manhangad

Back in the 70s when cyber porn was still unheard of, the favorite game of pubescent males was “manhangad”. This “spectator sport" is in pursuit of prurient interest and requires daring and the ability to fade in the dark like a shadow.

Literally “manhangad” is a Tagon-on verb that means “to look up”, but colloquially it connotes engaging in Tom’s favorite pastime---peeping! As action word, “manhangad” has become archaic and its contemporary equivalent is “mamaklad”.

As a nocturnal sport, manhangad’s golden era was in the 70s, when Tago had yet no electricity, and most houses were built high from the ground. Because the floors of these houses were made of wooden planks or bamboo slats nailed not close to each other, there were gaps galore. The better for Tom to peep!

Also during this time, most toilets were nothing but a hole in the floor affair, and to relieve themselves Tagon-ons had to squat. While at it, they did anything like reading Bisaya or Liwayway, gazing at the contour of their genitals and combing their pubic hairs for nits and lice, or watching pigs down below looking up, waiting for manna to fall. For Tagon-ons doing it in outhouses built above sea water, things were no different except that it was some fish that snatched everything that came splashing.

(to be continued...)