"Aga Makalarak," "Aga Makatanem," and Other Local Beliefs in Some Cosmic Disabilities

"Aga Makalarak," "Aga Makatanem," and Other Local Beliefs in Some Cosmic Disabilities

In Bayambang and most probably the rest of the Pangasinan-speaking world, a popular expression goes, "Ay agi, agka makalarak!" Translated, it means, "Oh no, you can't produce oil (from coconut)!"

It is just one among many similar beliefs or superstitions which assert that someone is unable to perform a task with the desired outcome no matter what he or she does. For some mysterious reason, that person consistently fails at it, even with repeated attempts, thus the conclusion about his or her 'disability.' 

For this purpose, someone is dubbed "aga makakatli," "aga makaburo," "aga makabinuburan," "aga makapelag," "aga makalarak," "aga makatanem," etc. and is thus routinely prevented from doing such a task lest he or she fails again and again.

For example, someone who is "aga makalarak" or cannot render oil from coconuts for reasons not of his or her own doing is told never to render coconut oil again and even prevented from getting near such an otherwise innocuous activity in the kitchen, for fear that no coconut oil would be produced, or only a little of it would be rendered.

"Aga makatanem" (can't keep a plant alive even if his life depended on it) is the reverse of that foreign belief that someone is just born with a green thumb. i.e., someone is born to kill every creature he or she attempts to plant. 

"Aga makakatli" means unable to cut (hair) properly no matter the knowledge and training.

"Aga makaburo" means unable to make buro like fermented fish properly.

"Aga makabinuburan" means unable to produce binuburan (fermented rice) right.

"Aga makapelag" means someone unable to cook ampalaya (bitter gourd) without ruining the dish due to excessive bitterness. 

"Aga makaaklo" refers to someone who, when ladling rice or any dish from the kettle to the serving plate, ends up with diners going hungry, unsatisfied, or wanting for more. 

In some households, there are members who are tagged as being "aga makaluto'y luko" or unable to cook gabi (taro) leaves or tubers because the end product will end up too itchy to be edible.

And so on.

This practice may come off too amusing to outsiders, but locals firmly believe in such seemingly natural negative traits of certain individuals even in the absence of a plausible scientific explanation.

Sources: Vernaliza M. Ferrer, Khim Ambrie L. Ballesteros, Resty S. Odon