#267 Walis Tingting

Walis tingting (Coconut nib broomsticks) was once an indispensable tool in the Filipino household of bygone years. Made from the dried nibs of coconut palms, the ends of the walis tingting can easily get into the narrow slats and openings of wooden floors for a thorough cleaning. This broomstick is also an effective clean-up tool in the garden and can swept gravel and dirt aside much better than modern nylon brooms or cleaners.

But, perhaps, the walis tingting is best remembered by recalcitrant and misbehaving kids as Pinoy parents of old will not hesitate to enforce Pinoy-style child discipline by a few painful whacks on your behind using this broomstick.  One quick swish of the walis tingting is enough to send snotty kids to behave, go to bed on-time or quit the TV watching.

The walis tingting has become a part of rearing up a child in those pre-Nintendo days that the word tingting became a verb as in “Kung hindi ka susunod ay titing-tingin kita,” (literally, “If you don’t obey I will broomsticked you”).

If everything fails then the lowly broomstick can be used again as it was meant to be- sweeping the dirt away!

Mabuhay ang walis tingting!