Spanish Relation with the
Kapampangan
Language and Culture
by Alejandro S. Camiling, CPA with Teresita Z.
Camiling, BSE, MA
|
About
fifty years after the arrival and death of Ferdinand Magellan in the
Philippines, the Spanish conquistadores heard of the Kapampangan
progressive civilization when their conquest of the Maynilad (Manila) and
Tondo kingdoms was practically accomplished. These Spaniards in their
search for food, spices and other forms of wealth, came upon the
Kapampangan people with a
rich culture, traditions, arts and an alphabet of their own. The
Kapampangans were described then to be the most warlike and prominent
ethnic group in the Philippines. To defend themselves from Spanish
invasion and from other invaders, Kapampangans fortified the mouths of the
rivers leading to their territories. Their arsenal included bows and
arrows, spears, swords, shields and cannons made by local blacksmiths such
as the famous Pande Pira and his sons of Apalit. Their land and body of
waters were then the most productive in the Philippine archipelago.
Because of what they were, Kapampangans were treated differently from the
rest of the Philippine people. Kapampangans, particularly the principalia,
were accorded with privileges and some sort of exemptions from taxation.
Hispanization
of the Kapampangan region had its historic commencement on December 11,
1571 when it was founded as a province
in the same year the City of Manila was established by Spanish Governor Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi as the seat of national government. Private ownership of
land was initiated and tributes to the King of Spain had been imposed on
the natives whom the Spaniards called indios.
La
Pampanga’s land area at some time during the 16th century was
about 3,528 square miles (9,032 square kilometers) based on 28 leagues (84 miles or 134.4 kilometers) in length and 14
leagues (42 miles or 67.2 kilometers)
in width.. Almost all of the land area of the current Central Luzon
Region was then the Kapampangan region. Food The
abundance of food derived from the Kapampangan region's fertile land and
rivers influenced to a great extent the culinary art of the Kapampangan
people. Their impeccable taste of good food made them well known
throughout the nation and the "whole wide world", especially
during the last decade of the 19th century and in the early
years of the 20th century when high government and military
leaders as well as European and Asian royalty were frequent guests of
Kapampangan well-to-do families like the Arnedo, Cruz, Escaler, Espiritu
and Gonzalez families of Apalit. Their list of notable guests at their
dinner tables and ballrooms in their palatial homes included Duke Alexis
Alexandrovich of Russia, Prince Norodom I of Cambodia, Dr. Jose Rizal,
General Arthur MacArthur, Governor-General William Howard Taft, Governor
General Leonard Wood, General Douglas MacArthur, Philippine Commonwealth
President Manuel L. Quezon, etc. Other
wealthy Kapampangan families who were known for their hospitality and the
excellent food they served to their guests were the Henson, Nepomuceno,
Pamintuan, and Tayag families of Angeles; the Alejandrino, Guarin, Roxas
and Soriano families of Arayat; the de Jesus, de Leon, David, Galura,
Gutierrez, Joven, Liongson, Malig, Mangio, Miranda, Rodriguez, Ventura and
Yabut clans of Bacolor; the Blanco, Bonifacio, Bustus, Enriquez, Fajardo,
Flores, Lagman, Manansala, Pacia, Yabut and Yumang families of Macabebe
and Masantol; the Lagman, Lopez, Macapinlac, Mercado, Naguit and Pingul
families of Minalin; the Hizon, Lazatin and Panlilio families of Mexico
and the Abad Santos, Baluyut, Cuyugan, David, Dayrit, Dizon, Galang,
Hilario, Ocampo, Santos-Cuyugan
and Singian clans of San
Fernando. Even
the delegates to the Malolos Constitutional Convention which elected
General Emilio Aguinaldo as president of the first Philippine Republic
enjoyed and praised Kapampangan cuisine although the main menu during the
dinner/inaugural ball prepared by Don Emilio Gonzalez and his kitchen
entourage was French. Contemporary Kapampangan chefs and restaurateurs like Claude Tayag of
Angeles City and Gene R. Gonzalez of Apalit are known for the food they
prepare which is greatly influenced by Spanish cuisine. The latter is the
author of "Cocina Sulipena" - Culinary Gems from Pampanga. This
book includes recipes of Aroz
Caldo Azafranado (Chicken and Rice Gruel with Saffron), Relleno de Pescado
(Stuffed Bass)' Pescado al Graten (Fish Gratin in Tomato and Olive Oil),
Pescado en Venagueta (Fish in Vinaigrette), Chuletas de Dalag (Native Fish
Fillet), Pescado en Salsa Verde (Fish in Green Sauce), Relleno de Pato
(Stuffed Duck), Pato al Caparas (Duck with Capers), Lengua Legislativa
(Braised Tongue Congressional Style), Lengua con Cetas (Tongue with
Mushrooms), Pastel de
Pichones con Champinones (Pigeon Pie with Mushrooms), Caldereta de Cabrito
(Goat Meat Stew), Adobado (Hunter's Stew), etc. Religion
Religion
is one of the most visible influence of Spain in Pampanga and the
Philippines in general, that is why the Philippne Republic is the only
Christian country in the Orient today. Government Prior
to the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, the Kapampangan people had the
barangay system of government in which each barangay composed of 30 to 100
families was governed by a datu or rajah with the assistance of a council
of elders. Barangay laws were enacted and enforced by the leaders. When the Spaniards came, they modified the
system of government by creating barrios, towns and provinces. A barrio
was headed by a cabeza de
barangay (tiniente del barrio) while a town was administered by a capitan
del pueblo and a provincial chief was called governadorcillo.
Language Together
with their rich culture and excellent traditions, the early settlers in
Pampanga perpetuated their unique language now called either as Pampangan
or Kapampangan or Pampango. This language is one of the Austronesian
languages and according to the Dictionary of Languages by Andrew Dalby, as
of 1998, there are 1,850,000 Kapampangan speakers. Kapampangan was once
written in a native script, a descendant of the Brahmi script of India.
This remained in use until the late 19th century when the
Spanish era was about to end. However, printing in Kapampangan – in
Latin script – commenced as early as the year 1618. Spelling was at
first close to that of Spanish.
A new orthography,
similar to Tagalog orthography was introduced in 1965.
Many old and traditional writers and poets in Kapampangan have
switched since then to this new adopted orthography.
Pampanga
was a focal point of interest for politicians, businessmen and the landed
society during the Spanish times. As such, the province was placed at the
forefront of the “Hispanization” of the Philippines. Unlike colonies
of Spain in the Americas such as Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and
Mexico, to name a few, which were directly "Hispanized", meaning Spaniards from Spain migrated in great numbers to
these colonies and dominated their adopted countries that is why today
majority of the people of these countries are Spanish-speaking people
while in the Philippines, only Spanish soldiers and members of the clergy
were the migrants and some of them returned to their homeland after
completing their primary obligations to the Royal Crown and to their
religious orders. The distance of the Philippines from Spain and its
weather discouraged Spanish families in making big Spanish settlements in
the Philippines. As a result, today, the Filipino people still speak their
native tongues.
Despite of the above, the Kapampangan people in general, were greatly influenced by the language of Spain. Many Spanish words such as the following found their way into the list of spoken and written words of many Kapampangans in their day to day living. |
Click
here for More Spanish/Kapampangan
Words
Spanish/Kapampangan -
English
| A, a (a) - the first letter of the Spanish
alphabet
abanico - fan |
B, b (be) - The second letter of the Spanish
alphabet bacteria - bacteria |