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| Pampanga |
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Mt. Pinatubo in nearby Zambales and Mt. Arayat in the northern part of the province share many bits of folklore. Legend has it that Aring Sinukuan, the demigod of Arayat and who ruled over the ancient Pampangan plains and Apung Mallari, the demigod of Pinatubo, were arch rivals and mortal enemies. Their feud dated back to many centuries ago and they resorted to rock throwing every so often, causing the tip of Arayat at one time to break, as well as the swamp in Candaba to form. Their battles also caused the formation of the mountain ranges in the west and which almost buried Pinatubo completely. The poet laureate, Vedasto Ocampo has all the tales about the rivalry of these two giants in a "corrido" or epic poem that was all by itself in a book entitled Mariang Sinukuan. Other myths that sprang centuries ago during the time of Principe Balagtas, the prehistoric founder of the region, and which were passed on through the generations include the adventures of Aring Sinukuan and his romance with Mariang Makiling. It is said that he traveled all the way to Laguna where he met Maria and the two later on eloped. Its story is like that of Helen of Troy in which a thousand warriors from Makiling tried to retrieve their queen from the hands of Sinukuan. Mariang Makiling eventually became Mariang Sinukuan just like Helen of Sparta who became Helen of Troy. However, in the Sinukuan legend the lovers succeeded in their union, as Sinukuan, strong and mighty as he was, dealt the Makiling forces a blow that eventually caused them to retreat and never to return again. The couple was blessed with three lovely daughters: Mariang Malagu (Maria, the beautiful), Mariang Mahinhin (Maria, the modest) and Mariang Matimtiman (Maria, the charming). Each of these maidens who were princesses in their own right had enchanting stories of their own and which involved rivalries, contests, duels, weddings and lots of romantic adventures that can fill up a whole book. Now all these legends are just a thing in the past. They are now behind the cobwebs of time, much like the Greek and Roman myths. All people there having been Christian for almost five hundred years now, there is no one anymore that worships the great Aring Sinukuan. All people have heard about him though. They find the legends thrilling but just take them in a light vein. One thing they still believe, however, is the warning that one may eat all the fruit of the trees on the mountain but should never try to bring any home. For if one does not heed this warning he would not find his way back home and may be lost forever in the woods. A superstition prevalent in the area is that molehills or mounds are enchanted. They are believed to be inhabited by invisible beings called "nunu". It is said that so as not to offend them, one should always ask permission when passing in front of them. One has to say, "Pasingtabi pu" ("May I pass"), and should never point at them with his finger. Failure to obey this would put the passer-by into a trance or fall into some misfortune along the way. It is said that there was once a woodcutter who, in his haste, forgot to pay due respect. So, while gathering firewood that day, his finger got bitten by a venomous snake, a reptile not even known to be common in the area. Quickly he hacked the viper into two with his bolo, severing its head from the rest of its body which wriggled away into the bushes. Then he also hacked his finger, cutting it off to prevent the spread of venom. He then rushed to the lowland to see a doctor right after that. After getting treatment for his wound, he again set out the following day to climb the mountain just to see his severed finger. When he did find it, it was all swollen and doubled in size. Curiously, he pricked the bulging thing playfully with a thorn he had got from a nearby lemon tree causing the contents to spurt into his eyes. He got up and walked blindly in circles, and a few moments later he succumbed and fell to the ground. The sacred mountain which stands solitary in the middle of a vast plain has been the refuge and haven of many a revolutionary. Gen. Servillano Aquino and Gen. Jose Alejandrino used it as a hiding place during the war against the Americans. Huk Supremo Luis Taruc and his followers used it too for the same purpose. A religious cult leader, Felipe Salvador, who founded the Santa Iglesia in 1890 and who organized guerilla warfare in the early nineteen hundreds, established his headquarters there too. The mountain has also been a place for miracles. Sightings of the Virgin Mary have reportedly occurred in the area over the course of time. Foremost of such apparitions was that of the Virgen de los Remedios, the patron saint of the province. Mount Arayat offers majestic views from all angles. From its peak, one can have a commanding view of much of the land below. One would see, for instance, the provincial capital city of San Fernando. The city is well known internationally for its giant star lanterns or "parol" that have multi-colored lights programmed to blink with different kaleidoscopic designs. Every Christmas season the barrios of the city participate in a contest, and lately the winner has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest parol ever made. The city, which is primarily noted for its "tocino" and "longaniza" (bacon and sausages), is also universally known for its flagellants and penitents who get themselves literally nailed on a cross every Good Friday. As such, the city has been regarded as both the Christmas and the Easter capital of the country. From the mountaintop one would also see Angeles City which is famous for its nightclubs, fancy restaurants and respectable universities. Yonder just beyond it is the state-of-the-art Mimosa golf course at Clark Field, the former U.S. military base that is now an economic zone. In the north, one would see the vast Hacienda Luisita, a sprawling sugar cane plantation with a busy shopping center, a golf course and a business park. It operates Luzon's largest sugar mill and refinery, the Central Azucarrera de Tarlac. Beyond it lies Tarlac City, which, along with San Fernando and another town, had for some short duration been a former capital of the short-lived Philippine republic in retreat. In the same direction one would also see nearby Concepcion, the hometown of the Aquinos. Towards the east and southeast are Candaba and its swamp, and Mexico, the hometown of Gen. Maximino Hizon who organized a provincial resistance against the Spaniards that succeeded. Looking down south one would spot the town of Betis, which is noted for its artisans and fine furniture. To its west lies Sta. Rita, the town noted for "puto seco" and "turrones de casoy". Farther away one may see Lubao and Floridablanca with their sugarcane plantations and sampaguita orchards. Farther beyond along the horizon looms Manila Bay and the delta of the Pampanga River where the fishing towns of Sexmoan and Masantol are situated. In other directions one may also see nearby Magalang, well-known for its pastillas and other sweets, and Apalit (Sulipan), as well as other towns whose folks are well-known for their cuisine and delicacies. As a matter of fact, Kapampangan food has been highly rated by all food or culinary columnists and it does not surprise people when Pampanga is bestowed with the title of "the gourmet province". Fiesta time prompts every household to prepare a lavish feast with which to entertain visitors from out-of-town. This is dictated by time-honored customs and traditions. There is usually lechon, lumpia, pancit palabok, pancit guisado, arobo, asado, sisig, tidtad, bistig, biringi, tugak betute and other delicacies the sight of which is mouth-watering. Who can, for instance, resist eating the sumptuous "camaro" or fried mole crickets? During fiestas, there are usually big brass bands marching along the streets that are decked with colorful pennants hanging on a string with both ends tied to posts opposite each other across the thoroughfares. Usually also, there is a carnival of shows at the plaza, complete with a ferris wheel, a carrousel and other rides, as well as "bebeto" (a dice game) and shooting galleries. There usually are fireworks at night as well. A bigger celebration is the Sinukuan festival on Pampanga Day in December where the people's culture, for all its glory, is depicted through a costume parade, folk dances, more commonly, the region's own "basulto" and "sapatya". It also presents the singing of local ballads called "polosa", the most popular of which are the "Atin Cu Pung Singsing" and the O Caca O Caca - folk songs known by people far and wide. There are also literary contests, mostly in poetry, including so-called Crisotans, poetic jousts held in honor of the famous father of Kapampangan literature, the vernacular playwright, Juan Crisostomo Soto. Kapampangan, the indigenous language of the region, is one of the eight major languages and among some 160 Austronesian speech varieties spoken in the islands. It has some three million speakers, including those that have immigrated to other countries. Like all its sister-languages, it is an endangered one, probably one of the three thousand languages worldwide that are predicted to disappear during this century. The main reason for its would-be eventual extinction is, according to analysts, the ongoing language policy of the country that promotes the national language at the expense of all the other languages. In all schools in Pampanga, for instance, Kapampangan has been neglected - relegated to the background and in most cases not used at all. Right on its own turf, right in its own territory it is being marginalized. Tagalog and English have been the mediums of instruction for years and years, not to mention the fact that they also have subjects for themselves in the curriculum. At the age of six when the child has not even really developed a full vocabulary of his native language, much less developed any pride for it, he is already made to learn those two foreign languages. This is in addition to other exposures to such languages including what he reads and hears in the media whenever he comes home after school. Speculation has it that the state wants to unify all the "nations" of the archipelago and make it a one-language country like Japan. For those who appreciate cultural diversity, however, this policy is very repugnant, as it would obliterate the rich cultural heritage of a people. And so, a group called DILA (Defenders of the Indigenous Languages of the Archipelago) has been organized lately and composed of members belonging to various ethno-linguistic groups who all share the same sentiment and who want to save their languages from the kind of fate they are being subjected to. They are working for the replacement of the national language with their own local languages as medium of instruction in all schools in their respective areas. Their regional pride transcends the type of nationalism schools have inculcated in them. It is in this storied land where the tale of Gwendolyn and Pristine allegedly unfolded. It is a land where people value their culture highly. It is a land where people, proud as they are and though beleaguered tightly by other ethno-linguistic groups, would never, never let their indigenous culture disappear. So, conservative as they are, they might just stick to whatever religion they are born with and may have difficulty embracing any other faith. But then, on the other hand, we know of their forebears who used to face Mt. Arayat and worship Aring Sinukuan. Weren't they easily converted into Muslims and then later into Christians? Won't their progeny be just like them? As to whether Gwendolynism would take the world by storm once discovered by an enlightened group, only time can tell. Gwendolynism, in the meantime, may continue to bring hope and glory to all people as they go about in their quest for the land of life eternal -- beyond death. |
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