This superstition advises pregnant women to limit how often they rub or touch their bellies. According to the belief, excessive physical affection or connection to the unborn baby translates into indulgent parenting that will manifest as emotional over-dependence or behavioral spoiling in the child. Within this worldview, belly rubbing is more than physical comfort—it is seen as symbolically communicative, transferring excessive maternal attention that may ‘weaken’ the child’s future resolve. In practice, expectant mothers may be gently warned by elders or midwives to touch their stomach only when necessary, such as during discomfort or medical check-ups. No specific rituals accompany this belief, but its observance often takes place during casual conversation within the family or local community, especially in traditional or rural settings.
Health-Related Superstitions
This superstition advises that no form of construction, renovation, or physical modifications should take place within a household where a pregnant woman resides. Common prohibitions include hammering, drilling, structural repairs, or painting. The belief suggests that such activities stir up negative energies or attract harmful spirits that could affect the developing baby. Some variations of the superstition advise waiting until after the child’s birth to complete any construction, while others prescribe the relocation of the expectant mother to another place during home improvements. In extreme interpretations, even moving furniture or installing fixtures is seen as dangerous. The guiding principle behind this belief is to maintain stability, safety, and tranquility in the environment surrounding the pregnant woman.
This superstition claims that dietary choices by prospective mothers—or occasionally both parents—can influence the gender of their baby. Common beliefs suggest that eating salty or protein-rich foods (such as red meat or bananas) favors the conception of a boy, while consuming dairy products, sweets, or acidic foods encourages the birth of a girl. Timing meals in relation to ovulation or adjusting body pH through diet are also tactics often mentioned. In some versions, foods high in sodium and potassium are recommended for a boy, while those high in calcium and magnesium are promoted to conceive a girl. The underlying belief is that these nutrients can change the mother’s internal environment or affect sperm selection, though this lacks scientific foundation.
In this folk healing practice, a wounded person would perform a symbolic action to promote recovery. The steps include:
– The wound site is symbolically ‘encircled’ using either bread or sugar—common household items that carry nurturing or sweet properties.
– After this symbolic gesture, the bread or sugar is removed.
– Before the first Islamic morning prayer (known as Ezan, called at dawn), the item is fed to a dog.
It is believed that if the dog consumes the offering before the Ezan is recited, the wound will heal more rapidly or completely. The time-sensitive aspect of performing the ritual before daylight is thought to enhance its effectiveness. This healing method may reflect a spiritual transference of illness from human to animal, a motif common in global folklore traditions.
In certain cultures and traditional societies, washing a newborn baby on a Friday is believed to bring bad luck or invite malevolent forces. The exact procedures may vary, but in households that follow this belief, caregivers intentionally delay the first bath or scheduled washes if the day coincides with Friday. Instead, they may choose an alternate day believed to be more auspicious, such as Sunday or Monday. The underlying belief is that Friday is spiritually sensitive, possibly due to associations with religious observances or taboos, and interfering with a newborn’s physical or spiritual state on that day could expose them to illness, weakness, or misfortune. In some traditions, it is also believed that certain deities or spirits are more active on Fridays, making it a risky day for vulnerable individuals like infants.
In certain cultural traditions, shortly after a baby is born, a family member or elder may blow gently into the infant’s mouth. This symbolic act is believed to transmit calmness, kindness, and emotional warmth to the child. The gesture is usually performed in a quiet setting and often by someone close to the baby, such as a grandmother or mother, reinforcing a bond between the infant and the community. The intention is partly spiritual and partly behavioral—intended to shape the baby’s future emotional disposition. This belief may also be associated with other rituals or blessings performed during the early life of the child, aimed at fostering a positive and affectionate personality.
This superstition involves a ritual intended to heal physical wounds. A piece of bread is taken and rotated over or around the affected area, symbolically absorbing the illness or injury. The bread is then taken to a graveyard and discarded there before the morning ‘Ezan,’ which is the Islamic call to dawn prayer. The ritual requires the participant to walk away from the graveyard without looking back—presumably to avoid reversing the healing effect or inviting misfortune. The bread represents a symbolic transference of the ailment from the wounded person to the realm of the dead, where it will not return. The entire practice is deeply symbolic, combining elements of sacrifice, purification, and irreversible action.
This superstition warns against sleeping with one’s stockings still on. In traditional belief systems, clothing worn during the day was thought to carry emotional or spiritual residue accumulated from external environments. Nighttime was seen as a sacred period of rest and inner cleansing, so wearing day garments – especially tight fabric like stockings – was considered obstructive to the body’s natural healing rhythms. In some traditions, it was said that spirits or negative energy could become trapped in worn garments and ‘follow’ the sleeper into dream states. Additionally, from a health perspective, it was believed tight leg coverings could constrict blood flow or cause nightmares. As a result, the unspoken rule was to sleep only in loose, clean garments intended purely for rest.
This superstition interprets spontaneous eyelid twitching as an omen with positive outcomes. In many cultures, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa, a twitch in the right eye is regarded as a positive physiological sign, symbolizing vitality and strong health. Conversely, if the left eye twitches, it may be taken as a spiritual or energetic signal that wealth or good fortune is on its way. The meanings are often gender-based or may vary depending on the time of day or the twitching region of the eyelid (upper vs. lower). Some versions believe that the reverse applies to women, where a right eye twitch signifies wealth instead of health. No specific rituals are required; instead, the physical sensation itself is passively interpreted as a sign or omen.
The belief cautions individuals against discarding loose hair into public areas, particularly streets or yards. According to the superstition, if this hair becomes entangled on the foot or leg of a chicken, the person who lost the hair may suffer persistent headaches. To avoid such misfortune, practitioners are encouraged to dispose of lost or shed hair in a controlled, discreet manner — such as burying it, flushing it, or burning it. This practice is rooted in a wide range of ritualistic cleanliness behaviors found in many cultures, where hair is seen as containing a part of one’s spiritual or bodily essence.
This idea suggests that if birds — commonly associated with omens and spiritual messengers in many traditions — come into contact with personal items like hair, they could inadvertently transfer negative energy or illness back to the owner.
