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AMDG

Tabi Po!
Xavier L. Olin,S.J.

To the modern mind, the cynical soul, or the plain agnostic, the expression Tabi Apo may be dismissed as just another 'remnant of outmoded lifesyle' or a 'product of folk imagination.' But to someone interested in culture, it is an artifact that reveals many interesting details of Bikolnon life, tradition and values.

Literally, Tabi Apo means 'Excuse me, Old One.' Popular among the Bikol provinces, it is as widely used as key Bikol expressions like Dios mabalos, Saindo po, 'Dya na, and 'Mus na . When passing by bushes, thickets, and other wooded areas or out-of-the-way places, young and old utter it aloud, as if talking to someone. Before taking a dip in a river or stream, or when picking wild fruits, collecting firewood, gathering leaves, roots, or tree bark for medicine, and cutting trees, they also say it. The same is true when they pee behind a bush or tree, or when they run for cover (during rain) to, or hide (in the children's game of hide-and-seek) among bushes and trees. It has become such a practice among the Bikolnon that the expression has become part of their ritual.

Tabi Apo has many functions. It serves as a friendly greeting to the taong lipod,, the 'covered' or 'unseen' people believed to inhabit these wooded areas and out-of-the way places. It politely informs the taong lipod of the passerby's coming, and asks for their permission for him to pass. It apologizes for the disturbance the passerby's movement may cause, and begs for their kind indulgence. Very importantly, it assures both parties freedom from undue trouble: for any intrusion on, or rude act toward the taong lipod certainly results to grave consequences. It is thus not surprising if the guilty person just wakes up in the morning and finds strange contusions on his body, or get afflicted with some unexplained illness. (In this case, he has to make contact with the aggrieved spirits and appease them through an offering made by an intermediary called parabawi ; otherwise, the result can prove fatal.)

The Tabi Apo complex - the expression and all the beliefs closely linked with it - is fascinatingly rich in meaning. It attempts to explain the mysteries in the Bikol universe, or events like, for example, unexplained illness or death. It is also an effective means of social control. Passersby learn to refrain from doing acts which may harm or hurt the taong lipod : pulling leaves, breaking off branches of trees, and throwing stones anywhere, for example, which are practices quite common among the local folk. The people are encouraged to treat their surroundings with extra care and concern: not just spitting, peeing, or throwing garbage anywhere lest they offend the unseen creatures. By not cutting old, old trees, clearing the woods, and building houses in the forest, not only are the creatures left untouched; nature is unharmed as well. By avoiding leaving the house by late afternoon or evening when these creatures are supposed to be most active, and by avoiding wooded areas and out-of-the-way places where snakes and wild animals live, danger is likewise avoided. In the process, safety, order, and balance are thus maintained and ensured in the community. Discipline is also instilled among the people.

Tabi Apo proves the early Bikolnon belief in environmental spirits, the 'covered' or 'unseen' creatures which inhabit woods, rocks, rivers, and other aspects of nature. It clearly underlines the fact that as far back as those times, even in ways that appear 'crude' to modern considerations, the Bikolnon have already acknowledged the realm of the unseen, the presence and power beyond theirs, and the They have discovered that they are not the only life that inhabits the world, but that they share it with even the unseen others.

Thus the Tabi Apo complex underlines the Bikolnon view of the interconnectedness of all life, and the relationship they have with the other creatures in their universe. The Bikolnon, in fact, share this idea with other ancient peoples. Quite interestingly, this very idea is at the heart of modern scientific and spiritual thought. It has even been adopted as one of the slogans of today's worldwide environmentalist campaign. Even in those times, ancient Bikolnon wisdom has done its share to preserve the environment, and work for its cause! The current environmental issues in Bikol, thus, must be seen as both an invitation and a challenge to the Bikolnon to go back to their roots and recover these close ties and this mutuality with nature.

The Bikolnon's emphasis on respect for others is evident. The courtesy one is expected to pay the taong lipod is like the courtesy expected in relating to people young and old. Saying Tabi Apo is reminiscent of Makiagi! (May I pass) which people greet the residents of the houses they pass by. It is also reminiscent of the customary knock on the door and greeting Saindo po! before one can enter the threshold of another's house. To do otherwise is considered impolite and unbecoming.

There is indeed so much wisdom in the folk expression Tabi Apo.