ext Stop Negros Tours
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Sunday, October 4, 2009
In the provinces, on my way to the beaches and old churches, I find little old ladies hunched over, chewing tobacco. I have always wondered about them, what it tasted like, what it was made of. I visit the Central Market and get to know Aling Mercy, who has been selling tobacco since her grandmother handed it down to her mother, and now to her. 45 years total. I learn that the ingredients are made up of dried tobacco leaf, lime, betel nut and bu-yo leaf. These are bundled together to form the "tilad". You take a little piece of each ingredient and stuff it in your mouth and chew... the act of chewing is known as Ma-ma here in Negros. A bundle cost 2.00 pesos.
Apparently, Ma-ma (chewing tobacco) has been around for as early as 4500-5000 BC, having been found in shell lime holders in ancient Palawan graveyards. Here are a few interesting tidbits I found about Ma-ma:
The husk of the betel nut is used as a toothbrush.
Betel leaves are aphrodisiacs! Bingo!!
Spitting betel juice drives away ghosts or aswangs. Our nasty habit of spitting in public areas is the custom of scaring the ghosts away as we went about daily chores or a walk in the woods.
Every household must have a stock of the Tilad always on hand. It is offered to guests and is a sign of hospitality. It is more acceptable to run out of rice and corn, but never Tilad.
Coffee breaks in western cities is the equivalent of betel break in tradition bound groups.
So next time you huddle around the water cooler, don't forget your stash. It's time for a break, it's time for a Ma-ma!
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