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TIN TIN TOPAK AND OTHER NAMES
By: Marie Christine Sipin

     Sometimes, to get a glimpse into the kind of person someone is, observe how he/she calls his/her family members and in turn, how they call him or her. Of course, these are just clues and not necessarily applicable all the time. However, family endearments are fun and many have zany stories behind them! They are also more interesting, sometimes downright funny and at odd times, even embarrassing! But no one name says as much about a person as that nickname given to him by his family members, the people who know him best.

     So, what is your family nickname?

     My father has this unusual habit of "renaming" people. What do I mean? He christens people! You see, he has this rather short memory and he tends to forget people's names. On the other hand, he also claims he just loves giving people nicknames, his very own terms of endearment for them.

     For example, my mother, as far back as I can remember is "Dadang' to him. He claims this endearment is unique to only him and my mother. It's just something he said, liked the sound of it, and therefore, stuck

     I became "Little Dadang". He uses this alternately with Tin Tin, the nickname he coined for me, thinking it was unique. He said he named me after Tingting Cojuangco. Now, when he hears my rather ordinary nickname, he feels like he's been plagiarized or something. Maybe this is the reason why he took to calling me Tin Tin Topak instead for times when I am rather moody.

     My brother, younger but way bigger than I am, is "Dodong". Quite predictable and unimaginative wouldn't you say? But he also was Bardagol, Bok-Bok and consequently, Brian

     Even our househelp have not been spared from my father's christening frenzy. Our long-time yaya, Ate Bebe, her name shortened from "Baby" is "Librada" to him. Where the heck did he get that name? To my father's credit, the latter is our dear yaya's real name. For some reason, my father finds Librada easier to remember than Bebe. Weird.

     My mom also loves giving nicknames. Her mother is Lola Bisaya to us because she hails from Tacloban. She also wants us apos, to distinguish her easily from our other Visayan lola whom we call Lola Baduy. You can say that to be born into this family, you would have to have oodles of a sense of humor to bear all the monikers.

     I also have a Tito Baduy, a Bruce Lee because he's a karate master wannabe, a niece named Kat Kat Pukat, Kitty for short because she purrs like a cat, a nephew named Poldo for Paul, another named Onyok because he looks like a little version of the boxer himself and a baby niece whose name is Janina Banana from the popular song and also because she likes the fruit!

     I also have teenage nephews with fancy nicknames like Kicker, he who kicked my sister's womb the hardest from her brood of seven. There's also Chiclet, the junior version of my brother Chuck. Another nephew is named Genki because he was born in Japan. In time it became Genkingkong because he is agile and well, simply because, like I said he was born into this family! We spare no one, young and old alike.

     We are not exempted from the unique Filipino way of giving double names. What double names? I mean names like Anne-Anne, Nat-Nat, Meng Meng etc. Very Filipino and very makulit. I mean why say the same name twice?

     That's our family! One just has to grin, bear it and bask in the love and familiarity. And don't even think of changing your name!

     I am sure you all have your own family nicknames, endearments, even taunts! I am also just as sure that you are as proud of them as I am. Yes, I've come to fully embrace all that is unique and dear to our family. I'm sure you kids feel the same way too, don't you?

 


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In This Issue:
HIS SLIPPERS
POEM

EARTHQUAKE
POEM

MY SISTER MARIAN
POEM

MY BABY BROTHER
POEM

MOTHER
POEM

FRIEND
POEM

A MOST UNUSUAL FAMILY

SHORT STORY

MOTHER
ESSAY

TIN TIN TOPAK AND OTHER NAMES
ESSAY

BAHAY KUBO KAHIT MUNTI
ESSAY

MASK FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
ACTIVITY

Book Reviews

Authors and Illustrators


 
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