Posted by Talungko is an old Tagalog word associated with Filipino culture. It should not be mistaken for talangka (crab) which is another word that is associated with our culture, like in talangka mentality. But that is a topic for another time.
Talungko (pungko in Bisaya) or also known as Asian squat is a deep squat position where the buttocks are low to the ground, where knees and hips are bent, and the heels are flat on the floor.
I was surprised that some Western cultures, like here in America, many people have difficulty doing this pose. Maybe they are not that flexible, or maybe they are too big, or maybe it’s not being done in chair-dominant societies. It needs practice, I guess.
But in the Philippines, this position is commonly seen as a relaxed posture. This kind of squat is a natural resting pose and a daily activity position. Other Asian countries do this squat too, and it may be due to cultural and environmental factors.
When people are waiting for something or just resting from work, they assume this pose. Who needs chairs or furniture when you can do this squat and be perfectly comfortable, right? Though there are some work that will require the squat too, like when Filipinos doing their laundry, however, this may be getting rare now as washing machine is becoming more common in many households. The sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) assume this position too while they are grooming their roosters.
I remember my mother and my mother-in-law, both of them passed away several years back, when they both visited us here in Iowa, they were chatting while in this talungko position, regardless that we have plenty of chairs around. I envision the nuno sa punso assuming this squat too on top of his mound.
Besides being practical, regular squatting is associated with health benefits as well, such as improved digestion, stronger lower body muscles, and better hip and ankle mobility.
But what makes this squat indispensable in many Asian cultures is the way it is associated with using the bathroom. There are still parts of the world that restrooms have no toilet bowl to seat on, but just a hole in the ground. Even some modern toilets have a porcelain basin on the ground instead of a toilet seat. This may be considered more hygienic due to the lack of thigh-and-toilet-seat contact, especially in public toilets.
Some medical articles said that squatting posture is more physiological and ideal as it allows for better relaxation of the puborectalis muscle and hence faster and easier evacuation of you-know-what. But it does not matter what medical journals says, in some parts of the world assuming the Asian squat position is unattainable so might as well flush that idea down the toilet (sorry for the pun, it is intended).
For my readers that are not Filipinos or Asian, if you plan on visiting countries in Asia (some countries in Africa too), just be prepared to get into the deep squat position.
As for me, I think I’m losing my Filipino trait of assuming this squat. Or maybe I just need more practice.
(*photo taken somewhere in the Philippines last year; yes, my talungko is not perfect; and no, I’m not doing “number 2” here.)