The Term for Eating with Hands in the Philippines

The traditional Filipino way of eating with bare hands is called “Kamayan” in Tagalog, also known as “Kinamot” in Visayan languages and “Kammut” in Tuwali or Ifugao language. Also called a “salu-salo,” the Filipino communal feast is placed on banana leaves and consumed with no utensils, hence the term.

How to eat by hand

1.Make a little mound of rice and set it aside.
Gather the rice into a little mound with whichever hand you like to use to hold a spoon. This is best accomplished with the tips of fingers. Underneath the rice, place a small serving of your entree.

2.Press down as you squeeze in.
Squeeze your fingers together and press down on the clump of rice you’ve gathered with the same hand you used in step 1. This makes the next step easy for you.

3.Lift and push yourself.
Once you’ve pressed down on the rice mound, take a bite with your hand raised to your lips. Now all you have to do is open your mouth and place the food in your mouth.

Presence of Contraindications for Left and Right Hands

There is no standard rule for using your left or right hands when eating by hand. You can use whichever is comfortable for you.

However, you don’t need to use both hands. When eating, your off-hand is typically used to handle a plate, bowl of soup, or a drink. Avoid using both hands to eat since it will make things more difficult.

Posture when eating

Proper posture is also not required when eating with hands, especially during feasts wherein a person may choose to sit anywhere in the event place. Most elderly Ifugao people also have poor posture. Therefore, proper posture when eating by hand is not necessary.

“Are they sitting on the floor or at the table when eating?”
In Ifugao feasts, sometimes there are tables and chairs provided, so they eat at the table. Most of the time, benches are also available, so people can either sit beside each other and put their plates on their laps or put their plates on the bench (using it as a table) and sit on the floor, a big rock, or a smaller chair.

“Whether they cross legs, stand on one knee, or are both legs flown sideways?”
When sitting on the floor, it is more comfortable to cross the legs. However, for women wearing the Ifugao costume, it is required that they sit on the chairs provided or to sit in a manner that is comfortable and won’t ruin the attire.

“Whether to put food on the table or floor?”
Food served is placed on the table and never on the floor. When eating, it is more comfortable to put food in an elevated area rather than on the floor. However, in some cases, you can put your plate on the floor as long as it is an open space and not a high-traffic area.

“Either served from a large shared plate; Do they use tableware or take foods directly by hand?”
Dry food (rice, pork) is served in Banana leaves, and soup dishes are served in large pots. For meat, you can take the food directly by hand, but for the rice and soup dishes, tableware is used. Todlak: plates made from the banana trunks, is also used instead of regular plates.

“Is licking the fingers allowed?”
You don’t have to lick your fingers if the dish is delicious, but you can. You don’t also have to lick your fingers clean.

Do they use a finger bowl?

A finger bowl is not common in Ifugao culture; however, washing your hands is important. The last thing anyone wants to do is feeling sick after eating a delicious meal. At the very least, a jug of clean water to wash your hands will be provided if there isn’t a sink.

What kind of food do they eat?

During Ifugao feasts, pork dishes and chicken stew called “Pinikpikan” are usually served and popular during celebrations.

Context of Eating with Hands Among the Ifugao People

Historical Background of Eating with Hand

The “Kammut” ritual dates back to pre-colonial times. The Magellan expedition’s Antonio Pigafetta and the Spanish missionaries of the colonial period both described it. In pre-colonial Filipino tradition, wooden spoons and ladles were used for serving and cooking but not for eating.
Spanish politeness and spoons and forks were strongly encouraged during the American colonial period, which led to the suppression of this tradition.

Relationship with Religion

Our predecessors used their hands when utensils were not yet invented. Since utensils had not yet been invented during Jesus’ time, Muslims have always eaten with their hands only. It’s remarkable that just a few of us still eat with our hands today.
In Ifugao, no data states the connection between religion and eating by hand. It is merely part of the Filipino culture.

Folktales and Myths Related to Eating with Hands

In Ifugao, there are no folktales and myths related to eating by hand since this is a traditional way of eating handed down for generations.

The Aesthetic Consciousness Concerning Eating with Hands

The Ifugao people do not think highly of how aesthetically pleasing they look when eating with their hands. There is no standard rule on how they should look when eating with their hands as long as they do not disrespect the hosts, the place, and others.

Awareness of Cleanliness

Cleanliness, like washing your hands before and after eating, is important. Chewing moma after a meal is common, especially among the elderly; therefore, washing one’s hands is necessary to be able to prepare their “moma” concoction neatly.
Since banana leaves and trunks are commonly used in Ifugao feasts, they leave them in one area separated from the plastic, paper, and other garbage to be disposed of later.

Education for Children

As time goes on, our culture and our behaviors as human beings are bound to evolve. Old customs fade away, and the ways we used to live are reduced to just stories for our children’s schoolwork.
We, as Ifugao parents, bear the responsibility of instilling these values in our children. However, this does not imply that we must use them in the same manner. It’s easy to include them into our regular routines with a few simple actions.
Many Filipinos have mastered the skill of eating rice with their hands. It includes teaching them how to use their hands to pick up and eat the food.

Depending on the occasion, a salu-salo can be anything from a simple dinner party when friends bring their food and share it with one other to a more elaborate celebration, such as a birthday, a wedding, or any other special occasion. By dining with our children, we can carry the essence of the salu-salo throughout your day. Having meals together as a family and teaching them how to eat with their hands is a great way to enhance our relationship. We can then spread the excitement by inviting your family, friends, or coworkers around for lunch.

Scientific Interpretation

Interpretation of the Scientific Effectiveness of eating with Hands for Local People

Compared to using cutlery, eating with your hands makes you eat slower, and you become more aware of the taste and texture of your food and you become aware of the people around you.
For local people, it is believed that due to the current technological overstimulation, eating with hands is particularly beneficial since it forces children to put their phones down, converse with one another and savor the meal and each other’s companionship.

Relationship between Elderly People’s Health/Appetite and Eating with Hands

Bacteria in our hands, stomach, and intestines protect us from illness. When we eat with our hands, these bacteria enter our bodies and shield our digestive systems from dangerous microorganisms. Keep your hands clean before eating by washing them thoroughly with soap and water.
In other words, elderly people believe that eating with our hands will make us immune to bacteria and thus protect us from diseases.

Today’s Trends

For many Ifugaos, eating with your hands with a mixture of viand and rice is a traditional style of eating that has been passed down through generations.While not exclusive to the Philippines, the practice of “kammut” or “kamayan,” in which no spoons or forks are used during the meal, allows you to share a more meaningful experience with the people you’re eating with.

People have long used this method of eating to better enjoy their meals with the stories, laughter, and priceless moments they have exchanged with family and friends. And even with the increase of fine dining restaurants and aesthetically lovely cafes, eating by hand is still common in homes and community celebrations or feasts.

Effects of Corona and Touchscreen Gadgets on Eating with Hands

Unfortunately, the Coronavirus has affected the “kammut” eating experience, especially during large feasts, which were not allowed during the pandemic.
However, you can still “kammut” or eat with your hands after washing your hands thoroughly and without touching shared food with your bare hands — the use of serving spoons is important.

Eating with hands doesn’t have to be unhygienic, and the pandemic has reminded us that it is important to wash or sanitize our hands after touching gadgets and before using our hands to eat.