combo. “What kind of music originated from Dominican Republic” was the second to last question on my list. She said “Bachata”. The last question was “what makes Dominican Republic so different from other countries, for example like Cuba”. She went on to say “The government is different, they’re more liberal than Cuba. The accent is also different. In DR they talk more fast paced”. We closed off our interview and said our farewells and that concluded our interview/ zoom call. I would like to thank Michelle Perez for her time and for being my interviewee. 

PART 2

Watching this documentary, it gave me a new eye opener. The narrator was stating how Columbus founded the island in 1492, colonization took a toll on the island. As being a Dominican born in America, all I have ever known was New York. It wasn’t until my mom wanted me to go to the Dominican Republic to meet my family for the first time. In the documentary, it is shown how hard the residents have it. They have to go through great depths just to make a living. While I was visiting, I saw where my mother lived, and I saw how they have to bathe; I even saw where they would spend their time with other family members. I remember one time we went out to go see one of my mom’s family members and I just remember how old and torn down the place looked. Here in New York, buildings are huge, built of glass and other various mediums. However, in the part of DR I was in, It’s just rock holding everything up. It kind of looked sad. I also remember there were a lot of stray kittens and dogs, it was all so sad. Some were missing a foot or even other parts of their body. Watching this documentary, they made the island look beautiful but deep down there are a lot of people struggling.

Some residents, like a man named Rapahel, struggled for money. Some of them set up carts to sell food and other goods just to get by. This one lady said she did not have enough money to put food on the table or even send her kids to school since her shop was closed down. Another resident said, it was God’s gift to help them live the life they deserve. It takes me back to the interview I had with Michelle and how religion played a part of their traditions. God is in everything they do and they look up to him for guidance. In the documentary it was said how some residents set up shops to buy and sell lottery tickets to make ends meet.They buy the lottery tickets in hopes of getting the mega millions or the jackpot. Residents say they give their all for lottery tickets. 

The beaches as seen in the documentary are beautiful. The beaches are the spot where tourists go the most. However, it was said that there’s a beach close to the residents where some of the trash goes. They still have to swim in there as it is the water closest to them. The beach with the cleanest water is 12 miles from where they stay. It’s crazy because the people swimming look happy to be there even though it’s not the cleanest water. One guy, Nabi from Germany came to the Dominican Republic because of how beautiful it is. He said the cold nights of Germany are nothing compared to the tropics of Santo Domingo. Speaking of beaches and water, the northern part of the island is where a man named JC fishes to get fresh fish for his restaurant. Every day he goes at a certain time to get his catch of the day; he gets a 7 pound fish to supply his needs. 

To end this part, the ending of the documentary was wholesome and heartwarming. The narrator said that despite the economic hardships of the residents, they still live happily. I believe the people make the island and the island is not what makes the people. These people have music nights. It’s a tradition for everyone to come together, young and old, and dance to the music the musicians, which are also the people, produce. The island is so beautiful but not because of the sights but because of how amazing the people are and how they don’t let the obstacles get in their way. They make the most of their situation. 

PART 3

As said in part 2, one of the traditions Dominicans have is music nights. As seen in these photos, is my family out on the town having fun sitting outside. We were all listening to music and dancing the night away. There are also pictures of more things I spoke about in part 2. Enjoy!

Bibliography

Granos, Juan, director. Dominican Republic Documentary. 2011. Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAUlGocK4Y.

What kind of traditions and cultural mythologies do Dominicans practice one might ask? Why is it so important to the culture? Well to find out the answer to the question, let’s start at the beginning. Dominican Republic was not always called or was Dominican Republic. Like American, we also had to gain our independence as well as our freedom. In 1496, Spaniards set up their first Spanish Colony in the Western hemisphere in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). In 1697, The Treaty of Ryswick gave the colonized eastern part of Hispaniola, which is DR now, to Spain. It took 147 years to declare independence. On February 27th, 1844, Santo Domingo declared its independence and became known as the Dominican Republic. Fast forward to 2021 and we have our government. The Chief of State and Head of Government is President Danilo Medina Sanchez. Since our country’s independence we have 38 more constitutions than any country. To add on, our constitution establishes the system of governance as a democratic unitary republic. Living in Santo Domingo as well as being a part of the Dominican culture, we have a lot of myths we pass along through generations as well as traditions. 

Dominican Republic and its people have diverse cultures. In having a widespread culture that means we have very populated traditions. For example, we have a food called Sancocho which is a stew of meat, corn, and vegetables. Some other families or others in different parts of our country make it differently based on their taste. It is mostly enjoyed on holidays. We also have a sport that is known as the common Dominican sport which is baseball. If you step out onto the streets and ask a Dominican man or woman what sport they play, most likely they will say baseball or softball. Moreover, being that baseball is by far the most popular sport in DR, we have men from our island that play in Major League Baseball (MLB). To name the most respected and famous player to come out of Dominican Republic, Juan Marichal is inducted into the hall of fame. Additionally, we also have dance traditions; The most common and admired dance is Merengue. As stated by the article “its suggestive lyrics and erotic dance movements mke it easy to identify”. To those who do not know about Merengue or its origins, it comes from Santo Domingo and consists of a lot of fast paced drums and bass. It is more lively in terms of music as well as its eight step dance. Our dance moves are easy to identify and so is our music. Merengue is fast paced and is an eight step dance in comparison to bachata that is 3 steps and slower than merengue. (Brathwaite)

Culture and traditions is important due to the fact that it is what makes Dominicans unique and ordinary. The food is different from other countries, the style is more Americanized but that is because Dominicans take pride in wearing the best of the best as well as wearing high end designer clothing. In Dominican culture, appearance is very important since it shows your stature. In other words, clothing, more specifically the fabric or what you wear, is used to indicate social standing additionally the degree of a person’s success. Another key point in traditions, Dominicans have a tradition of “besar la mano” or “kiss the hand” . Now it is not literal but more figurative; “kiss the hand” is a sign of respect. Also according to the article on the Dominican traditions “this tradition involves young people “kissing” the hands of their elder family members such as their mom, dad, uncle, and grandad. The term “kissing hands” actually refers to asking for a blessing. A younger person would say something like ‘blessing dad’ and they would respond ‘god bless you, honey”.(Brathwaite) In other words, there is a phrase that is said; the child must present themself to the elder and say “bendicion …”/ “cion…” which means “blessing” and the dots indicate the person that is being said to. To demonstrate, when saying “cion mama/cion papa” we are asking for the blessing of our parents to which they respond “dios te bendiga” or “god blesses you”. Once again, it is commonly used to show honor and respect to the elders in the family. 

As previously mentioned, when introducing yourself or when seeing an elder, for respect one would say “bendicion” or “cion”. In a culture like Dominicans the parenting style is very important in tradition. According to a study published in 2007, “the term respeto has been used to describe the importance of adherence to authority, be it based on age or social position”, respeto in English means respect. Latino/ Hispanic parents condition their children to respect their elders due to their pride. Previously mentioned, Dominicans are very prideful, in that they will govern their kids so in a way the world knows their kids are home trained. Lastly, proves the point of the tradition of respect that is passed down from generation to generation. 

In terms of mythologies in the Dominican culture it is important to know there are multiple mythologies. Mythologies are important in cultures because they are meant to be passed down to every generation. Stories, folklore, and myths are supposed to be remembered and talked about. The one that will be discussed is the myth of the cigupa. The cigupa originated from Javier Angulo Guridi and wrote a novella (short novel) in 1866 titled “La ciguapa” published in 1866. According to the pages of his book “creature that is just three feet tall…it has a marvelously beautiful face and movements… has the golden skin of the authentic Indian, black almond-shaped eyes, soft, lustrous, and abundant hair that…falls down their gorgeous backs all the way to the knees”. The description gives the cigupa, a femininity to it. In the hispanic community some myths relate towards historical backgrounds. In this case, the myth of the cigupa is a “tale of an unconsummated love affair between Jacinto and Marcelina… that is Hispanic families can be understood as a parable for a Hispanic Caribbean grapplings with colonialism and independence, slavery and abolition, imperialism and sovereignty, nation and state”. In other words, the myth of the cigupa along with the love affair is a simple story to tell the world about the misfortunes the Hispanic community is about. 

Another significance of the myths is the religious aspects. The backgrounds of traditions and myths ranges based on Christianity and the church. More specifically, 76% of Hispanic and Latino communities are Chrisitian;there are also beliefs in voodoo or vodu. In the article made in the spring of 2007, “universally in the Dominican Republic, “vodu” implies black magic of Haitian origin, the work of the Devil rather than of God”. It is also stated there are organizations “religious brotherhoods or confraternities (cofradias, hermandades), the Afro-Dominican variety (cofradias afrodominicanas) being family-lineage based with patron saint as family deity, which act as mutual-aid and burial societies, and annually celebrate their saint’s day and members’ death rituals; vodu centers, altars, temples (places of “devotion to the misterios), sites for healing and divination utilizing clairvoyance and spirit possession; gaga societies, late twentieth-century Hatian-Dominican counterparts of… vow based societies associated with sugarcane plantation communities (bateyes), active during the Lenten season”; Lenten season which is Lent, the period of 40 days before Easter in the Christian calendar. This ties back to Dominican cultures having the religious and historical significance. 

To end the topic, there are deities that are significant to Chrtisiantiy. In the monothestic religion which is another way of saying Chrsitanity, deity is the supreme, the god. In the article published in the Spring of 2007, “the Roman Catholic use of saints can be seen as another aspect of a cult to the dead, as the saints were once living people who transformed into elevated spirits. Likewise many deities of the vodu pantheon were real people in West-African history, particularly those called the “white deities”(los misterios blancos)”. To put it another way, the use of saints in Christianity is in relation to the living people who died and were transformed into spirits; they are called white spirits. 

In summary, alike many traditions and myths around the world, all have historical backgrounds as well as family cultural significance. A lot can relate with having foods, sports, and other aspects of importance to their culture along the lines with stories they’d pass down to their kids and grandchildren. Everything is taught an important lesson, in the best way possible. Mostly the myths are taught or passed down to children and when they grow older they will start to learn the true meaning behind those traditions and mythologies they were taught as a kid.

Bibliography

Brathwaite, Shimon. “10 Traditions Only Dominicans Can Understand.” Culture Trip, 9 May 2017, https://theculturetrip.com/caribbean/articles/10-traditions-only-dominican-can-understand/.

Candelario, Ginetta E.B. “La ciguapa y el ciguapeo.” Dominican Myth, Metaphor, and Method, vol. 20, no. 3, 2016, p. 51. https://muse-jhu-edu.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/article/638689.

Davis, Martha Ellen. “Vodu of the Dominican Republic: Devotion to “La Veintiuna Division.”” vol. 26, no. 1, 2007. https://web-a-ebscohost-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=ceb822ea-db31-4687-8c98-ff31cb879dd2%40sdc-v-sessmgr02.

Guilamo-Ramos, Vincent, et al. “Parenting practices among Dominican and Puerto Rican mothers.” vol. 52, no. 1, 2007. https://go-gale-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=8&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=8&docId=GALE%7CA161396384&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegmen.

Interviewing Alishan, I thought to myself “I wonder how this is going to go”. While conducting the interview I would ask closed questions as well as questions that would make the readers, the interviewee, and myself think long and hard about. At first I asked, “Where are you from?” to which Alishan, who actually likes to go by Ali, responded, Queens, NY. I don’t know Queens as well as I know Manhattan but I do know how interesting Queens could be since I go to Queens Center Mall a lot. Compared to where I live, Ali lives very far from transportation. I then asked Ali, “Do you have any personal hobbies or interests?”. He stares blankly at me and then I start to see his gears turn and he says “I am interested in cars and my personal hobbies include playing video games and basketball”. By the look on his face I knew he was really passionate about playing basketball and video games. What really interested me was his answer to “what’s your favorite color?”. His favorite color was matte purple or lighter than forest green. What’s odd about that you may ask? Other males I know, their favorite color is either basic black or neutral color/shade. Nope, Ali’s was matte purple and lighter than forest green. The curiosity in my face was apparent and he laughed then asked, “what’s with your face” and I told him “no boy I know has ever said their favorite color so specifically before” it shocked me. Moving forward with the interview, I asked “what’s the meaning of life?”, he responded with “finding your purpose”. 

At first I was like “that’s it?” but he said he didn’t know how to explain it but all he said was “finding your purpose”. I feel like that is such an open answer to a question that could mean a lot in the future as well as now. No one truly knows the meaning of life and everyone’s answer will be different. As you, the reader, the person from the outside looking in, what do you think Ali meant? I proceeded on with the interview and asked “what motivates you?” and he said “my parents because I want to do good for them. They really work hard and I would hate to let them down”. I thought that was very thoughtful and relatable because everybody wants to make their parents happy and want their parents to be proud of them. 

In this case, his biggest fear was not living life to the fullest. His emotions changed completely and I saw the look of excitement mixed with boldness. I told him to describe himself and he told me he was laid back, caring, hardworking, social, but yet still introverted, as well as he would say “a handsome man”. You can see his ego radiating as soon as he said it and it was hilarious. I asked what his two top favorite memories were, to which he responded “going home to Pakistan and going jet skiing”. His word choice of “going home” made me feel like he’s a family orientated person. Most people would say “my family’s country” but you could tell he loves Pakistan and enjoys being “home”; where he’s comfortable. I was up to my last two questions and thought to myself “what was the best way for him to open up?”. My last two questions had to be deep and studious. My first question of the two was “where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years”, he responded “more independent but still close to my family and kick starting a business”. That goes back to what I was saying about being family oriented. 

Being family oriented was his subculture. Some characteristics include, caring, loyal, and respectful. Back to when I asked Ali how would he describe himself and one of the words he used was caring. The way he speaks of his parents and his home with such passion and emotion places him in the right subculture. He will always have a special place for his family, it was present in his tone of voice and was present through his face. His motivation, his favorite memory, and even in his future; everything revolves around his family even if he is not present physically, he desires to have his close connection with his family. 

Lastly, he responded to the second question which was “what would you change about yourself?” with “I would change how bad I overthink”. I could see him get serious and worried. Most people tend to overthink to the point where they believe their own thoughts and get upset about it; meanwhile, it was just in their head. It has to do with being let down in the past for having built up trust issues. We can relate to one another in this aspect and I feel like others can too; most can put themselves in his shoes. Analyzing his face, as well as change in body language I can tell he has been let down in a lot of friendships or relationships. In the beginning he was very cocky and arrogant then when we started getting into the more far-reaching questions he started to get more somber and humorless. In closing, interviewing Ali was a very intriguing and interesting experience. 

Interview Questions

1. Where are you from?
2. Personal hobbies
3. What is the meaning of life
4. Fav color
5. What motivates you 
6. Biggest fear
7. Describe yourself
8. Favorite top 2 memories 
9. Where do you see yourself 
10. What would you change about yourself

A cultural or personal artifact is an item that reveals valuable information about the society that used it or adds a special meaning to it. My cultural artifact that I am presenting to you is my mal de ojo bracelet. Before going in depth about what it looks like and why I use it, I’ll tell you more about where it comes from.

Mal de ojo is a Spanish term for “evil eye”. Its origin dates back to the Eastern Mediterranean and Greco-Roman traditions. It is deeply embedded in the Spanish culture and in Latin America. Mal de ojo is caused by someone who is envious of you and wishes bad luck on you. It is believed to inflict pain or injury. Mal de ojo is a superstition that runs deep through generations of Hispanic and Latin families. In order to expel or push away the bad luck, mothers or fathers would give their child a bracelet with an evil eye. It is said that wearing the evil eye as protection is known to reflect the power of evil glares back to the caster. It is also said that buying the evil eye for yourself is not as effective as someone gifting it to you. When it breaks this means all of its energy has been given to you and it is time for a new one. Mal de ojo can be made into any types of jewelry. It comes in bracelets, necklaces, anklets, earrings, basically anything. If you believe in superstitions like me and my culture, then maybe you should give it to someone for their protection or maybe it can be gifted to you. 

Evil eye or mal de ojo is a midnight blue circle with a smaller white circle on the inside and inside of that is a smaller light blue circle ; lastly, inside of that there is a black circle. If you look at pictures it actually looks like an eye. It comes in many different colors like pink, green, red, etc, but it typically is the colors I previously stated. All colors have different meanings. For instance, orange is for happiness and protection; light blue is used for general protection and peace; red brings you courage and more energy; dark blue is used for karma and fate protection as well as relaxation; yellow is for protection of health and creates a sharper mind and concentration; light green is used to help succeed with your dreams; pink is to protect your friendships; and the list goes on and on. 

Ever since I was a baby, the mal de ojo had a great significance in my life. As a baby my mother gifted me with a mal de ojo gold anklet. Obviously I grew up and it did not fit me so throughout the years I would have all types of bracelets but the color was always dark blue. I wear it for karma and protection. Some people would think that it gives you good luck and you will never ever have bad luck. It isn’t necessarily like that. The evil eye gives you protection against the evil and the envious. This is really big thing in my family. At times we will not talk about a plan that has yet to be executed in fear of someone giving you the evil eye. For example, if I wanted to start a business and I tell the people around me about it, some of them would feel envious and wish bad luck on me; my evil eye bracelet prevents that. I am actually wearing one right now, it is an embroidered floss bracelet with a tiny dark blue evil eye in the middle with beads at the end of the thread. In my culture, or among those who are superstitious, people who see my bracelet or see anything related to it would automatically know what it is and why I wear it. It is important to me because the person gifting it to you has nothing but good intentions for you and wants what is best for you. This is why it is typically given by a parental figure or someone in your family. 

I remember one time I did not have my bracelet on because it broke, and for the entire time I had bad luck. I was really clumsy and everything went left for me. Then after awhile everything started to go back to normal. Then I got a new bracelet and everything was better than normal. Growing up in a Dominican household, mal de ojo is considered to be a serious superstition and cannot be taken lightly. Others may see it as nothing more than jewelry or something vintage to wear but in reality it is way more than that. It is culture.