Middlesex+Journal+1

My grandparents are of an Italian and Polish descent on my father's side. On my mother's side, however, there is more uncertainty about our heritage. We know that my grandmother's relatives are Polish, but my grandfather was adopted so he is unsure about where exactly his roots lie. He claims that we have Native American relativs but whether or not this is true or just another one of his lavish stories, I don't know. Many generations ago my relatives immigrated from Poland and Italy to the United States where they carried out simple farm lives along the East Coast. I feel connected to a certain extent by hearing stories from my grandparents, but I believe that we should focus on cultivating our own history in the present. Taboo is a restricted custom that is created by the norms of society. It is something that is often frowned upon by the majority. When broken, taboos create a level of uncomfortability because the traditional culture is not upheld. Normally, taboo is viewed on a moral or religious level. It is hard to describe exactly why taboos exist, it is simply human nature to create these types of distinctions in life. Some taboos include cannibalism, incest, and genocide. These seem to be rightly prohibited by society, but the line often becomes less certain on other topics. Taboos are meant to keep human activity in accordance with what is believed to be right. When major taboos are broken, I may feel violated like many others. One more subjective topics, however, I may hold less suport for upholding the taboo.

Koumbaros is the title for the best man in an eastern orthodox church wedding ceremony. He has a hugely important role in the ceremony as he helps to crown the couple officially. The Koumbaros also has many other responsibilities before the wedding and must conjure up celebration from guests. []

Le Tango de la Mort is a French phrase meaning a dance of the dead. It is a song by French artist, Jaques Biel, and it is also a silent French film which was made in 1914. []