Filipinos Say "Excuse Me" When Passing Through Grass

Those who have been to the Philippines may have heard a phrase: "Tabi tabi po."

It means "Please make way, please excuse me." When locals pass an old tree, a termite mound, a patch of dark grass, or go to the riverside at night, they say it in a low voice.

The object is something invisible. Locals believe that these places are inhabited by little spirits, the most famous of which is called "Nuno," meaning "grandfather," living in earth mounds, a little old man with a bad temper. You must say hello before passing by, otherwise he will get angry, make you sick, make you fall, give you a stomachache, and make your hands and feet swell.

Some Filipinos also say this phrase before pouring hot water on the ground at home, fearing they might scald invisible guests. They say it before urinating in the wild as well.

Many Filipinos living abroad still keep this habit. Foreign colleagues sometimes ask: Who are you talking to?

#Folklore #网络转载 #东南亚