The Kapampangans live in the provinces of Pampanga and some

border towns of Bataan (Dinalupihan and Hermosa) and Tarlac

(Bamban, Capas, Concepcion and Tarlac City). Pampanga, which
etymologically means "Pampang" or riverbank, is bounded on the
north by Tarlac City and Nueva Ecija, on the east by Bulacan, southeast
by Manila Bay, on the southwest by Bataan and on the west by
Zambales.
The province has a total land area of 218,068 hectares
representing 12 percent of Regions III total area. It is composed of 21
municipalities with 538 barangays and one city. The total population
(as of 1995 census) is 1,635,767.
The province of Tarlac, whose name was derived from a talahib
weed called "Malatarlac" is situated at the center of the Central Plains
of Luzon Island. It is landlocked by four provinces of Region III,
namely: Nueva Ecija (east), Pangasinan (north), Pampanga (south) and
Zambales (west). It covers a territory of 305,345 hectares.
The population of Tarlac is divided into three congressional
districts with 17 towns and one city and an aggregate of 510
barangays.
Resources
Pampanga has a total land area of 218,068 hectares. Its
production land covers 172,466 hectares divided into: cropland
(105,941); production forest (31,541) and fishing grounds (34,984).
The province abounds in skilled labor. Foremost of these are the
woodcarvers of Guagua; red clay potters of Sto. Tomas; blacksmiths of
Apalit and giant lantern makers of San Fernando.
The industrial development in the province are marked by
industrial estates such as the Angeles Livelihood Village and
productivity centers in Porac, Mexico and in resettlement areas such as
Mawaque, Madapdap and Camatchile found in Mabalacat, Bulaon and
San Fernando.
The Clark Special Economic Zone also provides a fine investment
area. The province has five existing municipal ports utilized mostly as
pier for fish cargo.
Tarlac Province has a total forest land resources of 120,370
hectares or 39.42 percent of the province's total land area. It is
traversed by four major water resources namely: the O'Dannell River in

Capas, Tarlac; the Bulsa River in San Jose, Tarlac; the Tarlac River in
Tarlac City and the Camiling River in Camiling.
Rice, sugar cane, corn, sweet potato, cassava, mango and
vegetables are the major crops of the province. Aside from the forests
which are rich sources of hardwood, there are available metallic and
non-metallic mineral deposits. These are gold, copper, chromite,
manganese, clay, pumice stone, limestone, silica quartz, rock
aggregate and sand and gravel.
The infrastructure development in Tarlac has given an opportunity
for growth to the province.
Beliefs and Practices
Just like the other ethnolinguistic groups, the Kapampangans have
rich customs and traditions governing the rites of passage. Some of
these practices are still being observed nowadays.
Birth Practices. In one of the barrios of Guagua, Pampanga, close
relatives of a woman who is about to deliver a child, together with their
neighbor, make noise like shouting, beating tin cans and exploding
firecrackers in order to help expel the fetus faster.
Baptismal Rites Practices. In many Kapampangan houses, the
baby's baptismal dress serves as a souvenir and decoration for the
sala. It is put on a frame and hung in the sala like a picture.
Courtship and Marriage. The only prevalent form of courtship now
is the pamanhikan, where the male, with the permission of the parents,
is to visit the girl in the latter's house. When the agreement is reached
between the boy and the girl, the marriage ceremony is arranged. At
present, pamanhikan is being practiced when the parents of the boy
confer with their balae (parent of the bride-to-be) regarding marriage
plans of the children.
Death and Burial. The wake (makipaglame) lasts for at least three
days and two nights after which everybody participates in the libing
(interment).
As part of the ritual, vigil is observed till the ninth day after the
death of the deceased known as pasiyam (day).
On the first death anniversary, lukas paldas (literally the removing
of the dress for mourning) is practiced with a grandiose meal. The
pangadi (prayer observance) is an important part of the ritual.

On Beliefs. Some of the beliefs which have survived to this day

are the following:
Nunu the old men who reside in mounds
Mangkukulam
flesh and blood men/women possessing dreadful evil
power
Tianaka
evil spirits who inhabit forests and bamboo thickets
Dwende
spirit that assume the form of man
Kapre nocturnal giants
Magkukutud
beings endowed with supernatural powers to
separate their heads from their bodies
Significant Features
PAMPANGA. Pampanga is well-known for two things: food and the
Christmas parol (lanterns). Travelers who pass by Pampanga
encounter all sorts of rice cakes, sweets, snacks and delicatessen. To
name a few, the turones de casoy and sans rival of Sta Rita; the
tamales and puto seco of Bacolor; pastillas de leche of Magalang.
Pampanga takes pride also in its other food products like burong babi,
taba ng talangka and camaro.
San Fernando, the capital of Pampanga is famous for some of the
most unique star lanterns in shapes, colors and sizes made from all
kinds of material. The town becomes the center of Christmas activities
by parading its giant lanterns (measuring 18 ft in diameter) made from
hand by the skillful parol makers of every town and city in Pampanga.
TARLAC. Tarlac is well known as the Melting Pot of Central Luzon
due to the presence of the following four major ehtnolinguistic groups:
Pampangos, Ilocanos, Tagalogs and Pangasinenses. Amidst cultural
diversities the people have learned to live as one and at peace with
one another. Thus, Tarlac served as the cradle of great men and
women in every field of endeavor.
Foremost figures were the late Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., the country's
latter-day hero and Carlos P. Romulo, the former Secretary General of
the United Nations. Another notable figure was Leonor Rivera of
Camiling, Tarlac, Jose Rizal's beloved and better known as "Maria Clara"
in his novel Noli Me Tangere.
Tarlac also takes pride in being home to the First Woman president
of the Philippine Republic in the person of Corazon C. Aquino who hails
from Concepcion, Tarlac.