tawas
táwas with stress marks
potash alum; indigenous diagnosis practice
Usage Note
Tawas refers both to alum (used as a natural deodorant and astringent) and to a Filipino folk-healing ritual where a healer passes alum over a patient's body and reads the resulting shapes to diagnose illness or identify the cause of bad luck. The ritual is still practiced in many parts of the Philippines.
Examples
" May tawas sa lamesa. "
Natural Translation
There is alum on the table.
Literal Translation
Has alum on table.
" Puti ang kulay ng tawas sa banyo. "
Natural Translation
The color of the potash alum in the bathroom is white.
Literal Translation
White the color of alum in-the bathroom.
" Ginamit ng albularyo ang tawas upang malaman kung ano ang dahilan ng karamdaman ng may sakit. "
Natural Translation
The folk healer used the alum to find out what was causing the patient's illness.
Literal Translation
Used the folk-healer the alum to know what the cause of illness of sick-one.
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