On Spirits and Aswangs: Tambay sa Tabi Tabi

See www.anvilpublishing.com

When I was a little girl, my mother taught me my place in the Pinoy universe: I am a human being - but I must not mistake that as license to have dominion over sea and land - oh no! - we humans share the earth with a host of elemental and spiritual creatures who have as much right (or even more right) to be here.  My mother taught me the choreography of deference: take a submissive pose, crouch down a bit - head down - and audibly recite: "tabi po, tabi po" (please move aside, please move aside) every time I walk through a patch of grass, a garden path, or a wooded area. I must make it clear that I mean no disrespect and do not wish to accidentally hit (ma sagi) spirits living along the paths I pass through.

My mother also taught me to be mindful of that specific moment during the day when humankind's reign over the earth gives way to the reign of the spirits - this moment of transition can be "takip-silim" (when darkness covers the earth) or "agaw-dilim" (when the sky is being wrestled away from light and into the dark). I remember playing in the garden, watering plants, and practicing volleyball or gymnastics, until the sun begins to set - then, without fail, my mother would call me from inside the house with a sense of urgency, as though any second outside beyond the prescribed time frame, is a violation of an unspoken treaty between humankind and the spirit world. At 6 pm sharp, we would be gathered around the altar to pray the Angelus. It was my mother's way of protecting us with prayer, and she'd psychically cover us with a mantle of motherly protection to last us through the night.

I learned many other things: not to disturb a termite mound or ant hill to respect the "nuno sa punso" who lives there; not to point at anything when hiking in a forest - and to bite my pointing finger if I forget myself and happen to point at something; to make an offering of chicken blood from a white virgin hen when building any structure; to address a "territorial dispute" between humans and spirits by using incense, holy water, and salt as arsenal in staking my claim over a certain space. My mother equipped me with a set of skills not only for preventing conflict with spirits - but also for fighting malevolent spirits when a conflict has become unavoidable.

I sometimes resent my mother for planting fear in my overactive imagination. It made those moments when I had to live alone a rather scary experience. Of course when something fishy goes on, I am thankful for the extra skills my mother equipped me with, I am given a course of action to take even in the weirdest situations.  I always wondered whether I'd introduce my children to Pinoy spirits, and  how I'd do it in such a way that I don't spook them. I want to make sure my kids are in touch with their Pinoy roots, their language and culture, and the unique Pinoy world view on all things, including the spirit world...but I wanted it to be a healthy engagement.

So when I saw the book "Mga Tambay sa Tabi-Tabi: Creatures of Philippine Folklore" published by Anvil and illustrated by artists from INK (Ilustrador ng Kabataan), I was excited! My Japanese friend Kanami was visiting me when we chanced upon the book at A Different Bookstore, and she graciously bought it as a gift for my daughter. What a great gift - it is now Narra's favorite book! Without scaring her too much, I am able to use the kid-friendly and witty illustrations to introduce her to the neighborhood aswang, mananaggal, kapre, white lady, tiktik, tiyanak, etc. in a humorous way.  The illustrations are very current - things like an ipod, a foot spa, and a jeepney make their appearance, making the creatures of folklore come to life in the contemporary urban setting.  I find it a great visual aid in helping me introduce my kids to the spirit world in a uniquely Pinoy way while keeping things fun and kid-friendly... what an awesome achievement! And at P195, it's value for money!