Puwera Usog is a term that is new to me as a new daddy. This is not a common term for Ilonggos growing up in Bacolod. I don’t remember this being practiced there. What in the world is “Usog”?
My first encounter with usog was when Quennie and I brought Gab for the first time to church. When we entered, we were greeted by the elderly women at the church. About four of them were flocking and enjoying the sight of our adorable baby boy. They were touching his feet, giving praises to Gab and kept on saying puwera usog. I don’t understand. Puwera what?
Then another elderly women approached us and reprimanded the other ladies. Oy, baka ma usog ang bata. I am still confused.
When the four ladies left us to greet the other church goers, this elderly woman greeted Gab, silently spit saliva on her palms and wiped them on Gabs forehead!
Quennie’s eyes grew large. My eyebrows were lifted and my mouth hung open. I was more confused.
Happy Sabbath. The elderly lady said to us and guided us to the aisle and looked for a seat. We just gave a thin smile.
Old Wives Tale
Here is a a good write up about Usog from Smart Parenting.
It’s believed that one should avoid praising a baby because it might bring “usog,” or bad luck, to the child. To prevent baby from getting sick—involving some abdominal malady, the mother says “Puwera usog”. A dot of lipstick is placed on baby’s forehead to ward off evil forces. If baby gets usog, therapies are urged: applying the pulp side of a calamansi on the temple or stomach, spitting chewed rice grains and placing them on the abdomen, or applying spit on the tummy by the person who caused usog.
That is a weird practice.
I guess Gab will continue to get more praises and puwera usog. I just hope that the saliva incident will not happen again. That is the price of being such an adorable and cute baby. It runs in the blood, you know.
Hi Sir Jinoe! We had same experience as yours, but Noel and I already knew what “usog” means. At first hindi talaga kami naniniwala, pero nung time na nag iiyak si Tim (he was about 2 or 3 months then) tapos ayaw talaga niyang tumigil. Sabi ng father ko na “usog” daw, ang dami kasi naming bisita that day para makita si Tim so hindi namin alam kung sino sa kanila. My father ask me na pakuluan ko daw yung damit na suot ni Tim nung time na may bisita kami. Ginawa ko iyon, then after mga 5 to 10 minutes, tumigil si Tim kakaiyak. Weird, pero thankful kami at nawala kasi gusto na namin ipagchek up si Tim noon. Simula noon, nilalagyan na namin ng kulay pula na naka perdible (pangontra daw sa usog) si Tim o kaya naka pula siya ng damit. 😉
Hi Sir Jinoe… I think Puwera usog is the tagalog equivalent of Puwera Buyag in Cebuano (I don’t know if it’s the same in Ilonggo though). My lola does this thing like she would be spitting on the top of the head (although no spitting is actually excreted just like what Greeks do when blessing their kids (see: My Big Fat Greek Wedding… Hehehe) everytime she says puwera buyag… Just a thought. =)