103. 10 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF PAMPANGA

In the late 19^th and early 20^th century, a design trend swept Europe and America called “Arts and Crafts”, a movement that promoted handcraftsmanship over industrial mass production. But long before that, Kapampangans have been creating all kinds of objects with their hands, with utilitarian and decorative functions, for their homes, work, leisure and religion.

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1. KURAN AT PASU (Sto. Tomas)

Utilitarian and decorative clay vessels and containers were among the earliest crafted objects made by man. All sorts of earthenware—including the ubiquitous  ‘kuran’ (round-bottom cooking pot)—have been produced in parts of Pampanga, as recorded by American Thomasite Luther Parker in the 1900s.  Sto. Tomas is the acknowledge pottery center of the province, with many major potters clustered along Quirino street. According to oldtimers, one pioneer potter was Apung Sindung Mercado who made “pilones”, clay jars used in the manufacture of molasses. From making traditional oya, tapayan, kuran, gusi, balanga and pilun , the potters also added ornamental pasu or masetas for growing garden plants and flowers,

2. PUKPUK (Betis, Apalit)

The fine art of metalsmithing was known to pre-Hispanic people in our archipelago, blossoming in the the late 16th to the 19th century, when the Spanish missionaries arrived to introduce the idea of sacred art in which the Chinese excelled. To decorate the altar, Mexican silver coin were melted and fashioned into tabernacles, altar frontals and vessels, ramilletes (silver floral standees), carrozas, and more. Betis artisans mastered the art, locally termed as ‘pukpuk’ (to hammer) as designs were created by chasing and using the repoussé method,  in which designs are raised on a metal sheet by pounding a pattern from the back using a sinsil (blunt chisel). This is achieved by working on the metal against a wooden block, on which designs have been incised. Artisans spread the art to Apalit which once had the largest number of ‘pukpuk’ shops. Names like the Ramirez Family, Edgardo Yutuc and Jeric Canlas continue this tradition to this day.   

3. DUKIT (Betis)

Betis is the town synonymous with quality carved woodcrafts (“dukit” -to carve) —from church and home furniture, decorative architectural pieces,  to religious statuaries and  relief sculptures.  One of its ancient barrios—Sta. Ursula—was known as the premiere source of such carved masterpieces.  A famous resident is Maestro Apung Juan Flores, who started as  a santo carver an expanded into “muebles” and carved wooden furnishings. He made the decorative wooden carvings of Malacanang Palace during the term of Marcos. Angeles, with its many Clark residents, was a major market of woodcarved products during the 50s thru the 80s. Modern-day mandudukit include the descendants of the Flores family, Willy Layug, Peter Garcia, Salvador Gatus, and the artisans of Betis Crafts of Myrna Bituin, who exports their prized furniture worldwide.

4. PARUL (San Fernando)

The lantern industry owes its popularity to San Fernando lantern maker pioneers who evolved the parul from the simple wooden and paper star lanterns for the “lubenas” (procession)  to the giant kaleidoscopic lanterns that the world marvels at, every December’s Giant Lantern Festival. The advent of electricity gave rise to the invention of the rotor by Rodolfo David; which is used to give the lanterns their amazing play of colors. Well-known parol makers include the Quiwas (led by Ernesto David Quiwa), Rolando Quiambao, Arnel Flores, and Jesus Maglalang. The Christmas capital of the Philippines  has parul stores all over the city still selling traditional lanterns. The Dau Expressway exit is line with lantern stores, hawking paruls of all sorts—capiz, LED-lit,  wire and plastic, and even “rope” lanterns.

5. BURARUL (Angeles)

Kite-making,  though not exactly an industry,  requires a certain degree of artistic and technical skill. Believe to have originated in China, these paper and wood air craft are flown mainly for leisure and play—but they were said to be used also for measuring distances and for military communications. In Pampanga, they are called “burarul”, from the Spanish “volador”,  one that flies. The basic “karang-karang” is nothing more than a folded paper with thread. But the more elaborate kites come in box (“tukong”) or diamond shapes (“sapin-sapin”). There are high-flyers (“gurion”) and competition fighter kites (“panyaklit”). The most complicated ones are figural kites mastered by the professional kite-maker Eulogio Catalan of Angeles City. A former sepulturero, Mang Eloy won renown for his imaginative, award-winning kite creations. He made kites in the forms of birds, fishes, angels, saints and figures  of our  national heroes—all using wooden framework,  paper and paint. His most elaborate was a ferris wheel kite with seated human figures, that actually turned when flown on a string. He also introduced the concept of folding kites. The art of kite making died with him, and today, just a handful in Pampanga know how to fashion homemade kites from “tingting” and papel de hapon.

6. DASE (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon)

As early as the 18^th century, dictioanarist Fray Diego Bergaño made mentioned of towns lining the Candaba Swamp that were known for weaving house mats or “dase”. Made from “ebus” (buri palm leaves) . These included weaving families from San Luis and San Simon who are skilled in the art of “pamaglala”, or weaving, usually done communally, after the day’s work. Mat weavers or”magdadase” wove fine mats of large, medium and small sizes—made for sleeping or for covering the bamboo floor. For variety, the leaves are dyed in different colors to produce mats with appealing patterns.

7. KUPIA (Apalit)

An allied product from the province’s weaving tradition are hats or “kupia”, an essential accessory for our tropical climate, where  wearing a head protection from the  scorching sun or sudden rains is mandatory.Before commercial hat shops were established in Pampanga, everday functional hats—"kupia"-- were made all over the province. Apalit was once a hat center, and in Barrio Sucad, ‘kupyang ebus’ by the thousands were woven and commercially sold in town markets from as far as Tarlac, Baguio, Bataan, Zambales and Manila. But due to the scarcity of ‘ebus’ materials, production  gradually slowed down in the 1920s. Pampanga shops that operated in the 1930s sold hats of all shapes, sizes and materials. In San Fernando, one could go to La Fernandina, Zapateria Moderna or to the Japanese bazaar of T. Tsuchibashi along Mercado St. and the Indian Bazaar of Battan Singh. "Sombreros del pais y del extranjero" (local and imported hats) could be bought in Macabebe at the Bazar L. Magat, while "El 96" in Angeles offered a few headwear selections.

8. SANTOS (Betis, Macabebe, Bacolor, Apalit)

Although Betis is the center of woodcarving  in Pampanga, it is Macabebe town which is known as the home of santeros. A santero is a craftsman who uses wood, ivory, cement or fiber glass to produce an ecclesiastical art piece known as santo, in the image of Christ, Mary or a Saint. Before the war, fishing and farming were the only means of livelihood of the people of Macabebe. Santo making was then merely an expression of their ingenuity, and the products were mostly for personal use. Pablo “Ambo” Bautista, a local businessman, is credited with promoting santo-making in the town by gathering local artists and putting them to work in a talyer he opened just for them. Sons Antonio (a painter) and Gener (a carver) further grew the business and improved the craft of santo making. This inspired other carvers to put up shops that soon proliferated along the whole stretch of the town’s main road. Others found their way in the other towns of Pampanga. U.P. Fine Arts graduate Maximiano Jingco also set up a pre-war religious statuary shop in Guagua. Second and third generation carvers continued the santo tradition like Rolando and Boyet Flores (from the Flores family of Sta.Ursula), while a new breed of highly trained carvers came to fore—Nick Lugue (Apalit).Wilfredo Layug  (Betis),  Joseph Magcalas (Apalit) ,  Joed Miclat (San Luis) and the Viray brothers (Bacolor).

9. GITARA (Guagua)

Cebu may have a reputation as the Philippines’ guitar industry leader, but the more well-known guitar brands are made in Guagua, Pampanga. The “gitara” has its origins in Spain, and there’s a mention of  a guitar-prototype in Byron Pabalan’s zarzuela “Ing Managpe”—a stringed instrument called “kalaskas”. Another is the pre-Hispanic “kudyapi”, which, like the guitar, has a box and a fretboard. The pioneer guitar maker in Pampanga is a Matuang Bacani who managed to copy an old Spanish guitar. He passed on his techniques to his son-in-law, Angel Lumanog who mastered the craft of guitar-making, opened a shop and started supplying Macabebe, Bacolor, and San Fernando stores. Son, his guitars were being sought after in Manila. Today, the Lumanog brand is a name synonymous to fine guitars. Apart from the Lumanogs, families like the Garcias, Dizons, Mallaris, Jucos and Manansalas engaged in the production guitars.

10. GAWANG PANDE (Apalit)

The first cannon maker of the country was a Kapampangan named Pande Pira, a smith who put up a foundery in Manila to make “lantakas” or cannons, and other artillery to protect the Intramuros and for use in Spanish galleons. Apalit takes pride in continuing this smithing tradition, and is the leading source of world-class steel crafts in the province,  such as bolo, machete, all types of knives and daggers, plus home and garden implements like rakes, hoes, spades, and other tools. The steel products are made the old fashioned way by hammering sheets of metal ,  made malleable by superheating them, then shaped into blades for bolos, palang, knives, scythes, spears or any bladed implement. The industry gave Apalit town its nickname, “The Blacksmith Capital of Pampanga”. In Floridablanca, smiths produced aluminum crafts, using “aluminyu” that are heated and pounded into shape, using molds.

SOURCE:

SINGSING MAGAZINE, "Pampanga's Folk Arts & Crafts: Going, Going, Gone?", Vol. 5, No. 1.Published by the Center for Kapampangan Studies,Holy Angel University. Excerpted and edited from the articles of JoelPabustan Mallari (Dase, Gitara, Kuran, Burarul, Kupia), Arwin Lingat (Santo), Alex R. Castro (Pukpuk), 

www.viewsfromthepamang.blogspot.com (Hold on to that Hat, Hamming on an Old Guitar, The Art of  the Kuran)
PHOTOS:
Alex R.Castro (Pande, Kupia, Gitara, Santos, Parul, Pande, Pukpok, )
Best, Jonathan. A Philippine Album: American Era Photographs 1900-1930, The Bookmark Inc.(Dase)
Miss Millenial Pampanga 2017 FB Page: (Betis Carving-Dukit)
Singsing Magazine: (Burarul)

80. 15 KAPAMPANGAN PLACES, THEIR MONICKERS AND MOTTOS

The use of short descriptive phrases--sobriquets, nicknames, monickers-- to describe places goes a long way back in history. "Pearl of the Orient" (Perla del Oriente) was first used in 1571 for Manila, now used as a sobriquet for the whole country. Central Luzon, which includes Pampanga, was dubbed as the "Rice Granary of the Philippines". Pampanga, of course, lays claim to the title of "Culinary Capital of the Philippines". Not all place nicknames, however, are positive in nature-- some are insulting, some amusing, many hilarious --but this naming tradition lives on today. Recently, town mottos, too, are being appended to rally people to support their municipality's vision/mission. 

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ANGELES CITY

Angeles earned its reputation as a center of entertainment with the rise of its barangay, Balibago as a recreation and leisure hub for serving both American and local patrons. The city’s proximity to Clark Air Base jumpstarted the establishments of night clubs, pubs, bars and gambling dens which lined the main avenue of Balibago, as well as the nearby perimeter roads known as Fields and Friendship Avenue. The entertainment strip was lit with neon marquees with Las Vegas inspired names such as Copa Cabana, Nina’s Papagayo, Little brown Jug, and Tropicana. Like Los Angeles, it was dubbed as the “City of Angels”, as it was named for both the founder (Angel Pantaleon de Miranda) and titular patrons  (Los Angeles Custodios).  The Casino Filipino, run by PAGCOR, is also located in Balibago.

“Abe-abe…Saup-saup…Agyu Tamu!” (Together...Helping Each Other...We Can!)

APALIT 

Apalit is the last town of Pampanga as one goes south to Manila, hence its nickname. The town is also famous for its long tradition in blacksmithing, and  the best bolos are said to come from Apalit. Today, th town doe not only produce bladed weapons like machetes and knives, but also domestic steel tools like rakes, hoes, anvils, picks, shovels and garden implements.

“Aplit…Apalit!” (Quicken the Pace...Apalit!)

BACOLOR

Like the ancient capital of Greece—Athens—Bacolor was the undisputed seat of arts and culture of the province, with the highest concentration of poets, artists, zarzuela performers, musicians, singers and writers. Bacolor is the proud home of such literary greats  as Juan Crisostomo Soto, Felix Galura, Luisa Gonzaga de Leon, Jose Gutierrez David, Mariano Proceso Pabalan Byron, Anselmo Fajardo, Zoilo Hilario, among others. Bacolor was also the country’s capital for two years during the Spanish colonial times when Manila was invaded by the British.

“Pluribus Unum, Non Plus Ultra" (Out of Many, No Further and Beyond)”

CAPAS

Capas is one of the richest, most historic towns of Tarlac,  the final site of the infamous Bataan Death March. It is a trekkers’ and mountaineers’ paradise as the challenging Mount Pinatubo treks were first offered by this town, which today continues to  attract thousands of tourists every year, unprecedented in number. This accounts for its latest nicknames as Tarlac’s tourism capital.

"Paspas..Capas!" (Make Haste, Capas!)

DAU

Camp Stotsenburg established its  Post Exchange in Dau, which presaged its rise from a barrio of Mabalacat to  the country's PX capital in the 70s. With the relaxation of Clark rules, PX goods flowed out of the base in abundance, to be resold later in stores  that quickly sprouted like mushrooms along MacArthur Highway of Dau. The completion of the North Expressway that linked Dau to Manila facilitated the great American experience as visitors trooped to Dau to buy Pringles, Oreos, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Hershey’s Chocolates, Almond Rocha, Hanes and Fruit of the Loom shirts, imported rubber shoes, branded cosmetics, apples and grapes, among others. The reversal of fortune began with the departure of American servicemen facilitated by the Pinatubo eruption of 1991. Business took a turn for the worse when PX Clubs opened at Clark-which extended PX shopping privileges to Filipinos.  Today, Dau shops continue to flourish, with toilet fixtures, military uniforms, various tools, and used surplus items replacing the once in-demand PX goods.

FLORIDABLANCA

The third largest municipality in the province has so much potential waiting to be untapped that the municipal government came up with a kilometric monicker for the province that reads more like a vision.

“Abe-abe king Panyulung!” (Together in Advancement)

LUBAO

The ancient town of Lubao (old name: Baba) has the sole distinction of producing two presidents: Diosdado Pangan Macapagal (b. Sep. 28, 1910/d. Apr. 21, 1997), who served from 1961-1965 as our ninth President, and daughter Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ( b.Apr. 5, 1947 ), who was our 14th President,  from 2001 until 2010.

MABALACAT

Over 97% of Clark Economic Zone is on Mabalacat land, hence the claim as Clarks economic breadbasket. ‘Makati of the North’ is a monicker coined by the long-running Morales Administration, which came across as too pretentious. The only similarity is, like the Binays of Makati, Morales’ term was a long one, stepping down only 2017, after 22 years in power. The Kamikaze monicker is in reference to the Divine Wind suicide attacks of Japan that was planned in the home of local Mabalacat resident,  Marcos Santos, during the last years of World War II.

“Misanmetung, Mabalacat! (United for once, Mabalacat!)

MACABEBE

In the art of peddling, perhaps no one can compare to the selling skills of the Macabebe cloth vendors. In fact, Macabebe takes pride in being called “Home of the Peddlers”, a reputation built by these native vendors who roamed across the Archipelago, travelling on foot and in groups of two or more, selling the famous ‘Macabebe cloth’—actually, Manila-bought fabrics. These humble, hardworking cloth vendors infused a lot of money into their town and in the 1930s, were largely responsible for pumping up Macabebe’s economy.

"Memalen Macabebe, tapat makiabe!" (Macabebe townfolks are loyal friends)

MAGALANG

Magalang aspires to become the sweet tamarind capital of the Philippines through a locally-propagated tamarind variety known as Aglibut. The late Professor Andres Aglibut, a consultant of Pampanga Agricultural College, successfully developed a  sampaluk type noted for it sour-sweet taste and juicy dark brown flesh. This is in consonance with the town’s “farm tourism” program which aims to revitalize the farm industry of this scenic, agricultural town.

“One Magalang! Metung King Panyulung!” (One Magalang, One in our Stride to Progress)

MINALIN

The town is known as the "Egg Basket of Central Luzon" because of its large scale production of eggs and chickens. According to the municipal government, Minalin earns P30 million per month or P1 million per day from the sales of eggs. There are 22 poultry raisers who own around 280,000 chickens. These chickens produce 479,100 eggs per day. So important is this egg industry that a laying chicken is even included in its town seal.

SAN FERNANDO

The capital city of San Fernando is popularly known as the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines" because of its traditional giant Christmas lantern industry. The establishment of the Paskuhan Village in 1990 served to reinforce its image, but the lantern-shaped complex folded up after the Pinatubo eruption and fell into disarray. Its Giant Lantern Festival held every December remains the city’s biggest attraction, in which the city’s barangays field their biggest and brightest lantern in a friendly competition attended by thousands of local and international tourists.

SAN LUIS

San Luis’ most famous son is the Huk Supremo, Luis Mangalus Taruc, who was born in the barrio of sta. Monica, of peasant parents on June 21, 1913. Following the Japanese invasion, Taruc formed the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon), along with Casto Alejandrino and other guerillas, in central Luzon in 1942.  San Luis became one of the hotbeds of Huk activities in the 50s and 60s. in 2017, Taruc was recognizedas a hero by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NCHP) for his role the struggle for  agrarian reforms.

SANTA RITA

Sugarcane was the cash crop that made Pampanga so rich, Sta. Rita included. The town is famous for its sweet delicacies-- turrones de casuy (wafer paper-wrapped cashew nougats) and sans rival (rich pastry made with layers of buttercream, meringue, and chopped cashew nuts). Ocampo-Lansang made these treats famous, and which in turn, gave the town’s nickname.

 “Sesen taya ing Santa Rita” (Let's care for Sta. Rita)

SANTO TOMAS

Santo Tomas is the smallest town of Pampanga but it has many unique homegrown industries like red clay pottery and funeral casket-making. The latter products are known for their beauty and fine quality,  made by craftsmen from about 100 registered enterprises, not to mention 200 backyard producers.  Its nickname as the casket capital of the country was given by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the 1980s, and its reputation shows no sign of waning. It is estimated currently, that 40% of the town depends on the coffin-making industry. It has been the tradition of Sto. Tomas town to donate coffins to affected provinces during times of calamities.

SOURCES:

List of city and municipality nicknames in the Philippines, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_city_and_municipality_nicknames_in_the_Philippines#Central_Luzon

Angeles: https://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=File:Welcome_to_Angeles_City,_Pampanga.jpg

Apalit: https://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=File:Goodbye_Arc_of_San_Juan,_Apalit,_Pampanga.jpg

Bacolor: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jf7717San_Fernando,_Pampanga_Welcome_Arch_Bacolorfvf_26.JPG

Capas: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CapasNationalShrinejf4224_13.JPG

Dau: Photo by Jun Malig, Inquirer Central Luzon

Floridablanca: www.pampangatalents.com

Lubao: http://www.wikiwand.com/tl/Lubao,_Pampanga

Mabalacat: https://pam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabalacat_Lakanbalen#/media/File:Mabalacat_1.JPG

Macabebe: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FvfMacabebe9799_08.JPG

Magalang: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:7217jfSan_Jose_Welcome_Arch_Magalang_Pampangafvf_14.JPG

Minalin: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:09844jfRiverside_Districts_Santa_Rita_Santo_Tomas_Minalin_Welcome_Pampanga_villagesfvf_05.JPG

San Fernando: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jf7717San_Fernando,_Pampanga_Welcome_Arch_Bacolorfvf_12.JPG

Photo: by Chris Navarro,

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/images/2016/11/03/christmas-capital-507377

Sta.Rita: https://www.facebook.com/malauscasantaritapampanga/photos/a.807974675886366.1073741829.749594908391010/2051567958193692/?type=3&theater

 Sto. Tomas: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:09929jfExterior_Diosdado_Macapagal_Santo_Tomas_Pampanga_Municipal_Hallfvf_14.jpg