When I was young, one of my mom's 'no no phrase' at home is pataion ku iya "I (will) kill you". According to her, it is especially a taboo to say that when one is holding a knife or any sharp object, because the bad spirits will make the words come true. My mom always tells this story to reinforce her taboo:
"Once there were two people who were mad with each other. One of them who was holding a paka (a kind of grass) leaf said pataion ku iya "I'll kill you" to the other, and threw the leaf at him. The leaf hit him right at his heart like a tandus "spear", and he died on the spot".
That is how dangerous the phrase is according to my mom. Of course, it is still one of her taboo phrases even now that I am much older. In fact all her grandchildren, who now speak different languages are also prohibited to say anything to that effect.
Although when I'm really angry I can have a slip of tongue and say the phrase without thinking (well, only when I am REALLY angry), I can see her point. My present interpretation of it is that whatever you say becomes either bad or good energy. Say something bad and the consequence will be bad, and vice versa. And so, I decided that it is a good taboo after all.
5 comments:
yeah..ni mimang taboo la..mcm jg kalu p memburu mcm2 mau cakap..time makan d hutan ka mengidam mau makan yg extra mana buli cakap2 yg teda sana..hehe
Chinese also. Heard of this pantang. Cannot hold sharp object and scold
heard about the 'paka' story and it did took effect in me for a certain period till I was with friends of the same thinking. And it's good to have such taboo whereby things get into our minds to practice and preserve it....:)
yes I think this is a useful taboo. Wow, smallkucing, I think there must be a lot of similar taboos among the communities in the world kan :)
'Pasandatan do rogon' ka moti:)
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