Kapampangan Words

Patcu Pampanga When “Christmas Capital” meets “Culinary Capital”, you get food literally named after Christmas! Swipe for a video on how to make patcu, the Kapampángan Christmas crêpe! PATCU • (puht-KOO)Kapampángan Christmas crêpe A patcu is a traditional Kapampángan Christmas delicacy only made in the towns of Guagua and Santa Rita. It is a crêpe … Read more

Bayit FALSE FRIENDS ALERT! While the Tagálog root word “baít” means “good, kind” (as in mabaít), the Kapampángan root word “bait” means “to be born” (as in mibaít)! BAIT / BAYIT • (buh-YIT)to be bornTagálog (Filipino): panganák (root word: anák “child”), sílang False Friends:In Tagálog, baít is the root word for “good, kind” (as in … Read more

Lubenas  An ethereal smaller display of intricate lanterns in each Kapampángan town gave rise to the famous Giant Lantern Festival of the City of San Fernando. From minute and magical to big and bright, the Kapampángan Christmas is truly for all shapes and sizes! LUBÉNAS • (loo-BEH-nuhs)a Kapampángan Christmas procession of Christmas lanterns or parul … Read more

Pastorela The Kapampángan Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the spectacular singing of the pastorela in Mabalacat, where it is made more dramatic with their violin renditions of Latin and Greek church hymns! PASTORÉLA • (puhs-toh-REH-luh)Misa Pastorela, songs sung by the parish choir during the 9-day Simbang Béngi (nightly Christmas masses) Pastoréla of MabalacatThe Our Lady … Read more

Did you know that a famous Filipino exotic food comes from a word that means “wrap”? BÁLUT • (BAH-loot)wrapTagálog (Filipino): bálot Derived Filipino Exotic Food NameBALUT • (buh-LOOT)literally means “wrapped”, a Filipino exotic food, a fertilized developing egg embryo (usually a duck) that is boiled or steamed and eaten from the shell. It derives its … Read more