I am feeling nostalgic again, it is spring time in Europe and yet it is cloudy and rainy. I feel very cold and I am missing my home, the Philippines. Walis Tingting is one of the things I asked my friends to bring me when they travel back to Germany. I was missing it while cleaning the yard , especially during the autumn season . I am not used using those brushes with long handles to clean a yard. And so when my friends asked me what I want as a "pasalubong" from the Philippines, I asked them for the Walis Tingting.
Walis Tingting is a housewife's early morning weapon in the morning in the Philippines to clean the yard from dirts and garbage. There is no house or home in the Phiippines without it. I find it so easy to use them and so sturdy and strong, unlike those brushes which they asked me to use in Germany and most of all , I can clean faster and better.
Walis is the Filipino (Tagalog) word for Broom and Tingting is stick of midribs of coconut leaves, hence it is called "broomstick" in English. Together with a nice and strong dustpan, autumn leaves have no match with me. They are generally used to clean or sweep the bare floor or ground on the yard.
Walis Tingting is made from the midribs of the coconut leaves and mostly used outdoors. Can you imagine how many leaves of coconut are needed to have one piece of Walis Tingting and the patience of those people producing them. The last time I was in the Philippines, my dearest neighbor had given 2 pieces to me as a welcome gift and I was very happy. They are part of Filipino way of life which I brought with me in Austria and Germany. I left one of my 2 pieces in Klosterneuburg in Lower Austria where I lived for some months and which I used to clean the backyard and soon my favorite one will be thrown away in Germany.
There I was below, using my very reliable Walis Tingting. I was so proud to use them cleaning our frontyard in Bremen. Not one of my neighbor has what I have to clean their yard faster.
A Sari-Sari store (Variety store) which is also selling Walis Tingting. They not only sell food, but also have a big supply of the Walis because they are always in demand. And below is an old couple who produce these Walis Tingting which they source from the Coconut Tree around their backyard. They were going to supply a variety store with their produce.
There is nothing like this in Europe. This is something I so treasure from my home, the Philippines and it gives me a little joy on this cold, lonely day to write about it as it is part of me being a Filipino
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