Have you been to any market in the Philippines at a time when the store owners are just setting up their goods, or they probably just opened, early in the morning? If you have, then you must have heard the words..."Buena mano lang po." It is the statement often used to make the first sale, something that is believed to bring handsome profit for the rest of the day.
"Buena mano" literally means "good hand" from Spanish words buena (good) and mano (hand). According to historian Ambeth Ocampo, the use of this phrase started during the time when those calesa drivers or cocheros took good care of the horse by feeding them well and keeping the carriage clean. These men managed to teach horses to follow traffic rules and not do a counterflow. Hence, passengers were in good cochero hands. But just as calesas can now rarely be found except in Intramuros, Laoag, Vigan, and few other places, the meaning of "buena mano" has changed in time.
Consuelo J. Paz of the University of the Philippines on the other hand, had a paper "Compounding Old and New Words in Filipino" which stated that Spanish compound word like the colloquial term "buena mano" (after you) has undergone semantic change in the Philippines. It has been used to mean the first buyer or customer.
However, there is more to that phrase now than just Paz's meaning. "Buena mano" has become a good luck charm that is believed to bring good sale from the first transaction till the closing hour of the day. It is believed that if the first sale is good, the rest of the day will be. For good vibes, the first customer that comes upon the store's morning opening should make a good buy. In some communities where people know each other, there are instances when the seller would request somebody known to be a lucky "buena mano" to make the first purchase so that the goods will be sold out (buena mano, ubos!) The money from the first successful transaction is usually being patted on the items for sale in the belief that by doing so, good luck will come. Moreover, any negative happening within the day is usually blamed from a not-so-good first transaction during the opening of the store for that particular day.
There are times when a customer that bought something has to change an item, for whatever reason. From a seller's point of view, it is not a good practice to change that very early when a considerable amount of sale is not yet made. In times like this, the customer is asked to come back later in the day as the store has yet to have its "buena mano." Some other store owners do not buy anything in the morning unless they had made their first sale.
Buena mano is not at all bad nor one-sided. Consumers get to pick the best when buying vegetables that came from the farm in tyangge on market days. It is also a perfect time to do haggling. The seller usually gives the first buyer a good discount believing that the first sale has to be made so that more transactions will follow. In the process, the customer gets a discount while the seller gets the first sale.
Now, are you thinking of making your next purchase early in the morning? Sure you are, but it has to be made in a public market--- not in the mall!
However, there is more to that phrase now than just Paz's meaning. "Buena mano" has become a good luck charm that is believed to bring good sale from the first transaction till the closing hour of the day. It is believed that if the first sale is good, the rest of the day will be. For good vibes, the first customer that comes upon the store's morning opening should make a good buy. In some communities where people know each other, there are instances when the seller would request somebody known to be a lucky "buena mano" to make the first purchase so that the goods will be sold out (buena mano, ubos!) The money from the first successful transaction is usually being patted on the items for sale in the belief that by doing so, good luck will come. Moreover, any negative happening within the day is usually blamed from a not-so-good first transaction during the opening of the store for that particular day.
There are times when a customer that bought something has to change an item, for whatever reason. From a seller's point of view, it is not a good practice to change that very early when a considerable amount of sale is not yet made. In times like this, the customer is asked to come back later in the day as the store has yet to have its "buena mano." Some other store owners do not buy anything in the morning unless they had made their first sale.
Buena mano is not at all bad nor one-sided. Consumers get to pick the best when buying vegetables that came from the farm in tyangge on market days. It is also a perfect time to do haggling. The seller usually gives the first buyer a good discount believing that the first sale has to be made so that more transactions will follow. In the process, the customer gets a discount while the seller gets the first sale.
Now, are you thinking of making your next purchase early in the morning? Sure you are, but it has to be made in a public market--- not in the mall!
