BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – Everyone wants a moment of peace to relax. Cue a cacophony of nature in the background, with birds chirping as if they are singing.
But “lato-lato,” a toy, nay noisemaker made of two balls hanging on strings and swung to hit each other, is hogging the spotlight at the moment.
This popular toy has made an impression on children and adults, yet on the opposite side of the spectrum, either amazed or irritated.
In Iloilo City, the toys’ clacking sound could be heard on either side of streets in the downtown area. Ambulant vendors, each with a pair of these brightly colored plastic give unsolicited demonstrations.
These viral clackers have different sizes and come in different prices — small is around P20 to P45, medium is P50 to P65, and large is P75 to P85.
Alias “Inday,” a lato-lato vendor, told Panay News that their selling prices might change without prior notice due to the high demand.
“Mga pila pa man lang ni ka weeks nag-boom. Ga-taas kami presyo kay naga-ubusay stocks. Bali ang amon diri naga-wholesale kami sang ginabaligya man sa mga eskwelahan,” she said.
Meanwhile, vendor Sherwin from Boulevard, Molo district said lato-lato could reduce stress for some, and many children enjoyed playing it.
“Nagligad inadlaw lang ko nagsugod baligya. Damo gid ni malingaw nga kabataan, kag kami man nga gabaligya ga dula man stress mo kung may lato-lato ka,” said Sherwin.
According to Groovy History, before making it big in Indonesia, the toy first swung its way into the hands of American children in the late ’60s to the early ’70s.
Known as clackers at the time, they were dubbed a “parent’s nightmare” due to the clacking sound they made and the dangers that came with these toys.
Meanwhile, Borneo Post said lato-lato got its name from the Bugis word latto-latto, which means “making clacking sounds.” However, that isn’t the only name the toy has been given.
Over the years, the toy has also been called katto-katto, etek-etek, nok-nok, and toki-toki in several parts of Indonesia, and clackers, click-clacks, knockers, ker-bangers, and clankers in other English countries.
While it is enjoyed by many, some find the clacking sound a nuisance and hazardous, causing some parts of the world to ban the toy because it contributes to sound pollution, negatively affects one’s hearing, and, in some cases, has caused injuries./PN
