As the daughter of a mother who worked overseas, I always looked forward to receiving pasalubong from Mama when we were kids. It came every few months in the form of balikbayan (return [to] country) boxes filled with chocolates, canned goods, toiletries, cosmetics, clothes, shoes and anything else that couldn’t be bought or found in the Philippines. These handpicked items were carefully packed by my mother, sent in the hopes of filling the void left by a parent abroad.
我是一个在海外工作的母亲的女儿，小时候我总是盼着妈妈从国外寄回来的pasalubong。每隔几个月我都会收到一种叫做balikabayan（意即“寄回国内”）的盒子，里面装满了各种东西，有巧克力、罐头、洗漱用品、化妆品、衣服、鞋子，还有一些在菲律宾买不到的东西。这些礼物都是妈妈亲自挑选并仔细包好的，她希望通过这些东西来填补自己远在国外给女儿带来的空虚。
The Filipino word ‘pasalubong’ has its roots in the word salubong, which means ‘meet’ or ‘welcome’. When prefixed by pa, the act of salubong turns into an object relating to it – ‘to meet’, ‘to welcome’. Pasalubong, therefore, is a souvenir – a gift given to someone.
在菲律宾语里，单词“pasalubong”源于“salubong”，意思是“遇见”或者“欢迎”。给“salubong”加上前缀“pa”后，这个词就从动词转变成“遇见”、“欢迎”的名词形式，由此可见，Pasalubong是指纪念品，是送给别人的礼物。
The precise beginnings of the pasalubong ritual are difficult to identify. Dr Nestor Castro, anthropology professor at the University of the Philippines, believes pasalubong is a pre-Hispanic practice, given that the term is indigenous to the Filipino language and that early Philippine communities engaged in long-distance trade.
pasalubong最早出自何处已无从查起。菲律宾大学的人类学教授、博士Nestor Castro认为，早在西班牙统治菲律宾之前，pasalubong就已经出现，理由是pasalubong这个词是菲律宾自己的语言，并且菲律宾人早期曾经参与过远途贸易。
Fellow anthropology professor at the University of the Philippines, Dr Michael Tan, agrees, writing, “…I suspect it referred to a time when travel was difficult, making the return more emotion-laden. The more distant and the more difficult the place one went to, as in the case of many of our overseas Filipinos, the more important it was to bring back something.”
这种观点得到了菲律宾大学另一位人类学教授、博士Michael Tan的支持，他这样写道“……我认为这种习俗起源于交通不发达的时代，那个时候人们对于能够回到家乡充满了感情。他们走得越远、抵达的地方越艰苦——例如那些身处国外的菲律宾人——往国内寄东西就越是意义重大。
But pasalubong is more than simply a souvenir or gift, with layers of meaning and ritual lying behind the world.
但是pasalubong并不仅仅只是一份纪念品或者礼物，在它的背后蕴含着深层的含义、包含着传统文化。
“Pasalubong is based on the principle of reciprocity – favour doing or gift giving,” explained Dr Mary Racelis, research scientist at the Institute of Philippine Culture and professorial lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Ateneo de Manila University. She explained that bringing back pasalubong for those left behind fulfils certain cultural concerns: reinforcing a friendship, honouring the recipient, sharing one’s good fortune of being able to travel outside the community and promoting the idea that you were thinking of the recipient while you were away.
“pasalubong是一种相互的、有来有往的行为，赐予恩惠或赠送礼物。”菲律宾文化研究所研究员、Ateneo de Manila大学社会学与人类学院教授级讲师、博士Mary Racelis这样解释。她认为，往国内寄pasalubong表达了一些特殊的文化含义，例如增加与收件人的友谊，表达对收件人的尊重，希望收件人也能有机会出国，以及表达自己虽然身在国外却仍然挂念着对方。
And pasalubong is not limited to items brought home by foreign workers. It can be as simple as a box of doughnuts from parents after work, or regional delicacies from places you’ve travelled to. Pasalubong can be typical of the place where one is coming from, or items that the recipient couldn’t normally afford.
pasalubong也并不仅仅指从国外务工人员寄回来的包裹，也可以只是父母下班后带回家的一盒甜甜圈，或者你在外出旅游时买回家的当地美食。pasalubong既可以是别人从家乡寄来的东西，也可以是收受方买不起的物品。
Whenever I travel, I always think about the pasalubong I can bring back home. I look for items that are inextricably linked to places I’ve been – peanut kisses from the central Philippines’ Bohol province; ube hopia (moon cake-like pastries filled with purple yam) from Puerto Princesa in Palawan; durian candies from the southern Philippines’ Davao region; a batik sarong from Bali; Petronas Twin Towers shirts from Malaysia; Tim Tam biscuits from Australia; Choco-ade cookies from New Zealand.
每次我在外旅游的时候，都会琢磨买些什么东西作为pasalubong带回家，我会选择一些和我所去过的地方有关的东西，比如菲律宾中部玻尔岛省的“花生之吻”，巴拉望岛上公主港的ube hopia （一种紫薯馅儿的月饼状油炸点心），菲律宾南部达沃地区的榴莲糖，巴厘岛的蜡染布裙，马来西亚的印有双子塔的衬衫，澳大利亚的Tim Tam饼干，新西兰的巧克力曲奇等。
I’ve also received pasalubong from family, friends and colleagues post-travel: espasol (rice cake cooked in coconut milk) from Laguna, a province south of Manila; sapin-sapin (multi-coloured sticky rice cake) from Malabon, a city north of Manila; bagnet (deep-fried crispy pork belly) from the northern Philippines’ Ilocos region; dates from Saudi Arabia; a rosary from Jerusalem; and key chains and fridge magnets from almost every city and country possible.
我也曾收到过家人、朋友或同事旅行后寄给我的pasalubong，有马尼拉南部拉古纳省的espasol（一种用椰奶制成的米饼），马尼拉北部马拉邦市的sapin-sapin（一种有多个颜色的糯米饼），菲律宾北部佬沃地区的bagnet（一种脆脆的油炸五花肉），沙特阿拉伯的椰枣，耶路撒冷的念珠，还有他们几乎每到一个城市或一个国家后都会购买的钥匙链及冰箱贴。
But pasalubong extends beyond Filipinos, with many foreigners adopting the custom when they hear about it. I’ve had co-workers from other countries bring pasalubong such as nougat and macarons from France and chocolates from Australia. As a gesture of goodwill, we make sure they take home Filipino trinkets like a small wooden carabao (Philippine water buffalo),capiz shell coasters or a tiny replica of a jeepney (a Philippine public transport vehicle that evolved from the American Jeep). When visiting their offices abroad, we come bearing dried mangoes, a favourite Filipino pasalubong.
不过pasalubong不再仅仅是菲律宾人的习俗，不少外国人在听说pasalubong后也欣然接受。我曾经收到过国外同事从法国寄来的牛轧糖和马卡龙，还有从澳大利亚寄来的巧克力。出于善意，我们会回赠给他们比如用木头做成的carabao（菲律宾的一种水牛）小饰品，卡皮斯的贝壳杯垫，或者是吉普尼车（菲律宾的一种交通工具，由美国吉普演化而来）的小模型。当我们去国外拜访他们公司的时候，我们会带上芒果干，这在菲律宾是一种最常见的礼物。
This implicit recognition of reciprocity – that the person who receives pasalubong is expected to give pasalubong in return – is an essential part of the ritual. Expressions of appreciation and reassurances of joy for the person returning home are also expected.
人们送出礼物后都希望对方能够给予回赠，这是pasalubong习俗最重要的一部分，是礼尚往来的体现。同时人们也希望自己送的礼物能够让对方喜欢，让他们开心。
Overseas Filipino workers, or OFWs, carry the heaviest pasalubong expectations. “Since they have gone abroad and ostensibly made a lot of money, pasalubong is a form of sharing their wealth,” Dr Racelis explained. “Pasalubong for the immediate family is seen as partly compensating for their having been away from the family for some time, and having deprived the latter of the worker’s presence.”
在国外工作的菲律宾人（或称作OFW）对pasalubong有着最为深重的情感。“他们在国外工作，赚了很多钱，而pasalubong便是他们展示自己财富的一种方式。”Racelis博士解释道，“对亲人来说，pasalubong在一定程度上弥补了自己远离家人、不能一家团圆的缺憾。”
The rise in the number of Filipinos working in other countries, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait having the biggest diaspora, has led to the balikbayan box phenomenon. “The balikbayan box was a creative response by shippers who recognized that many OFWs were sending large amounts of items home,” Dr Racelis said. “They recognised the market demand and responded to it by designing and selling easy-to-assemble, sturdy and stackable boxes of the right size for airline shipping.”
随去国外工作的菲律宾人越来越多，尤以前往沙特阿拉伯、阿联酋和科威特人数的为最多，寄回菲律宾的balikbayan数量也越来越多。“在国外工作的菲律宾人往国内寄回大量物品，针对这种现象，物流承运方创造性的发明了balikbayan盒子。”Racelis博士说道，“他们意识到这样一种市场需求，并立即对此作出了反应，设计出这种盒子，既结实牢固，又便于组装和叠放，同时盒子尺寸也适于空运。”
The balikbayan box has become a receptacle for pasalubong even if the person has not yet returned.
即便balikbayan在寄件人回家前送到也不打紧。
“When one person goes to a distant land, they return carrying pasalubong with them. But in the case of the balikbayan box, it is sent to relatives and friends even if the person who sent it has not yet returned home,” Dr Castro said.
“人们长途远游后会将pasalubong随身携带回家。但是有了balikbayan盒后，即使人还没到家，礼物都会直接寄到亲人或朋友那里。”Castro博士表示。
With the convenience provided by the balikbayan box and the prevalence of travel, has the pasalubong started to lose its meaning?
出外旅行的人越来越多，balikbayan盒子又如此方便快捷，那么pasalubong会不会就此失去它原有的意义？
“Because many goods are now easily available, certain types of pasalubong no longer have strong significance,” Dr Castro said.
“因为现在有不少东西很容易就能买到，所以一些pasalubong不再像以往那样具有重要的意义。”Castro博士提到。
Dr Tan writes, “When you travel a lot, as I used to, the pasalubong can become more of a tedious obligation rather than an act of generosity and joy. Because we feel obligated to bring something for everyone, we pick up whatever we can just to give something.”
Tan博士这样写道“如果你也像我以前那样经常到处旅游，那么你就会发现购买pasalubong变成了一件你必须去做的事，而不再是以快乐为目的。因为我们必须为每个人挑选礼物，而且我们买礼物的目的也只是为了把他们送出去。”
Dr Racelis meanwhile notes the resentment felt by many OFWs at what appears to be excessive expectations from prospective recipients. She says that during their first trip home, OFWs are happy to share the benefits of working abroad and exemplifying their success by bringing extensive pasalubong. However, when this cuts down on their savings, the happy feeling may decline each time they return.
同时，Racelis博士也指出，别人对收到礼物的过高期望让那些在国外工作的菲律宾人心生不满。她表示，当这些人第一次回国后，他们很乐于分享在国外工作获得的好处，并通过带回大量的pasalubong来证明自己的成功。但是，买这些礼物要花掉大笔的钞票，这就导致他们每次回国后的喜悦感大大降低。
Despite all this, pasalubong remains a steadfast trait within Philippine culture. “Pasalubong continues to fulfil the function of reintegrating travellers back to the community and reinforcing familial ties and friendships,” Dr Racelis said.
尽管如此，pasalubong在菲律宾文化里还是稳稳的占有一席之地。“pasalubong继续扮演着连接游子与祖国、家人及朋友的角色。”Racelis讲到。
“We should not underestimate the resiliency of culture,” Dr Castro added. “The longing for pasalubong connects Filipinos to their notion of home and heritage.”
“我们不应该低估文化的修复能力。”Castro博士补充道，“菲律宾人对pasalubong的渴望是家庭观和传统观念的体现。”
*原文来自BBC Travel频道。仅做翻译练习之用。*
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