Jarabeck Family Crest Genre: Folk Group: Performed by: Collected by: Folk art The Jarabecks Alison Jarabeck Kira Poncin Date collected: Feb. 6, 2014 March 16, 2014 Item Description and Collection Methods I chose to study my roommate s family symbol for this project, a piece of folk art that resembles her family. Alison Jarabeck s family symbol is a salmon curved around a clover. The salmon symbolizes the Alaskan roots of her father s parents, as well as their love of fishing. Alison also shared that the salmon happens to be her favorite fish to eat. The clover represents the Irish heritage of her mother s side, the Hogans. To begin this analysis, I collected pictures of several plaques that Alison s family displays in their home, as well as the tattoo that Alison has of the symbol. Alison provided the pictures from her home, as well as pictures of her tattoo when she initially got it. I took pictures of the plaque that she displays in our apartment (see Appendix B: Photos). The plaques (there are 3 throughout her family) are all identical. The background is white, the salmon is black, and the clover is green. The plaques are sixteen inches wide and twelve inches in length, making an oval shape. Alison s tattoo is an identical, yet smaller, circular version of the plaques. Her tattoo is two inches wide and two inches long, with the same coloring as the plaques,
2 except the white background. Instead of white, Alison s tattoo artist chose to leave the white areas blank, so that they are made up by Alison s skin tone (see Appendix B: Photos). I collected most of the information while on campus (in our apartment) and in person. Alison sent me pictures via e-mail as well as by text message. I used my cell phone to take pictures and record the audio for the interview. Alison and I were present, as well as another one of our roommates who was quietly doing homework while I interviewed Alison. Alison is a twenty-one-year-old female. Her hometown is in Saginaw, Michigan. Context Analysis This item of folklore is used only in Alison s family, so its context is strictly her family. Although her immediate family is the main folk group for this symbol, it also touches her nonimmediate family her grandparents and aunts and uncles. Because it is something that Alison says is a symbol of her two families [the Hogans and the Jarabecks] coming together, many nonimmediate family members are aware of the symbol and have come to appreciate it and the heritage that it resembles (see Appendix A: Partial Transcript). It is something that is displayed all year round and is typically discussed when her Grandma and Grandpa Hogan are telling stories of when they lived in Ireland or when her grandfather or father is telling stories about their time in Alaska. When I noticed Alison s tattoo for the first time, she told me simply, It represents my family. She told me what the fish and clover each represent and she pointed out her plaque that matches it.
3 There is only one variation in context Alison s tattoo is a variation of the plaque, although the designs are identical. At this point, there are no other variations that Alison knows of within her family. The three plaques are located with members of the family. Alison s parents plaque is located by the front door of their home, Alison s is displayed on her bedroom door in our apartment, and Alison s sister has the third plaque in her bedroom in her parents home. Function Analysis The function that Alison s family symbol serves is to represent her family. The symbol is something that displays their Irish and Alaskan heritage and provides a concrete representation of the past and the present where the family came from and who they are today. For Alison s family, it serves as a form of bonding and nostalgia. Because her parents created the plaque for their wedding, it is a symbol of two families, from two very different backgrounds, joining together as one. This piece of folklore is particularly important to Alison. She has a very strong sense of family; she often talks about how much of a homebody she is and how much she misses being home. For her, the plaque and her tattoo are a way of taking her family with her. Since her tattoo is something that is permanently on her body, it s always with her, no matter how far from home she ventures. During the interview, Alison said that the symbol is something that s so important to her that she plans to pass it on to her own family someday (see Appendix A: Partial Transcript). From the interview, I could see that Alison has a great sense of pride in her family and for their heritage. However, this is not just something that became evident during our interview. Alison has
4 photographs of her family all over her bedroom, and she s a big celebrator of Saint Patrick s Day an Irish-American holiday. Conclusion This symbol is something that is very important to Alison and her family. It represents who they are and where they ve come from, as well as they bond and pride they share as a family. I think that the most important thing to Alison in regards to her family symbol is that it is something that goes with her wherever she goes; in a sense, she always has her family and the memories they share with her.
5 Appendix A: Partial Transcript Partial Interview Transcript Alison Jarabeck So let s start off talking about the design itself. Where did the design come from? My family. Short answer. [laughs] Okay. So, my family likes to go fishing, so I think that s a part of where the salmon comes from. Oh! My grandpa is from Alaska, so that s part of it, too. And then, the shamrock because my mom s side of the family is just Irish. What inspired you to get it as a tattoo? My family I had wanted to get a tattoo, I didn t know how I wanted it, and then I talked to my uncle and and we talked about doing something that resembled my family, and we already had that symbol so I thought it would be perfect. And you said, about your aunt, right? I mean, she has a shamrock tattoo? Yeah, my - the uncle who I talked to, his wife, my aunt, has a fish on here [points to lower shin/ankle], and Katie, who is my mom s sister on the Hogan side, has a shamrock on her ankle. Same foot. So I thought that it was perfect that the design symbolized two sides of my family, coming together. It s kind of weird how that turned out though, you know, because they didn t know that their tattoos would eventually be kind of our family symbol. It just sort of happened that way, but I think, I think that in a way it makes it mean more. When did you get it?
6 When I was eighteen. At the Drunken Monkey. [laughs ] I don t know if that really needs to be in there! And when did it become a a plaque that little wooden thing? It s something that my parents started when they got married. They took a symbol from each side of their families and put them together to make it. Like I said, the fish is for the Alaskan side, and the Irish side was the shamrock. My uncle was the one that made it into a plaque. It s wood, right? Yep! And your parents have a plaque like it at their house? Yep, and my sister has one, too. What does it mean to you? Does it mean anything? Well, to me it means I bring the two families together. It means a lot to my dad, too, because it s an Alaskan tribal salmon, so and that s where he was born at. Really? Yeah. So, to keep that in my memory, or to keep that within my family, eventually. So it s something that you kind of want to continue in your family and pass on? Oh yeah. That s going to be hanging up in my house, for sure. And of course my tattoo will be on me forever. [laughs]
7 Appendix B: Photos Above: (left) The Jarabeck family symbol displayed by Alison s parents front door. (right) The family symbol in Alison s sister s room.
8 Appendix B: Photos (continued) Below: (left) Alison s plaque on her bedroom door in our apartment. (right) Alison s tattoo of her family s symbol.