Typisch Philippinisch (XXXI) - Typical Filipino (XXXI): Haben Sie schon gegessen? Kumain ka na ba?

"For Filipinos, feeding each other is a way we demonstrate love, and this particular way of eating, [is] a literal, tactile way of connecting with what nourishes us and the land it comes from," says Katherine Prince, an activist and organizer with the Portland, Oregon, chapter of GABRIELA, an organization for Filipina (Pinay) women. "To me, using my hands and seeing the banana leaves reminds me that even how we eat can be colonized, and my participation in this ancestral tradition is revolutionary in its own right.”

A mix of fried fish, longanisa, lumpia, pancit, and nilaga served with vinegar and onions, ketchup, banana ketchup, chopped tomatoes, and fresh mango over rice.

A mix of fried fish, longanisa, lumpia, pancit, and nilaga served with vinegar and onions, ketchup, banana ketchup, chopped tomatoes, and fresh mango over rice. 

The term kamayan can be used to describe the act of eating by hand, but a traditional kamayan meal is a feast served family style, usually over banana leaves. There’s no limit to what you can eat when hosting your own kamayan, but in general, grilled and fried things with rice are easier to eat sans utensils, because they aren’t as messy as soups and stews (though that didn’t stop my mom from serving soup in bowls at our last kamayan, so anything’s fair game).

Essen ist ungemein wichig für die Gemütsverfassung eines Filipinos/einer Filipina. Es scheint, als sitze ihnen stets die Angst im Nacken, Hunger leiden zu müssen. Wohin man auch geht, wird für ausreichend Proviant gesorgt. Selbst unterwegs muß noch an einigen Läden oder Obstständen noch etwas dazugekauft werden.Es gibt kein Treffen von Filipinos , an denen nicht Essen aufgetragen wird. Es gehört zur üblichen Gastfreundschaft, Besuchern nicht nur Getränke sondern auch Speisen anzubieten. Die übliche philippinische Begrüßung lautet: "Haben Sie schon gegessen?" - "Kumanin ka na ba?"

The great value of spiritual childhood

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THE gospel of St. Luke 9,46-50, shows us how being childlike

in spirit would enable us to accept Christ as he is as well as to

accept everybody else irrespective of how they are. It’s a great

lesson we have to learn if we want to be truly Christian.

          In that gospel, Christ clarified how being simple and humble

like a little child would enable one to accept Christ. “Whoever

receives this child in my name receives me,” he said. “And whoever

receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least

among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

          This clarification of Christ came as a consequence of the

apostles talking among themselves about who among them was the

greatest. It can be supposed that they must be feeling important since

they realized they had the fortune of knowing and being with Christ.

          But that was not enough. The gospel somehow links being

simple, humble and childlike with the capacity to be accepting and to

be able to have a good working relationship with everyone irrespective

of who and how they are, despite the unavoidable differences and

conflicts among them. This point Christ established when he said,

“Whoever is not against you is for you.”

          We have to realize that if we want to be with God always and

to know the fine points of his mysterious will and ways, we need to be

always simple and childlike. Christ may have told us also to be clever

and shrewd like serpents, but that quality which is also a necessity

in our life here on earth should never compromise our simplicity. In

fact, that cleverness should also spring from our simplicity.

          Christ is quite clear about this point. “I give praise to

you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,” he said, “for although you

have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have

revealed them to the childlike.” (Mt 11,25)

          Christ reiterated this necessity of being childlike a number

of times during his preaching. “Unless you change and become like

little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt

18,3) “Let the children come to me. Do not prevent them, for the

Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mk 10,15) St. James, in his

letter, made the same affirmation. “God opposes the proud but shows

favor to the humble.” (4,6)

          We need to devise an interior mechanism, more spiritual than

material, to keep ourselves like children even as we grow in worldly

knowledge and skills, and prone to thinking that we can already live

by ourselves, independently of God.

          To be childlike would also enable us to be accepting of

everyone and to be able to work with everyone, irrespective of who and

how they are. The mere fact that everyone can be presumed to be

looking always for what is true and good, even if they are wrong in

their pursuit, can signify that we have a common bond. Those who

differ with us cannot really be against us. And so, we can always find

ways of how to deal with them in a charitable way.

          If we follow the example of Christ, we would know how to

live the truth in charity and charity in the truth. Somehow the

exclusivity of truth blends with the inclusivity of charity! How

important therefore to grow in spiritual childhood in our life!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com