By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
There was a lively discussion among participants about “momma” in a recent workshop I attended. I don’t know where this word came from. What I know is that where I come from (that is in Mountain Province) we call betel nut chewing “mema” when used as a noun and “menmemmema” when used as a verb. That’s how I call it, anyway. When you say “momma”, it sounds like your mouth is full of the red spit characteristic of momma chewers, so I guess this is the more appropriate term?
The participants of this workshop I mentioned earlier came from Ifugao and Mountain Province and you can imagine how lively the discussion got, especially that the participants were from varied offices and Ifugao has a momma tradition while central and western Mountain Province doesn’t have. Actually, this workshop was about dependency on illegal drugs. Our resource speaker, the charming Dr. Karen Balanza, though, said that substance dependency usually involves more than one substance so, naturally, alcohol, cigarette smoking and momma got into the discussions.
Alcohol and nicotine can be addictive. Just like caffeine in coffee can be addictive. And I add, just like sugar can be addictive. All these substances mentioned are stimulants, in varying degrees. How many people depend on coffee to wake them up? How many drink soft drinks or sugared drinks to keep them going? How many drink a bottle of beer or a shot of gin to “loosen up”? (Alcohol becomes a depressant, however, if you consume more than your body can handle.)
According to Wikipedia and according to chewers, momma is also a mild stimulant,. At this point I would like to say that I am not a momma chewer and have not even experienced it ever so I don’t even know how it tastes. It is not in our indigenous culture in western and central Mountain Province, at least as far as I know. Natonin people, though, chew momma by tradition and have brought the practice to Paracelis. It has become so popular nowadays in non-momma chewing municipalities of Mountain Province. I don’t remember exactly when it was first introduced to Bontoc but it was after 1981. The practice caught on like fire to the other municipalities. This momma chewing is confined to the menfolk in these areas, though, thank goodness! It became popular just about the time that the campaign against cigarette smoking intensified and smokers were not welcome in buses and churches and other public places. Momma chewing then became a ready alternative. It seems some people just need to keep their mouths occupied – continually seeking oral stimulation. Dr. Sigmund Freud, the famous Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, would diagnose this as “oral fixation”,
But because of the red paint that’s splattered on roads and pathways and canals and grasses, momma chewing has become a scourge. It’s unsightly. Moreover, the smell of the spit is not pleasant. For a non-momma chewer, that is. Thus one would now see signs “No spitting of momma” all over Mountain Province. Even in Ifugao where momma is a tradition, indiscriminate spitting in no longer desired. Our group mate from Ifugao said they now have spittoons and designated spitting areas.
What is momma, by the way? Initially, I thought it was just a betel nut. Well, it is not. It is a combination of areca nut (“bua”), betel leaf (“gawed”), lime (“apog”). This package of substances for chewing is called a betel quid. These are all found in the tropics so it is not surprising that betel nut chewing is a centuries-old tradition of many tropical countries. Apparently, tobacco leaf is a relatively recent addition as tobacco was only introduced in the Philippines by our Spanish colonizers. Our group mate, though, said it is not complete without the tobacco. Some countries add spices like cardamom. I also saw the betel leaf flower in a betel quid.
The areca nut is not a true nut but more of a fruit, categorized as a berry. The betel leaf is a sturdy vine of the same family as black pepper or pamienta. Both plants are so easily grown anywhere and thus is good business. Slaked lime is calcium hydroxide or hydrated lime, from seashells. Both areca nuts and betel leaf are mild stimulants, causing a warming sensation and slightly heightened awareness. This chewing also can stave off hunger. Come to think of it, I have not seen an overweight momma chewer. Hmm…. calling the attention of heavy weights! The mouth is also a good absorbent of chemicals so perhaps calcium is also absorbed while chewing momma. Calling for researches on this.
The World Health Organization has come up with studies to show that momma chewing is a risk factor for cancers of the mouth and esophagus and possibly, other cancers. I am sure a lot of momma chewing communities would disagree so we need to analyze our local data. It is also theorized that it could aggravate cardiovascular problems because of its stimulant effects. We need local researches taking into consideration that a lot has changed in the lifestyle of our people over the past decades particularly our food and eating habits and physical activities. These are main determinants of health. We need to see what the deadly combination is – momma and sugar and milk & sedentary life? momma and meat? Momma and smoking and sugar? etc.
Chewing momma has a long tradition in many countries and right in our neighborhood. I am always of the opinion that indigenous peoples are not stupid. If they observe that a certain practice promotes well-being, peace and harmony of the community, then the practice is sustained through the next generations. Momma chewing is part of the indigenous culture of many societies and has a lot of social significance, just like tapey drinking in the past. They were used for special social purposes so it is not “abused”. If the practice, though, is removed from its community setting and seen just as an individual preference, then that might put the chewer at risk.***
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“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
