Tatak Pinoy (Philippine Made)

May mga ilang litrato sa aking file na tugma sa tema ngayong linggo, ngunit napagdesisyunan kong ito na lang ang ilahok ko. Kuha ito sa libreng art exhibit sa Jaime Velasquez Park, siyudad ng Makati noong Sabado (28 June). Noon lang ako nakapunta sa isang art exhibit, kaya kahit masakit na ang paa ko ay nagawa ko pa ring ikutin ang mga galleries ng tatlong beses.

Napakaraming likhang sining na talaga naman ang gaganda, ngunit para sa akin ang mga obrang may tema tungkol sa Pilipinas ang mas matimbang para sa akin. Ang larawang ito ay bahagi lamang ng likhang sining ni Robert Alejandro. Ang larawang ito ay isang mamang nagtitinda ng taho - isa sa mga tatak Pinoy na parte na buhay ng maraming Pilipino.

Noong ako ay bata pa, hindi kumpleto ang agahan namin ng aking kuya kung walang taho. Araw-araw, lagi kaming nakaabang sa aming bintana sa pagdating ng mamang magtataho, at lagi naming hiling na dagdagan ang sago at arnibal para mas masarap ang aming taho. Sa ngayon, hindi na ako kumakain ng taho (ako ay lumaking walang hilig sa matatamis na pagkain), ngunit dito sa aming lugar, may mga bata pa ring nakaabang sa labas ng kanilang tahanan, bitbit ang isang baso at kutsara, naghihintay sa pagdating ng mamang magtataho.

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English Transation:

I got a few pictures on my file that would fit this week's theme, but decided on this instead. I took this photo last Saturday (28 June), when I passed by the free art exhibit at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City. It was my first time to check out an art exhibit, so even if my feet were hurting, I still circled the galleries thrice.

There were so many great works of art, but the artworks I loved the most were those that speaks about "being Filipino." This picture is just a part of a painting by Robert Alejandro. The painting is a man that sells taho (soy bean pudding), a food that has been part of every Filipino's life.

When I was still a kid, breakfast will never be complete without eating a glass of taho. Everyday, my brother and I would wait by our window for the taho vendor and when he came, we would always request him to put more sago (tapioca pearls) and caramel to make it more tasty. Right now, I don't eat taho anymore (I grew up not really liking sweet foods), but here in our neighborhood, I still see kids outside their house with a glass and a spoon in their hands, waiting for the taho vendor to pass by.

*** Jenn***