The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
It was Culinarians Day a few months ago and National Cooking Day today, so let’s look at the Kapampángan word for the part of the house that Kapampángans are known to thrive in—the kitchen! How do you say “kitchen” in your language? KUSÍNÂ • (koo-SEE-na’)kitchenTagálog (Filipino): kusínà EtymologyFrom Spanish cocina “kitchen” Derived Words (via Spanish)KUSINÉRA … Read more
Upaya It’s also Pardon Day, and coincidentally, the image of the Santo Cristo del Perdón accompanies the Virgen de los Remedios, the Patroness of Pampanga whose feast day is celebrated today. Here’s the Kapampángan word for “power, authority” and the root word for “pardon”! UPÁYÂ • (oo-PAH-ya’)power, authority; pardonTagálog (Filipino): kapangyaríhan EtymologyFrom Sanskrit उपाय (upāya) … Read more
PISTA AT PAGKILALAThe use of festival iconography as a method of definingthe Filipino gardenNavarro, J. S., R. A garden’s identity is heavily influenced by its context-historical, cultural, social, and political. In the Philippines where most of our culture is defined by how we adapted to the culture of others, defining a Filipino garden is seemingly … Read more
Kokora (Kudkuran/Coconut grater) In the Philippines, coconut is a common ingredient in local dishes and delicacies using coconut milk/cream or its flesh. A kudkúran or coconut grater is needed to process it to make grated coconut and extract the milk. Most kudkúran are mechanized today, but you can still see the manual ones. An example … Read more
Asog In early accounts written by Spaniards in the Visayas, they refer to the Asogs and note their gender nonconformity. They describe the Asog as being effeminate, living more like women by taking part in tasks usually assigned to women, such as weaving and cultivating. They even dress in women’s clothing, donning long skirts which … Read more