Kapampangan people

Kapampangans/Capampañgans

Total population
2.4 million (3.3% of the Philippine population)
Regions with significant populations
Philippines (Pampanga, Tarlac, Metro Manila) United States elsewhere
Languages
Kapampangan, Tagalog, English
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups
Sambal, Ibanag, Igorot, Ivatan, Ilokano, Pangasinan, other Filipino peoples, other Austronesian peoples

The Kapampangans or Capampañgans (Spanish: Pampangos or Pampangueños) are the eighth largest Filipino ethnic group.

Area

The Kapampangans primarily live in the provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac, as well as in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Bulacan, and Zambales. To this day, the Kapampangans or Pampangans are the dominant ethnic group in Central Luzon.

Culture

Kapampangan cuisine is widely thought to be among the most evolved and refined of Philippine cuisines. Some of the menus that said to have been originated from Pampanga are kare-kare, sisig, and kilawin.

Demographics

Kapampangans number about 2,890,000. Kapampangans are descended from Austronesian-speaking immigrants to the Philippines during the Iron Age. Kapampangans speak the Kapampangan language, a member of the Meso-Philippine group of the Western Malayo-Polynesian languages. Many Kapampangans are Roman Catholics, Ang Dating Daan Members, and some are Protestants. Very few are Buddhists.

Prominent Kapampangans

For a list of prominent or noteworthy Kapampangans, see Category:Kapampangan people.

• Benigno Aquino, Jr. - was a Philippine Senator whose assassination triggered the events that led to the People Power Revolution.
• Jose Abad Santos - was a native of the City of San Fernando who became the 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was killed by Japanese forces during the occupation of the Philippines in World War II.
• Randy David - a columnist and university professor.
• Rufino Cardinal Santos - was the Archbishop of Manila from 1953 to 1973 and was the first Filipino to be named Cardinal.
• Diosdado Pangan Macapagal - was the 9th President of the Republic of the Philippines and a native of Lubao, Pampanga.
• Armando Biliwang - was a municipal mayor of San Fernando and was well known for his fearless stand against communism during his term as municipal councilor and mayor.
• Don Zoilo Hilario - was a famous Kapampangan writer and poet who dedicated his life to the propagation of Kapampangan literature and culture.
• Gil J. Puyat - was a Senate President of the Philippines from 1967 to 1972.
• Alejandro T. Quiboloy - Kapampangan educator, public servant, writer and protestant minister. Born in Lubao, Pampanga on May 3, 1909.
• Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - is the 14th and current President of the Republic of the Philippines. A daughter of the 9th President of the Republic Diosdado Macapagal, she was the country's first Female Vice President during the tenure of the now Deposed Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
• Lea Salonga - is a Tony Award-winning singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon. She spent the first six years of her childhood in Angeles City before moving to Manila.
• apl.de.ap (Allen Pineda Lindo) - is a member of the Grammy-award winning group, The Black Eyed Peas, and was born in Sapang Bato, Angeles City. He is famous throughout the Filipino community after the release of his life story of his homeland Philippines in a song called "The Apl Song."
• Vanessa Minnillo - is an American television personality born in Clark Air Base, Angeles City and raised in the US. She was Miss Teen USA 1998 and is currently a host on MTV's Total Request Live.
• Cris Judd - is an American actor and popular choreographer to Michael Jackson and Usher, but he is best known for his failed marriage to American actress, Jennifer Lopez. He was born in Clark Air Base, Angeles City and spent his childhood years there.
• Efren "Bata" Reyes - is referred to as "The Magician" and a very popular Filipino billiards player who hails from Angeles City. He is considered to be one of history's greatest practitioners of billiards.
• Apollo Quiboloy - is a Filipino televangelist; although he is known to be from Davao City, he is considered a Kapampangan as he was born to Kapampangan parents.
• Melanie Marquez - is a popular beauty queen-turned-actress who hails from Mabalacat. She was Miss International 1979 and was voted as the Most Beautiful Miss International in 2000. She's also a sister of another local actor, Joey Marquez.
• Rogelio dela Rosa - was one of the most popular Filipino matinee idols of the 20th century and was elected to the Senate in 1957. He was also the first film actor who was able to parlay his fame into a political career, paving the way for other Filipino entertainers-turned-politicians. He had an equally famous brother, Jaime dela Rosa, also a matinee idol in the 1950s.
• Donita Rose - although she was born in the US, she moved to Angeles City, where her father was stationed at the US Clark Air Base, when she was five years old. She went on to become a famous local actress and MTV VJ in Asia.
• Aljur Abrenica - was born in Angeles City. He became famous after winning the first-ever Ultimate Hunk title in StarStruck: The Next Level of GMA Network.

History

Legend has it that the Kapampangans were descended from a Seleucid princess who came to settle in the region now known as Pampanga. Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the late 16th century, the Kapampangan people made up the bulk of the population of what the Ming Dynasty texts referred to as the Kingdom of Lusong (呂宋國). They were known to be traders and explorers. They penetrated the Chinese market at a time when the Ming Dynasty banned all foreign trade and so profited immensely from it. Although 16th century Kapampangan society reflected most of what was prevalent in Southeast Asia ~ small communities made up chiefly of the same clans ruled by a council of elders ~ certain communities rose up to become centers of trade and power. Noted among these is the ancient state of Tungdo (東都) or "the Eastern Capital" and Betis.

Extensive farming and fishing were the main industries of the Kapampangan people. But at the height of Lusong's importance in the China trade in the 16th century, maritime trading, and perhaps even piracy, became the main source of profit. As one of the Lucoes (people of Lusong), many Kapampangans worked as mercenaries for the various states and kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Lusong became such an important center in Chinese trade that the Kingdom of Brunei was forced to invade it in 1500. The city of Manila was created by the Burneians to oversee the trade in Brunei's interest. Japanese records show that important traders like Luzon Sukezaemon and Shimai Soshitsu opened up shop in Lusong. At a time when the Ming Dynasty banned its citizens from going out of China, the Kapampangan traders from Lusong who brought Chinese goods all across Southeast Asia were thought of as Chinese.

The Kapampangan people sense of self-importance must have risen in direct proportion to Lusong's growth and rise to prominence in the 16th century China trade. This development might have helped shape the Kapampangan people's attitude and the way that they were perceived historically by other ethnic groups.

Religion

Most (not all) Kapampangans are extremely devout to the Roman Catholic faith. Every town within Pampanga has at least one church and several small chapels. There are at least 26 churches all throughout the province. Religious holidays such as Holy Week, Christmas, the feast of St. John the Baptist and Apung Iru Fluvial Parade are highly celebrated festivals often visited by local and international tourists.