Tabi Tabi Po

Folklore, a word I’m sure many of us are familiar with. But do we all know what folklore means? Let us try and define the word. Folklore may have many different meanings or may mean different things to certain people. But folklore generally refers to anything that is orally passed down from generation to generation in groups of people. Folklore can be a collection of stories and superstitions that people tell one another.

Here in the Philippines the beliefs and superstitions may differ a bit depending where you are but generally there are similarities. It may range from the origin of the world, to beliefs of the people and their ancestors, to the lifestyles of the people.

One of the biggest parts of Philippine folklore is the belief in mythological creatures. Many people, especially in the provinces, believe that creatures live among us. There are many mythological creatures that have become part of our culture and beliefs, some of the most famous being the dwendes and the aswangs. People have actually claimed to have encountered and sighted these creatures, and many people look at certain events or misfortunes as signs of their mischief and evil. Because of the fear that these creatures have instilled people have different customs and practices so that they do not offend these creatures. One of these is the practice of saying “tabi-tabi po” when we pass by their homes and places they are believed to be living in.

Superstitions and mythological creatures have existed for as long as we can remember. They date back all the way to the old civilizations of man. They have become part of the cultures of people and are still believed and practiced until today. All over the world different countries have their own beliefs and superstitions. Here in the Philippines we have our own set of beliefs and superstitions. The Philippines is so rich in culture and has so many islands that there are a lot of beliefs.

One of the most common beliefs is the belief in mythological creatures. We all know about creatures and so called monsters, ever since we were little kids they have been around. We know about ghosts, vampires, werewolves and the other famous ones, but do we know about the ones that are here in the Philippines? We have our own monsters that are believed to exist, especially in the provinces and other islands of the country.

Because the Philippines has so many islands and with this so many different mythological creatures it will take too long to go through every creature. So I will only be focusing on two of the more famous ones, the Dwende and the Aswang. I chose these two because these are very common and I’m sure a lot of people have heard of them already. It will be easier to imagine what I am trying to write here.

I will start with the aswang because it is the less known of the two creatures. The aswang is well known in the Western Visayas region particularly Capiz, Iloilo, and Antique. It is described to be a ghoul or shape shifter. An aswang is usually in the form of a human during the day but can change its form to different animals, most commonly a dog at night. During the day aswangs live a normal life even working among other people. But at night they come out to hunt and feed, particularly on little children.

In areas where aswangs are believed to exist the local people decorate their homes with items believed to keep aswangs away. They also do not stay out late and are all home by nightfall. When people are out at night they are usually in groups and not alone. People usually sleep in the first floor away from the second floor roof and any window or door. And almost always there is someone who stays up and keeps guard. This is to ensure the safety of everyone. Aside from this there are a number of things people believe in that will help protect them from aswangs.

The second creature I will talk about is the more famous dwende or as most people know them the dwarf. A dwarf is believed to be little old men who are usually invisible and are said to dwell underground. Filipinos believe that they like to dwell among humans and will live in trees, underground tunnels, termite mounds and even the back gardens of people.

Dwarves are usually harmless creatures. They even help humans in small ways if they like the people near them. All they ask for is respect both to them and their homes. But if they are angered and feel harmed in any way they will get very angry and take revenge. They will go as far as cursing the person and harming them. These curses include misfortunes, ailments, trickery, and others either to the person, his or her family, or both.

Because of the fear of the things dwendes can do to people they are very respectful to them. They ask for permission when passing a tree or a hill. They would pay their respects to the little people. This is how the saying “tabi tabi po” came around. Elders and parents would teach their children to say “tabi tabi po” when walking outside and when around the dwellings of dwendes. They advise their children not to play outside and not to be noisy near their homes. And if ever they must, they have to ask for permission to pass.

Tabi tabi po can be translated to “please be on the side” or “please let me pass by”. People started saying this because they feared the mythological creatures and what they could do, especially if offended. So to avoid offending them people would be respectful and ask for permission to pass or play near their home. The dwarves are just like people, at the end of the day they just want to be treated with respect. Who doesn’t? People say this mainly for respect to the dwendes and their homes, but also because they are unseen. People do not know if they will hit one or not. So people let them know that they will pass and to please step aside so they won’t get hit or hurt.

Times have changed over the past years and science has explained so much about our world. But so much is still a mystery to us. Included in these mysteries are all the mythological creatures, dwendes and aswangs included. Science may never be able to explain these creatures and we may never know the truth about the. So all we can do is go on with our lives.

There are a lot of people all over the country who do not believe in such creatures, and they are not bothered. These are more of the younger generation and those in the big cities. But those in the provinces who still believe continue to live their life as they were taught to, the way their culture tells them to. We cannot change our culture. Folklore is rich in the Philippine islands and with this comes the mythological creatures. But we all have our own beliefs, and for those who believe, they will continue to pay their respect and say “tabi tabi po”. It will probably be a custom that will never die.