I’ve had quite a number of “close calls” and I’m still here to talk about it. Does that brand me as one of the MASAMANG DAMO who are long livers? I beg to disagree. The evil ones are (as per Bureau of Corrections and Prison Management data clearly show) the one who gets to be cut short themselves in countries where capital punishment obtains. Perhaps this venerable Pilipino saying (MASAMANG DAMO, MAHIRAP UTASIN) springs from the story of Cain’s being long-lived because Yahweh had warned anyone who’d make the mistake of striking him would get himself struck sevenfold in punishment form above. The “mark of Cain” was branded on his forehead specifically to keep Abel’s murderer safe to have a long life in which to be remorseful for his treacherous act of siblicide.
Well, by and large, criminals get it sooner than later – assuming, that is, that they are caught reasonably early in their criminal career. Like all sayings exception spring up to give the lie to them.
But since we’ve been a farming people over millenia, the phrase MASAMANG DAMO simply means that, like TALAHIB AND COGON even repeated scything and hoeing fail to eradicate them. They spring back to pestiferous life here and there and proliferate according where the wind blows their “evil” seed/pollen and these are legion and our soil not the discouraging type – in fact, our soil is so rich and accommodating even a carelessly cast off fruit seed would in a matter of a few weeks (rainy season) be up and a growing concern, thank God. But then the pestiferous weeds also get the same treatment and there lies the rub of the phrase MASAMANG DAMO.
This trite metaphor for evil persons should be retired, or at least used more sparingly. The biblical example of Cain, the “mark of Cain,” should be taking its place and MASAMANG DAMO given its NUNC DIMITTIS. Or we could knit our brows a bit more and search for a more apt metaphor/simile to sense the same purpose. That’s a writer’s task after all. Threadbare clichés are even worse than the Emperor’s new clothes. What’s your reaction? He! He! He!
