Cebuanos definitely love to eat. There is no doubt to that. When it comes to food, we seldom say no. Our history itself tells of a race where eating slowly and chewing a lot of times before swallowing the food is a big NO-NO. Our large appetite definitely sets us apart from the rest of the world.
Eating bare handed is not only common among the Cebuanos, but to all Filipinos elsewhere. Ever since the ancient times, our ancestors used to eat the very same way. Maybe this habit of eating in such a way has been passed on from then, or maybe not. We can never know for sure. No matter how hard we deny it, we definitely prefer “kinawboy style” rather than eating using a spoon and a fork.
Some say it’s Barbaric, it’s kinda BUT IT’S NOT
We, Filipinos, eat more three times a day. We love rice. We have lot of fiestas which means more food. And the thing that matters the most, we eat bare handed. In spite of being educated in terms of proper etiquette, we still prefer to eat with our bare hands. Why is this so?
Understanding what has long been a habit will not be as easy as 1-2-3. However, with the help of a few citizens and netizens, we may be able to discern what “kinamot” really is to us.
“Mas feel nako mukaon kung magkinamot ko”
According to them, eating bare handed just feels right. They seem to have more appetite if they eat bare handedly. Eating magically becomes better and more enticing when the hands are involved. A few say that they eat like this because it is easier to grab food with the hands.
Some said that, maybe, just maybe the ways of our fore fathers has been passed on to us genetically that’s why eating with our hands just feels so natural to us that we prefer this over anything else. Others, say that we are barely living the culture which has been shared to us. However, for me, I say we do so because it is just the way it is.
Your spoon and fork have no power here, your bare hands do! Conclusion? Kinamot depends on the food and how it is served.
I believe that the touch, sight, sense and taste that can be drawn with one’s hands cannot be achieved with the aid of a fork, knife or spoon. This is what makes the experience worth more than anything else. But, we must not forget that hygiene always come first. No matter how logical it is to eat with our bare hands, if in exchange our health becomes at risk, then it is better to use the aid of kitchen utensils. Especially nowadays where sickness is widespread all around us.
Photo from the wires.
