Let's eat! Food and sharing in the Philippines.

Let's eat! Food and sharing in the Philippines.

Come across a Filipino eating, and they willnormally say "Let's eat!", or "Kain tayo!" in Tagalog.

It's aninvitation to join them to eat, and typical of Filipino generosity.

What should you do next time thishappens to you? A necessary education for those in an AustralianFilipina relationships.

"Let's eat!" First time someone said "Let's eat!" to me,I didn't know what to say.

I'd already eaten, and wasn't sureif I was supposed to go and join them.

But this is what Filipinos do when they'reeating and there's someone else around.

It's almost automatic.

And I can remember another time on BantayanIsland many years ago where one of the locals invitedme to come and drink with him and his barkadas (mates) after I bought him 3 bottles of thedreaded Kulafu (tastes like drain cleaner and costP3 per bottle at the time) so he had something to offer hisguests.

Gave me a stump to sit on, a glass of thisamazing beverage and a lump of pig fat.

Fortunately Iwas able to discard the fat by tossing it under something without anyone seeing me,but I struggled down the drain cleaner.

But yes, as I said, Filipinos and generosity/hospitalitygo hand in hand.

Eating by yourself and beingoblivious to the needs of others, it just isn't done.

So whether you have an abundance or whetherit's something very humble (like that awful lumpof fat), you offer it to whoever is present.

Try this little exercise next time you seea Filipino eating something.

Ask them what they are eating.

Andguess what they will do? They will immediately offer some or even allof it to you, without hesitation! Do you know that when particular religiousgroups come knocking at the door, your average Filipino willinvite them in and offer them refreshments? They will do this even if it means they needto politely sit through attempts to convert them, becauseit would be rude to treat a guest any other way! Does that mean you need to stop what you'redoing? Is it rude to say no? No, not at all.

You can alwayspolitely decline, and no one will be shocked.

And if there's not much to go around, I'msure they're just that little bit grateful to hear that you'rebusog (full).

Know what's a bit odd? OK, what do you say if someone offers yousomething in Australia and you don't want it? Someone asks "Djawannacuppa?" or "Djawannavegemitesanga?" (I'll let the Australianhusbands explain those) or similar? You say, "Oh, no thanks.

" Or "Not at the moment, but thanksanyway" etc.

In the Philippines? You sort-of screw up your face and say (ina slightly evil-sounding tone) "I don't like!" You can imagine my shock first time I heardthat! You could think of asking "You don't?? But you had some just before?" Answer? "I know, but IIIIIIII dooooooooon't liiiiiiiiiike!" Yes, it means theydon't want it right now! Not that they really detest that particularfood or beverage! Cultural clashes over Filipino food-sharingFood is an important thing in the Philippines, obviously stemming a lot from the fact thathunger exists and many live day-to-day.

Could well be nothing but rice for dinner.

So food is definitely life, and sharingkeeps people alive.

Having guests over means food.

Birthday celebrations means food.

Baptisms,weddings, funerals and of course the Barangay Fiesta.

First one I went to? Fed beef caldereta at everyhousehold I was taken to.

Told each lady-of-the-house that hers wasthe very best and won a few pogi- points.

Thought I was going to burst! Again, all about sharing.

To shut the door and keep the hungry outwould never happen.

I can remember a time in the distant pastwhere I was visiting *cough* former girlfriend in Cebu.

I don'tknow what it is about Cebu, but the lechon manok there (barbequed chicken) was absolutelydelicious, and nothing like we have in Luzon.

So what did I do whilst staying with her ather parents house? Get asingle chicken, and we would eat it.

Get enough to share with the parents? Never crossed my mind.

Ialmost wince in embarrassment to think of this now.

Shudder to think what they must have thoughtof my lack of manners.

Confusion works both ways, of course.

I recall a couple we knew years ago, withthe lady being an old friend of Mila's from Hong Kong.

Arrived in Australia and complained to Milathat her husband never "offered her food".

She expected him to say "Let's eat", etc.

And he didn't.

It's not that she wasn'twelcome to eat.

He just didn't see the point in saying thatto his wife, when he expected her to make herself at home and not wait to be asked.

Mila would also be amazed if we visited anAustralian's place and find they'd only made one maincourse.

In Australia we ended up getting a new table,because when we had guests the table and the kitchen bench were full to the point thatthere was no room for anything else.

No chance of actuallyeating at the table, because there was no room.

And at one stage (I'll get into trouble forthis!) a party meant her getting up at 4:00am and becominga complete food-nazi to everyone in the house, and afterthe guests had left (along with their doggie-bags of baon), those household would be left withshattered nerves and leftovers to eat for the next weekor more.

I've calmed her down a lot since those scarydays, but no one is ever left hungry rest assured.

That's the Filipino way.