Scientific Perspective of Meranao Students’ Superstitious Beliefs in Food Preparation and Preservation

Rasmia M. Yahyah - Muti M. Yahyah - Muti

Abstract


The acquired   knowledge of young   tribe men and women is one of the local issues. How Meranao young men and women acquired alternative scientific conceptions towards food preservation and food preparation are an inevitable concern of some academicians. The goal of this research is:  1) to determine what are the conceptions of students towards food preservation and food preparation gathered through their Superstitious beliefs or traditional beliefs and; 2) how these misconceptions derived from their superstitious beliefs or traditional beliefs be remedied through classroom intervention. This research used qualitative approach to collect, classify, analyse and interpret the science-related superstitious beliefs among Meranao high school students of MSU External units namely, MSU-Marantao Community High School, MSU-Saguiaran Community High School and MSU-Lanao National College of Arts and Trades. A total of 146 superstitious beliefs were with scientific basis but only 11 concepts about food preservation and 10 concepts about food preparations were identified having scientific basis. Most of the prior knowledge of the  respondents   on the collected superstitious beliefs had been handed down by great grandparents from generation to generation. The sources of superstitious beliefs are the grandparents (34%) parent (father or mother) (26%), Friends and classmates and relatives (21%), neighbours (17%) and local radio and madrasah (2%) Implementing the designed intervention to redirect students’ misconception was done in this study. Results indicated that misconception was redirected as evidenced by written journals and triangulated by their administered Likert-scaled questionnaire suggesting that the intervention has redirected the students’ conception. It is then recommended that all superstitious belief that does not have scientific proof should be disregarded no matter relevant it might to the peoples’ lives. The superstitious beliefs that are not science related should be substantiated carefully and methodically and apply it for the development of scientific investigations. 


Keywords


Superstitious belief, food preparation, food preservation, scientific perspective

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References


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