The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
Bakal It was Pack Your Lunch Day a few days ago! Did you know that the Kapampángan word for “provisions” differs from the word for “iron” only by stress? How do you say “packed lunch” or “provisions” in your language? BAKAL • (buh-KUHL)provisions, packed stuff (food, money, things, etc.) for school, work, or a tripTagálog … Read more
Masuelu Happy International Day of Happiness! How do you say “happy” in your language? MASUÉLU • (muh-SWEH-loo)happy, satisfied, pleasedTagálog (Filipino): masayá (“happy”; root word: saya), nagágalak (“happy, pleased”, root word: galák) Example SentenceMasuélu kung ákilála da ka. [Kap]Nagágalak akong makilála kitá. [Tag]I’m pleased to meet you. / I’m pleased to have known you. [Eng] Root … Read more
Tugak It was World Frog Day yesterday! How do you say “frog” in your language? Every October, the City of San Fernando in Pampanga holds a festival in honor of the most common and culturally significant amphibian to Kapampángans! TUGAK • (too-GUHK) frog Tagálog (Filipino): palakâ Kapampángan Frog Dance MAMADUAS TAMU! (“Let’s use the paduas … Read more
Alualu It was National HaloHalo Day a few days ago! Kapampángans have their own version of this well-loved Filipino milk dessert! Did you know that the Kapampángan halo-halo is more minimalistic than your classic Filipino halo-halo? Halo-halo is a popular cold dessert of shaved ice and milk with various mixed toppings from the Philippines. “Hálò-hálò” … Read more
Batik It’s World Tattoo Day! Though early Kapampángans do not have a recorded tattoo culture unlike their fellow Philippine and Austronesian ethnic groups, the Kapampángan word for “expert”, batikan, survives to attest to a possible precolonial tattoo culture where early Kapampángan experts were tattooed with their achievements on their skin. This may have been lost … Read more