A common Filipino cleaning tool, a worn-out “walis tambo” or soft broom, listed for $575 on an online tribal art shop, Morgan Oakes Gallery, has caused a stir among Filipinos on social media. The gallery, known for selling “authentic tribal art, decor, fashion and custom bases,” describes the item as a 20th-century artifact made from reed and natural fibers.
Lawyer Emil Marañon highlighted the extravagant pricing by posting screenshots on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on May 18, humorously questioning the cultural appreciation with the caption, “Who’s gonna tell them white people???” accompanied by a laughing emoji. His post quickly went viral, garnering 4,700 likes and numerous shares and comments.
Who's gonna tell them white people??? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/kCSBfZLhPM
— Emil (@13thFool) May 18, 2024
The online reaction varied from amusement to incredulity, with one user jokingly suggesting, “20th-century naman daw, lol,” poking fun at the justification of the broom’s high price due to its age. Another user humorously suggested the possibility of capitalizing on selling ordinary Filipino items as luxury goods: “Ampagkakaminahal? Is this my pagyaman opportunity? Sell rich people aesthetic Pinoy things?”
Others shared a more practical take on the matter, noting that such a broom, typically used in Filipino households for indoor cleaning, would usually be discarded when worn out to this extent. “‘Pag ganito na ‘yung walis, tinatapon na,” commented another user, indicating the typical end-of-life for such an item in its native cultural context.
