Cultural Potpourri

A few weeks ago I attended a seminar called Amlat at Kulturang Kapampangan held at the University of Assumption. It was organized by Joel Mallari and his group KATATAGAN (Katipunan da reng Talasaliksik at Talaturung Kapampangan). Joel is also CKS resident researcher and archaeologist.

Below were the lecturers:

Edwin Camaya – Capampangan identity


Lino Dizon – who covered a brief history of Pampanga


Ryan Santiago - diaspora


Charlene Manese - on various cultural legislations, national level


Francis Musni, below, got a lot of attention from the audience on Capampangan superstitious beliefs.


French geographer JC Gaillard was also there and he talked about natural disasters in the area and its effect on local culture along with Rod Sicat on the origins of indigenous Capampangan last names, Hermie Pineda on Capampangan art, and Joel Mallari on intellectualizing the Capampangan language. Another Capampangan advocate, Nancy Lagman Tremblay was with us in the audience along with several invited school teachers.

I also attended a short lecture by Japanese linguist and an expert in Capampangan language, Professor Kitano Hiroaki.

He discussed among others why Capampangan is a language and NOT A DIALECT, which for the longest time has been incorrectly taught to us. I think it’s sad and pretty ironic that an expert on our language is a foreigner. Friend Romy Rodriguez also attended the lecture held at the City of San Fernando's Heroes Hall.

Today another Capampangan language expert Anicia del Corro was supposed to deliver a lecture at the Holy Angel College. Unfortunately, I was told that she suffered a bad fall and injured herself so the lecture was cancelled.