Faces of Death in the Philippines: Mamatay ka Na!
It’s OK to have a smile and talk lightly about life and death matters like getting pre needs plans in the Philippines or remembering memories of dead loved ones. It’s a different matter when, whether jokingly or out of frustrated argumentation, you tell someone “mamatay ka na!”
We’ve heard or read it at least one time in our lives: neighbors taking their argument and screaming to the streets would cry it out, someone being pressured to talk about the new guy they are dating will jokingly throw it at his inquirer, but mostly you’d come by it when you look at the comments section of social media posts that not everyone agrees on.
“Mamatay ka na” loosely translates to “die,” “just die,” or “die already.” It comes in a lot of variety like “Magpakamatay ka na (kill yourself),” “bakit di ka pa mamatay? (why don’t you just die already?)” or “mamatay sana pamiliya mo (I hope your family dies).”
According to Rappler, this is one of the most hurtful things that pepper any comment section of any social media. What’s also weird is that people from other countries go & ask online what it means so we can only assume that a Filipino or someone who knows the language might have slipped them the cuss (curse?) without them knowing.
According to Rappler, this is one of the most hurtful things that pepper any comment section of any social media. What’s also weird is that people from other countries go & ask online what it means so we can only assume that a Filipino or someone who knows the language might have slipped them the cuss (curse?) without them knowing.
In a study by Teresita D. Tajolosa from Palawan State University titled Conversational Topic Preferences, Taboo Words & Euphuisms: The Case of Philippine Male and Female University Students, “mamatay ka na” or any of its variable is among the top 10 “harshest” cuss words by both male and female students from privates schools and among the top 10 for female students from a state university.
As to why people keep on saying the expression, there are no academic payers that tackle it in greater detail but it can’t be denied that it’s affecting those who hear it very adversely. A redditor that goes by the user name siriuslycharmed posted asking why people say “go kill yourself” and the responses jumped from jokes to a person actually saying that he wishes someone would tell it to him so that he’d “feel less guilty about committing suicide.”
I get it: we sometimes say it as an absurd joke to people who are very close to us but what about angry people wishing it against someone else over social media? What aren’t even out to offend people? Remember Rebecca Black who was infamous for the song Friday? We can admit that it isn’t the best song in the world but it’s just absurd when a 13 year old Rebecca Black receives serious death threats because of it.
As a nation that’s very prudent when it comes to talks about funeral services, life expectancy, and pre needs plan, the Philippines is such an ironic place to have the words “mamatay ka na” be casually thrown around. Hopefully, more Filipinos stop using social media for hate. Just in case a very harsh wish to kill yourself gets to you, don’t listen to social media—there are people who are willing to listen to you.
If you are feeling alone, depressed, and have the urges to take your life, or if you know someone who is on the verge or has suicidal tendencies, there are suicide hotlines like HOPELINE. You may call them at 0917-558-HOPE or (02) 804-HOPE.
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