The
tabò is the Filipino version of the dipper that is also well known in other Southeast Asian countries that use their own version of a dipper. The "modern"
tabò was created with the introduction of plastic, using modern materials to create the dipper instead of traditional coconut and bamboo. In the past, the
tabò was also called a
sartín, from the Spanish
sartén; back then sources of water were sometimes few and far between, which caused the ancestors of today's Filipinos to develop the tool or device. Instead of standing up each time to be able to reach the water source and wash their hands, the
sartín was passed around to save time and, essentially, water, according to historian Lito Nunag of the
University of the Philippines-Diliman.
Early use The early
tabò dating back to the pre-colonial period used to be made out of
coconut shell and
bamboo, and it was not used as a toilet implement. The
tabò and its equivalent in many traditional homes in Southeast Asia is not so much a toilet item as an all-purpose household object. It is found at the entrance of the house, next to a terracotta water jar (
palayók) so guests can wash their hands and feet before entering the house. There, the
tabò speaks of courtesies, the host's as well as the guest's. In the traditional kitchen, the
tabò is again found with the
palayók, which keeps and cools drinking water. The
tabò is strategically located there for the purposes of taking out water to drink and of washing of hands and/or dishes. The
tabò reflects an obsession with cleanliness, one which seems to have declined over time as the
palayók and the
tabò disappeared, or, in the case of the
tabò, was relegated to the toilet and limited to its present, less sanitary function. == Usage ==