Alaskahan is the ability to tease using associations, connections and indirectness. It is a game of comparison which allows the subject to think what exactly, in the situation, in his or her features, in his or her sense of style, in his or her remark, is being mocked at or being made fun of. Alaskahanwas not invented to put down anyone. Nonetheless, this play is still not for the faint at heart. It is widely practiced in the Filipino social, non-pretentious gatherings and bonding among friends and loved ones. I say non-pretentious since the game of alaskadoes not offer polite remarks nor compliments. It does not fit in a formal setting unless done in whispers, and those involved are able to merely shake shoulders when in need to express laughter.
Google says alaska means to tease, but what it doesn't say is what and how exactly does one tease when playing this game. I shall give an example then. A good one is this shampoo ad made in the '90s. A woman with long hair comes from outside, rushing to enter the building, her hair all messy, a friend looks at her, he pauses for a second before he asks: "Mahangin ba sa labas(Is it windy outside)?" This line became a famous remark in the '90s when someone would address a person with messy hair. When playing the alaska game, one simply makes a connection or an association, and the other person should be quick enough to get it. In the Philippines, you can make a whole collection of alaska since it usually is part of social skills. I remember this one time when I went out with a few friends of mine, one of them was wearing a red bandana on her head. So after the usual besos and greetings, I asked her, "Uy, pwede mo ba akong hulaan mamaya (Ey, you think you could tell me my fortune later)?" I was referring to the red bandana on her head. Thus, calling her a gypsy. But then she said, "Sige. Eh ikaw? Anong oras balik mo sa gubat(OK. And you? What time are you going back to the jungle)?" She was referring to my asymmetrical blouse that had print of leaves on it, and me being a big girl. Thus, calling me an amazon. I shook my friend's hand after the quick comeback.
Alaskahan is not only done amongst friends, Filipino celebrities also use them in their shows. Vic Sotto commenting after his co-host's throat made a crackling sound when she coughed, "Uy, happy new year, pumputok ka pa ah (Ey, happy new year, you're still crackling)." Or Ogie Alcasid's remark when he had to interview all these models who were towering over him: "Ay, laking 'Star' margarine with rice ba kayo (Did you grow up 'Star' margarine with with rice)?" He was pertaining to the old ad of 'Star' margarine where it showed children mixing the margarine with rice, and the commercial's message was that their product can make kids taller. Even fans of PBA use alaska to disturb players. I remember this one game I watched in the '90s, where the fans of 'Alaska Milk' (name of team--only a coincidence) tried to distract Mon Fernandez, a great player who was quite thin, by shouting: "Bu-la-lo!" "Bu-la-lo!" "Bu-la-lo!" -- a soup dish with bones of a cow in it. Then when the ball went to Alex Araneta of the 'Alaska' team, the fans of the other side shouted: "Cubao!" "Cubao!" "Cubao!" They were associating the player's last name with the famous Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
I think alaskahan may be one of the reasons why we Filipinos often make it to the top 20 list of the most cheerful people in the world. We don't like hurting people, and yet we like a good joke. Maybe sometimes we feel like insulting, but it's not funny to put down someone so we camouflage it with indirectness (although my mom said I have an Uncle Gago from my father's side, I don't think that's his real name. I always wondered about him). We find humor in most things. And we use it to protect us from getting hurt. We do have the ability to find laughter in the midst of all difficulty. We look for something funny when we need to smile again. Our sense of humor is part of of our survival kit. It seems like it helps us face the harshness of music that comes to our people with thunderous beats. It's a tool that makes us look at the bright side. Laughter is our remedy, or sometimes our escape; it is our path to improvement, or sometimes just a path to nowhere. But whatever effect it may give us, whatever outcome it creates--one thing is for sure--the happy Pinoy is here to stay.
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