There’s a Philippine superstition that reminds everyone to say ‘Tabi tabi po’ (Excuse me, please) when in the forest. One must say these words out loud to be respectful to the spiritual beings around them, or else these spirits can come for you, by ailment, injury, or curse. In this short, the protagonist Tala doesn’t speak Tagalog, and therefore doesn’t know to say ‘Tabi tabi po’. So she is not spared by the mystical beast that goes after her. “Tabi Tabi Po” is about having deep respect for one’s culture, even when it’s not fully understood. It’s about the loss a person can feel when they were never taught their native language, and the complications of their identity that come along with that.