Have you heard the latest trend that caught the attention of many Filipinos? If not then let me be the one to tell you. It’s really easy; you just have to stretch out your body, arms to your side, find an unusual place, take a photo of yourself and post it on Facebook or any social networking sites. This new craze is the so-called “planking” or the lying down game.
Looking into its history
A comedian named Tom Green () claimed to have invented “planking” in 1994. But other accounts said that it originated in London on 1997. While the other one, in Northeast England in 2000. The origin of this fad might not be clear to many fanatics, but that doesn’t matter anymore. For it has gained popularity in many countries.
When it spread all over the globe, it has also been called as “Shi Che Nori” or playing dead in South Korea, “a plat ventre” or one’s belly in France, “facedown” in U.S.A. and Ireland, “planking ” in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and the rest of the world.
Philippine trend
It was early 2011 when “planking” hits the Philippines. Many already did photograph themselves in some unusual locations such as roofs, stairs, atop poles, vehicles and even in roads.
In fact, there was a facebook page devoted to “planking” called Planking Pinas. Many already joined the page and it gained more than 33,000 “likes” from a lot of Fillipinos. Filipino “plankers” posted their own planking style photo on the wall of this page. Planking Pinas, however, made it clear to its members to always be responsible when doing planking. They promoted “PLANK SAFE” to each of their members.
This fad doesn’t only captivated common people, but also some Filipino celebrities. Actress Lauren Young and fashion icon Liz Uy tweeted a photo of their own doing the signature planking pose (planking in the stairs).
“Planking” was also used as a means of protests and rallies. On July 19, 2011, a number of students in the Philippines took the streets and planked. Because of President Aquino’s proposed budget cuts in universities and colleges they organized “Mass Planking For Our Right to Education”. They demanded from President Aquino to allocate a higher budget for education, a few days before his State of the Nation Address.
A self-expression
While others thought “planking” was a self-expression, many Filipinos are doing it only because people from the rest of the world are doing it. Some high-profile “plankers” include Justin Beiber, Chris Brown, Max Key (son of New Zealand’s Prime Minister), etc. This also triggers some individuals to “plank”.
Let’s take from Sheena, an Accountancy student, who admits she’s a fan of this fad. “So I can have cool photos on my facebook,” she said when asked on her purpose of doing planking.
“Lingaw-lingaw,” said by another “planker” named Mandel.
But for RR, it is one way of expressing himself. Because of having nothing to do aside from studying, he “planks” to tell others that he’s craving for something new.
Unfortunate plankers
Many might be doing “planking” to have a cool profile photo on facebook or just doing it for fun. But the fact is that, once a person posted his own planking pose and many seemed to like it, this will give him a sense of recognition.
However, not all plankers were fortunate enough. A 20-year-old guy in Brisbane,Australia embraced his own death after trying a planking stunt in a seven-storey Brisbane apartment. It was believed to be Australia’s first planking fatality. One was also arrested in Australia after planking on a police vehicle without asking permission to the cops. In England, doctors and nurses in a certain hospital were suspended after “planking” while on duty.
Nobody really knows what the exact purpose of planking was. But still, it gained a lot of popularity in the rest of the world. Now, it continued to spread in the Philippines and is starting to be recognized by some here in Dipolog. Just so you know if you tried “planking” make sure to be responsible and never cross the line. Ű
(Writer’s Note: Thank you so much google, without you I can’t acquire all these informaions!)
