Being born and raised with pure Filipino blood and heart, I have been exposed to the enigmatic world of local superstitions, which is no doubt a part of the Filipino culture.
Honestly, I am no believer. But ironically, I actually practice some of them due to the fact that I may be the only member of my family (or maybe my whole clan) who doesn't. Imagine being the minority, the horror of being scolded because I do not follow the family's cardinal rules of superstitious beliefs.
So if you happen to visit our house, leave your black cat behind and brace yourself with the variety of superstitions we have, spanning the Spanish, Chinese, and the local Filipino cultures. And we aren't even Chinese!
1. Sweeping the floor during the night is bad luck for money, like sweeping wealth out of the house. This one I get reprimanded often when I was little. Luckily my family made a bit of a twist in that belief so we can maintain a nice-looking floor at night -- sweeping is okay, but never sweep it out of the door. Wee.. I didn't know superstitions can be 'bent' a little.
2. Never cut your fingernails during the night, or something bad will happen to your mother. Oh yes my mother is the star in this one. I am not quite sure about the 'something bad will happen to your mother' part. Maybe she just made up the mother part or something, but my mother threatened me with this one, obviously.
3. Before someone's crucial examination or test, whack him with a banana on the head for good luck. I got the banana whack before my high school entrance exam, college entrance exam, even various scholarship exams. I actually passed them all successfully, but I am not giving the banana credit. Even before my board examinations, my mother called me and told me to ask someone to do the banana trick once again. Geez.
4. A house's front door must be facing where the sun rises (EAST) for good luck. Before recent house renovations, our guests have been wondering why our back door and front door are adjacent. Now they know. People had to walk around the house to enter the main door (which is facing east).
5. Brown butterflies signify money. Black butterflies signify death of a relative or a family member. We had to chase the black ones out of the house, and leave the brown ones alone. Yeah right, that would have been so easy if I weren't colorblind..
6. During a funeral, when the coffin is about to be brought out of the house, a plate is smashed at the doorstep, breaking a bad curse that another family member would be next in the death list. When my father died, this was done by my aunt. They said the plate should break, or else another family member would be next. Aunt forcefully smashed the plate, and the fragments injured one of my feet and it bled. Well everyone was happy the plate broke, unfortunate for me of course that my foot had to catch the hell of it.
7. Wearing polka dots during New Year's Eve brings wealth for the whole year round. My mother never misses to wear one every single year. Not to mention she spews the floor with lots of coins and prohibits us (especially my kulit cousins) from picking them up (or suffer the consequences).
8. Monetary bills with 3 number 8's or more in their serial number are good luck charms. Mother found a Php20.00 bill with a rare serial number -- three successive 8's. Mother gave it to me as a charm for my wallet. Mother warned me never to use the money no matter what. One day in a land far far away, I rode a jeepney without knowing that I had actually left my money at home out of my wallet, and without coins at hand.. So.. Poof!
9. When trekking or passing a shrubbery or an unknown path of vegetation, say "Tabi, tabi po" (LITERAL: Would you please step aside) to warn spirits and avoid hitting or stepping on them, or else they will curse you if you accidentally do. This is very common, especially taught to kids who love to play hide and seek in the nearby forest or an unkempt backyard. As for me, growing up in the Visayas region, we have another version - we say "Tabi.." (LITERAL: STEP ASIDE! hahaha!). Yes, minus the po, which is only a courteous word used exclusively by Tagalogs as a sign of respect. The thought is still the same, though.
Our backyard being a plantation of what they call spirit-inhabited vegetation (especially the humongous bamboo family we have that creaks so loud when the wind is strong, like in horror movies), the Tabi, tabi po saying is a must when venturing in the area.
3. Before someone's crucial examination or test, whack him with a banana on the head for good luck. I got the banana whack before my high school entrance exam, college entrance exam, even various scholarship exams. I actually passed them all successfully, but I am not giving the banana credit. Even before my board examinations, my mother called me and told me to ask someone to do the banana trick once again. Geez.
4. A house's front door must be facing where the sun rises (EAST) for good luck. Before recent house renovations, our guests have been wondering why our back door and front door are adjacent. Now they know. People had to walk around the house to enter the main door (which is facing east).
5. Brown butterflies signify money. Black butterflies signify death of a relative or a family member. We had to chase the black ones out of the house, and leave the brown ones alone. Yeah right, that would have been so easy if I weren't colorblind..
6. During a funeral, when the coffin is about to be brought out of the house, a plate is smashed at the doorstep, breaking a bad curse that another family member would be next in the death list. When my father died, this was done by my aunt. They said the plate should break, or else another family member would be next. Aunt forcefully smashed the plate, and the fragments injured one of my feet and it bled. Well everyone was happy the plate broke, unfortunate for me of course that my foot had to catch the hell of it.
7. Wearing polka dots during New Year's Eve brings wealth for the whole year round. My mother never misses to wear one every single year. Not to mention she spews the floor with lots of coins and prohibits us (especially my kulit cousins) from picking them up (or suffer the consequences).
8. Monetary bills with 3 number 8's or more in their serial number are good luck charms. Mother found a Php20.00 bill with a rare serial number -- three successive 8's. Mother gave it to me as a charm for my wallet. Mother warned me never to use the money no matter what. One day in a land far far away, I rode a jeepney without knowing that I had actually left my money at home out of my wallet, and without coins at hand.. So.. Poof!
9. When trekking or passing a shrubbery or an unknown path of vegetation, say "Tabi, tabi po" (LITERAL: Would you please step aside) to warn spirits and avoid hitting or stepping on them, or else they will curse you if you accidentally do. This is very common, especially taught to kids who love to play hide and seek in the nearby forest or an unkempt backyard. As for me, growing up in the Visayas region, we have another version - we say "Tabi.." (LITERAL: STEP ASIDE! hahaha!). Yes, minus the po, which is only a courteous word used exclusively by Tagalogs as a sign of respect. The thought is still the same, though.
Our backyard being a plantation of what they call spirit-inhabited vegetation (especially the humongous bamboo family we have that creaks so loud when the wind is strong, like in horror movies), the Tabi, tabi po saying is a must when venturing in the area.
10. A person with big ears will have a longer life. Okay, so this is me. And I can't remember the number of times they tease me with this because I have big ears. Got them from my late grandparents Mamay and Papay (Bicolano term for Mother and Father respectively). Friends and relatives would tease that they would all die in the future and I would be the only one left in the world.
When it comes to superstitions, my family is the typical Filipino. And I still don't believe them. And I still practice them, damn.
Oh, and there's more to that list where it came from by the way.
Source URL: http://jameellamellannyes.blogspot.com/2010/11/superstitious-nonbeliever.htmlWhen it comes to superstitions, my family is the typical Filipino. And I still don't believe them. And I still practice them, damn.
Oh, and there's more to that list where it came from by the way.
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