FA1: Research on Local Culture

Hernandez, Selin B.
GED0106 – Section

TULUY KAYU PU KING PAMPANGA

(WELCOME TO PAMPANGA)

When we hear The Kapampangan tribe, also known as Pampanga, is one of the largest
ethnic groups in the country. Pampanga is the first Spanish province in Luzon. The name La
Pampanga is named after the Spaniards who met the indigenous people who lived on the banks
of the Pampanga River. Founded in 1571, it became the first Spanish state on Luzon (Cebu,
Visayas is an older one, founded by the Spaniards in 1565). When Britain invaded Manila as part
of the Seven Years' War, the provincial town of Villa de Bakara temporarily functioned as the
capital of the Spanish colony. On the eve of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, Pampanga was one
of eight provinces under martial law for rebelling against the Spanish Empire. Therefore, he is
depicted on the Philippine flag as one of the eight rays of the sun. Pampanga is home to Clark
International Airport (formerly Dios Dad Macapagal International Airport), located in the Clark
Freeport Zone, about 16 km north of the state capital. There are two Philippine Air Force bases
in this state. The Basa Air Base in Florida Blanca and the former Clark Air Base in Angeles.
Kapampangan is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines. This is the main and major
language spoken in Pampanga and southern Tarlac. Kapampangan is also spoken in the
communities of Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Zambales in northeastern Bataan. It is also spoken as a
second language by some Aetas in the southern part of central Luzon. This language is honorably
known as Amánung Sísuan (“breastfed or nurtured language”).

Agriculture and fishing are two major industries of Pampanga. The main products are
rice, corn, sugar cane and tilapia. Pampanga is the capital of Tilapia in the country with a
production of 214,210.12 tonnes in 2015. In addition to agriculture and fishing, the state supports
a thriving domestic industry specializing in wood carving, furniture making, guitars and
handicrafts. Every Christmas season, especially in the capital San Fernando, Pampanga becomes
a thriving industrial central centered around handmade illuminated lanterns called paroles that
display kaleidoscopes of light and color. Other industries include the casket industry and the
manufacture of general-purpose vehicles in the city of Santo Thomas. The Clark Freeport and
Special Economic Zone is home to well-established hotels and resorts. Popular tourist
destinations include St. Peter's Shrine in Apalit, Mt. Arayat in San Juan Bano, Arayat, Paskuhan
Village in San Fernando, Casino Filipino in Angles, and for nature and wildlife “Paradise Ranch
and Zoocobia Fun Zoo” at Clark. Well-known annual events include the Giant Lantern Festival
in December, the Clarkfield Hot Air Balloon Festival in February, the San Pedro Cutud Lenten
Rights celebrated two days before Easter, and the Aguman Sanduk in the New Year’s Day.

Pampanga is famous for its sophisticated cuisine. Kapampangan are known for their
culinary creations. Famous food ranges from mundane to exotic. Roel's Meat Products,
Pampanga's Best, and Mekeni Food are one of the country's most famous meat brands, including
pork and chicken tocino, beef tapas, hot dogs, and longganiza (Philippine sausages and pork).
Produces popular dishes of the tribe. Specialties such as siopao, pandesal, and letchon (roasted
pig) and its sarsa (sauce) are popular in the region. More exotic betuteng Tugak (stuffed frog),
Adobo cooked with Kamaru (mole crickets), Lechon kawali Bringhe (green glutinous rice dish
like paella) It is the mainstay of the Kapampangan festival. Local sweets and delicacies such as
pastilyas, turonnes de casuy and buro are most popular with Filipinos, including an increasing
number of tourists enjoying authentic Kapampangan cuisine. Known as the mother of all Filipino
biscuits, the famous biscuits in Mexico, Pampanga Panecillos de San Nicolas, are made here,
famously made by Lilian Borromeo. Biscuits are made from arrowroot, sugar, coconut milk and
butter and are celebrated annually in the Catholic community of the Feast of San Nicolas
Tolentino. Cookies are believed to provide healing power and good luck and can crumble before
being planted in paddy fields.

Geography
Pampanga is a province that is in the Luzon region of the central Philippines. Pampanga
is bordered by Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija to the north, and
Bulacan to the east and Manila Bay on the southearoad from Manila, the industry began to
flourish. Agricultural trade, primarily rice and sugar, has become the focus of agricultural unrest.
Subsequent land reform brought peace to the countryside, and the religion of the Kapampangan
as an influence cannot be denied. During World War II, the Japanese Communist guerrilla unit
(Hukbalahap) used Pampanga as an operational base during the Japanese occupation.
Hukbalahap was suppressed during the Magsaysay administration when its leader Luis Taruc
surrendered to the government. Pampanga is also the home of two former presidents, Diosdado
Macapagal and his daughter Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The Culinary Capital of the Philippines

When we hear Pampanga the first thing that immediately comes to people's minds is the
"delicious food" Kapampangans are known for their culinary skills so there is no doubt that
Pampanga is called "The Culinary Capital of the Philippines". Most of the best Filipino food
comes from here. People living in Pampanga are also known for their passion and skills in
cooking. There are several reasons why Pampanga has become the culinary capital of the
Philippines. They earned their nickname for their history, invention, signature style, and
exposure to the media. These reasons are central to the way the province earned its title and
developed a culture of delicious food. The passion for cooking in Pampanga can be traced back
to the time when the Spaniards were colonized in the Philippines. As the first Spanish state on
Luzon, the Spaniards taught the people of Kapampangan how to cook. After that, the skills
learned by the Kapampangan people were passed down from generation to generation. During
the Spanish colonial period, Spanish monks and sailors trained the people from Pampanga to
cook. Kapampangan cuisine is inspired by Spanish cuisine, but influenced by Malay and
Mexican cuisine. Kapapanpangan has a culinary style st, and it consists of 21 municipalities with 538
barangays. Its capital is the city of San Fernando. While geographically located within the state
of Pampanga, the city of Angeles is classified as a major highly urbanized city and is governed
independently of the province. Its terrain is flat, with prominent mountains, Mount Arayat, and
the famous Pampanga River. Among its municipalities, Porac has the largest land area of 314
square kilometers. Candaba comes second at 176 square kilometers. This is followed by 175
square kilometers (68 square miles) of Florida Blanca. While Santo Thomas is the smallest with
an area of 21 square kilometers.
History
Historical evidence shows that Pampanga was officially established by the Spanish
authorities on December 11, 1571. Pampanga was divided into Pueblo (city) and further into
Barrios (district) and Encomienda (royal and private land). Pampanga was one of the wealthiest
places in the country. In fact, Manila and other surrounding states and regions depend on
Pampanga's thriving agriculture, forestry, fishing, and labor industries. Therefore, the Spaniards
decided to convert it to a province for province control and tax purposes. With the accessibility
of the state and the construction of the first concrete called “singkutsa”. This recipe semi-
marinates the food to prevent spoilage and improve the flavor of the food. This method is done

during the Fiesta, or when most need to be prepared. To do this, you need to add some flavors to
the main ingredients of the dish. Add salt, fish sauce, onions, garlic and soy sauce to the water.
When the mixture is being cooked, you should stir the meat vigorously to remove the lard until
half a meal is complete . The Kapampangan were encouraged to cook using methods learned
from Spanish and local ingredients. Spanish friars were amazed at how Kapampangan created a
unique blend. For this reason, friars and government officials hired Kapampangan when they had
guests at home. The Kapampangan were also asked to create a menu during the proclamation of
the First Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan.

The struggles faced by the Kapampangan due to rebellions, floods and the eruption of
Mount Pinatubo paved the way for them to be particularly creative when it comes to food.
According to the Minister of Tourism Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, during the Spanish colonial
period, women and children were left at home by men who had to work at the Cavite shipyard. In
the 18th century, Kapampangan experienced outrageous famine and starvation. Furthermore, in
1991, Mt. Pinatubo emitted. In view of these encounters, Kapampangan make dishes out of
everything in their current circumstance, including bugs and frogs, since it sets aside cash and
time.
Festivals in Pampanga
The festivals in Pampanga is primarily related to Catholic religious practices. The rest of
the tradition is created for a good harvest and the prosperity of farmers and fishermen. Most of
the cities held annual celebrations to promote their products and preserve the Kapampangan
tradition.

These are the few festival that is a must see in Pampanga

Ligligan Parul - It means "lantern showdown". It is a parole making competition held every year
in San Fernando. The city where San Fernando is known as the Christmas capital of the
Philippines. Seven barangays from the city of San Fernando will participate in the Giant Lantern
Contest people from different barangays must work together to make huge lanterns. The height
of the lanterns presented at this festival is usually close to 20 feet. The diameter and the diameter
of the light that the operator turns on and off. In addition to the lamp, the lantern uses a colorful
plastic that reflects light. The chain of light is a magnificent view from a distance.

Image (https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/154037249742098302/)

Hot Air Balloon Festival - This is an annual exhibition featuring hot air balloons, parachutes,
micro-aircraft demonstrations, fly-bys, and light aircraft fly-ins. This is currently the largest air
sport event in the country. Competitors from all over the world will fly to the Philippines to
participate in this epic event. It is held annually at the Clark Freeport Zone Omni Aviation
Complex.

Image https://jontotheworld.com/best-festivals-pampanga/

Fiestang Tugak (Frog Festival) - Every October, the city of San Fernando celebrates the capture of
old frogs. The vast rice fields of the city were once full of frogs. Once, when farmers planted at
the beginning of the rainy season, children fled the fields to catch frogs. They used a piece of
cloth that looked like a fly to lure the frog out of the hiding place. When the frogs jumped, they
were caught in a container or ash bag to remove the frog's mucus. This technique for catching
frogs is called Pamamaduas Tugak. Its goal is to preserve the Pampanga culture and promote
Pampanga's unique frog dishes.

Image (https://foodrecipenotebook.blogspot.com/2015/06/stuffed-frog-pampangas-betute-tugac.html)
Makatapak Festival – This festival commemorates the power and unity of the people in Bacoor
and celebrated in November. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, Bacolor was deeply involved
in the lahar for four years. People believed that the Aeta god Apu Malyari was angry because of
the misconduct of the townspeople against Mother Nature. Makatapak means "go barefoot".
People had to take off their slippers and step on the soft, hot mud. Walking on a lahar is like
walking in quicksand. The experience was humble when people from different disciplines
walked hand in hand to ensure safety.

Image (http://estorykokulturako.blogspot.com/2012/03/makatapak-festival.html)

Sinukwan Festival - The first week of December shows the pride of the Kapampangan tribe. The
Sinukwan Festival honors Aring Sinukwan, the god of the ancient Kapampangan tribe.
Therefore, it is a cultural festival celebrated throughout the state. The purpose is to preserve and
enhance the culture and language of Pampanga. The celebration begins with a large street
performance in the city of San Fernando. Dancing to the beat of the local folk song "Atin
CuPung Singsing", the city competes for the best outfits and performance awards.
 Image (https://www.karlaroundtheworld.com/sinukwan-festival-in-pampanga-2019)

Pampanga holds the title of Filipino Culinary Capital by offering some of the best
Filipino cuisine, but this Central Luzon has more than just fine food. Not only is it home to the
highly urbanized modern town of Clark, but you can also go hiking or attend a popular festival
featuring hot air balloons and beautiful Christmas lanterns. Realizing that I am from Pampanga,
I think that I was still fortunate enough to witness and experienced different events that I was
proud of for the rest of my life. Through Pampanga's continuous and growing traditions and
culture, rest assured that this will continue for the next generation, and I'm confident enough to
say so. Despite all the changes in our country, it's really nice to see that there are still places that
remain unchanged and can maintain the traditions of recent years and there is no modernization
at all and I know that tradition lives on and touches more life.
 References:
Eugenio, A. (2021, June 23). WATCH: Why Pampanga is the Culinary Capital of the Philippines. Reportr.World.

https://www.reportr.world/news/watch-why-pampanga-is-the-culinary-capital-of-the-philippines-a4713-

20210623

FamilySearch Wiki. (2022, June 1). Pampanga Province, Philippines Genealogy •

FamilySearch.https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Pampanga_Province,_Philippines_Genealogy#:

%7E:text=As%20a%20province%2C%20Pampanga%20was,of%20independence%20to%20the

%20Philippines.

History of Pampanga. (2014, July 21). Kapampangans. https://pampangaprovince.wordpress.com/history-of-pampanga/

National Commission for Culture and the Arts. (2015, June 2). The Kapampangan. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-

ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/northern-

cultural-communities/the-kapampangan/

jontotheworld. (2022, June 1). THE BEST FESTIVALS IN PAMPANGA ( You should experience these). Jon to the

World Blog. https://jontotheworld.com/best-festivals-pampanga/