Sneezing in the Phillipines

[JackJenkey]

Although I have never been to the Phillipines in my life, I have several friends both male and female who are from the Phillipines, or have parents who are from there and are very familiar with the customs and traditions. I've spoken to almost all of them about sneezing customs there, after casually just bringing it up in conversation. This is basically what they all told me about sneezing in the Phillipines.

I was told that stifling or surpressing sneezes is not very popular in the Phillipines. Both male and female Filipinos tend to just let there sneezes come out full force. The typical "Ah Choo" sound is also not very common. Sneezes in the Phillipines usually sound more like coughs, screams, growls, or just make a "huussssshhhh" sound. People there are taught to cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze, but a large amount of people many don't do it or only do it in certain situations. Many people just turn their heads to the side, or down to the ground and just sneeze out into the air, sometimes with alot of sneeze spray coming out.

Also, when I asked what Phillipino people say when someone sneezes, they told me that people usually don't say anything. Sneezes are frequently just ignored, and even sneezing fits that go on for many minutes are often not acknowledged in any way. There actually IS a term in Filipino or Tagalog that is an equivalent to "Bless You" or "Salud" but it is not frequently used when someone sneezes. Sometimes someone will make a comment regarding a sneeze or a sneezing attack, but people don't feel obligated to acknowledge a sneeze by saying a particular phrase the way they do in many other countries.

Once again, I'm not saying that any of this is definitely true. I'm just saying that this is what Phillipino friends of mine have told me. I find it very interesting since I hang around with alot of Phillipino people. Feel free to comment or provide opposing views on this!

[Rhomberg Rabbit]

They don't say anything when someone sneezes? Wish it was like thet here.

[Guest LadyErisana]

I hear ya! i hate being blessed or blessing people. i dont know why o.O just makes me so uncomfortable!

[Sawyer]

Hmm, you know, I know a girl from the Phillipines (tiny little thing, really), and her sneezes are just dry "choo"s. She does sneeze in multiples (I recall a day where she sneezed nonstop, every five to twenty seconds, for about six hours) and quite frequently, but I don't remember her ever covering them.

[resolution]

Yep, as a New Yorker that has grown up around members of practically every ethnicity, I can back up your description of the sound of most Phillipino sneezes (Well female Phillipino sneezes, I don't pay attention to anything else).

[Nea]

I've been around Filipinos all of my life. I can definitely say that what JackJenkey has said is true. I've witnessed only a couple of stiflers (all of whom were raised in the U.S.). Most of them do sneeze openly.

I'd like to add my own observation in reference to Filipinos/as blowing their noses. I have seen native Filipinas blow their noses onto the ground (outdoors!) and into trash cans instead of using tissues. What they did was: look around to find a spot, tilt their heads downward while pinching the bridge of their noses, and blowing the contents in their noses onto the ground or into the can. All of this usually followed a sneeze or moments of constant sniffling.

I must say, when I observed this... I thought it was most unladylike. However, I carried on around them as if it weren't anything I hadn't seen before. Ah well, I guess that if you are without tissues, then an open doorway, window or trash can will do.

[ArwinAdviceCenter]

I've been around Filipinos all of my life. I can definitely say that what JackJenkey has said is true. I've witnessed only a couple of stiflers (all of whom were raised in the U.S.). Most of them do sneeze openly.

I'd like to add my own observation in reference to Filipinos/as blowing their noses. I have seen native Filipinas blow their noses onto the ground (outdoors!) and into trash cans instead of using tissues. What they did was: look around to find a spot, tilt their heads downward while pinching the bridge of their noses, and blowing the contents in their noses onto the ground or into the can. All of this usually followed a sneeze or moments of constant sniffling.

I must say, when I observed this... I thought it was most unladylike. However, I carried on around them as if it weren't anything I hadn't seen before. Ah well, I guess that if you are without tissues, then an open doorway, window or trash can will do.

That is a good point. I've noticed something similar! I once had a very pretty Filipina girlfriend who would always go into the bathroom and blow her nose into the sink whenever she needed to blow her nose. She would turn on the water let it run, as she bent down with her face in the sink and blew her nose one nostril at a time. She would pinch one nostril shut and blow as hard as she could through the other nostril for a half minute or so. Then she'd switch nostrils and do it again. It made a very strange and very loud sound! Nose blowing sounds different when you are just blowing out into the air, instead of a tissue. The really weird thing is, there was ALWAYS a box of tissues right next to the bathroom sink, as well as toilet tissue. Yet she still preferred to blow openly into the sink, rather than blow into a tissue. In fact, she wouldn't even use the tissue to wipe off her nose after blowing. She would wipe her nose off with her hands and then wash her hands in the sink with soap and water. I once asked her why she didn't just use a tissue, and she said that a tissue makes nose blowing more difficult and makes you have to blow harder. She said the tissue prevents the air from coming out full force. She said blowing out into the air helps the air come out more freely and actually clears the nose more effectively! She said alot of Filipinos do it. I guess it make some sense, but it's still weird!