Verbal folklore, proverb
Title: Ang karukhaan ay hindi hadlang sa pagtatagumpay
Informant: EC
Phone Call
11/2/20
Informant Data: EC is a junior at Yale University. He is 20 years old and is the older brother of two younger siblings. EC grew up in Hong Kong for 16 years, spent a year abroad in China, and lived in the Philippines for 3 years.
Contextual Data: EC learned this proverb when he was interning at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2017. In this internship, he was working in the poverty alleviation sector where many of his co-workers firmly believed in this proverb. Hence, EC had to think outside of the box for how they can help alleviate poverty without individuals and communities believing that they are stuck in the poverty.
Social Context: The Asian Development Bank is a developmental bank focused on social and economic development throughout Asia. Headquartered in the Philippines, ADB has done many outreaches to help alleviate poverty through educational classes, volunteer events, and policy-based ways to help those living below the poverty line have more access to life-changing opportunities. As a result, ADB needs to remain optimistic for the wider Philippine community that there is a way to get out of poverty and it just needs heart, drive, hard work, and a vision.
Cultural Context: Though being trapped in the poverty cycle for over half a century, the Philippines is known for its dramatic income inequality and poverty gap. The word “karukhaan” directly means poverty and is a popular symbol of hardship in the Philippines. Despite these conditions, Filipinos remain positive in the work that they do. Through song, dance, games, and comedic jokes, Filipinos collectively can stay positive even in the darkest of conditions. This is reflected in this proverb that there is always a positive outcome ahead, it’s just a matter of finding the right way to it. When the proverb is put together, the consonance of the “h” and “a” in this proverb is a common characteristic of the Philippine language to make pronunciation more memorable and easier for individuals to say.
Item:
Tagalog: Ang karukhaan ay hindi hadlang sa pagtatagumpay.
Literal Translation: “Poverty is not an obstacle for success.”
Meaning: Where there’s a will, there will always be a way.
Informant’s Comments: “I think this proverb does two things. One, it gives a lot of insight into how the idea of poverty is perpetuated in the Philippines and how it limits the morale of communities living below the poverty line. Second, suggests that anything is achievable if one truly believes it is possible. These two strands of thinking are significant to me and my career interests the idea of achieving success applicable to anything, but it also sheds light on the fact that if one truly believes in something, it certainly is achievable as long as one is willing to put the effort in … I think this proverb also has a lot of overlap with a common Tagalog saying of “puso” which directly means “heart.” In the context in which many Filipinos use this phrase, they are implying that the best way to approach challenges is by putting your heart into what you need and want to do.”
Collector’s Comments: I personally really like this proverb. Not only is it optimistic in tackling societal issues that the entire world faces, but it also speaks about resilience and the need for one to be driven to achieving anything regardless of circumstances. While I don’t use this proverb in verbatim, I have similar proverbs that touch upon the idea of believing one can achieve anything and this proverb encapsulates just that. Whether it’s on the field or in my academics, putting your heart into all that you do is crucial for success and becoming the person you want to be. In addition to representing the idea of committing to everything you do, it also is a beacon of hope that if we help reorient the mindset of the larger impoverished community of the Philippines, we can break the cycle.
Collector: Jaime Chuidian