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The Concept, Functions Characteristic, and Elements of Culture

What is culture?

⚫ Arnolds (1867)
◼ Views culture as a special, artistic activity of humans.
◼ Highlights superiority and inferiority in culture.
◼ Views culture as more of aesthetics than social undertaking.
◆ Aesthetic refinement and intellectual sophistication
◆ “the best which has been thought and said in the world”
◆ pursuit of perfection

⚫ Tylor (1870)
◼ Culture is shared quality in social groups.
◼ Comprises knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, law, customs, and human capabilities.
◼ Acknowledges differences in various social groups.
◆ the savages and the civilized people.
◆ Stages of development
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◆ Social evolutionism (unilinear)
◆ Ethnocentric biases and hierarchical assumptions

⚫ Boas' 20th Century

◼ Advocates for neutral view.
◼ Views culture as relative to social group.
◼ Avoids categorization as low or high.
◆ Holistic approach on culture
◆ Cultural relativism
◆ Historical particularism
◆ No superiority and inferiority

⚫ Krober & Kluckhohn, 1952

◼ Comprises explicit and implicit patterns of behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols.
◼ Constitutes distinctive achievements of human groups.
◼ Essential core consists of traditional ideas and attached values.
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◼ Culture systems can be products of action or conditional elements of future action
◆ Culture is learned, symbolic, shared, integrated, adaptive, and shaped by history
◆ Offered a more comprehensive understanding of how culture operates in human
societies

⚫ Schwartz (1992)
◼ Derivatives of organized, learned experiences.
◼ Includes encodement images and interpretations.
◼ Transmitted from past generations, contemporary perspectives, or individua formation
◆ Basic human values guide culture
◆ Individualism vs. collectivism, egalitarianism vs. hierarchy, mastery vs. harmony

⚫ Matsumoto (1996)
◼ Shared attitudes, values, beliefs, behaviors.
◼ Different for each individual.
◼ Communicated from generation to generation
◆ Role of culture in shaping human emotions, behaviors, and psychological processes
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⚫ Harris, 1975
◼ Socially acquired lifestyle of a group.
◼ Consists of patterned, repetitive thinking, feeling, and acting.
◼ Characteristics of a specific society or segment.
◆ Cultural materialism
◆ Empirical rather than ideational and symbolic
◆ Reductionist (etic rather than emic)

Functions of Culture

⚫ Role
◼ Establishes behavior expectations based on characteristics.
◼ Includes gender, age, social status.

⚫ Identity
◼ Linking individuals to larger group.
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⚫ Commitment
◼ fostering values such as loyalty, responsibility, and duty

⚫ Social Stability System

◼ Creates structure and maintains social order.
◼ Reduces uncertainty and conflict.

Characteristics of Culture

⚫ Culture is learned
◼ Culture acquired through social interactions.
◼ Community members' contributions.

⚫ Culture is shared
◼ Acquired through socialization.
◼ Observed common attributes among members.
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⚫ Culture is symbolic
◼ using objects to convey contextual meaning.

⚫ Culture is integrated
◼ interrelated and interconnected.

⚫ Culture and nature

◼ varying due to environmental factors.

⚫ Culture is dynamic
◼ changing over time due to various factors.

⚫ Culture is idealistic
◼ influencing behavior based on social group ideals.
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ELEMENTS OF CULTURE

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Symbols
⚫ Description
◼ Images, objects convey unique meaning.
◼ Relative meanings may exist, especially for culturally related groups.

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Language
⚫ Description
◼ Used for transmission and communication.

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Literature
⚫ Description
◼ Source of community-based knowledge and beliefs
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⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Norms
⚫ Description
◼ standards or expectations of the society. (Folkways, mores, and laws)

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Attitudes
⚫ Description
◼ External beliefs

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Values
⚫ Description
◼ Understanding good and bad.
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⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Rituals and Ceremonies
⚫ Description
◼ Repeated processes or actions.
◼ Specific socio-cultural events.

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Beliefs
⚫ Description
◼ Mental pictures of what is good or bad, true or not

⚫ Category - Non-material
⚫ Elements - Social System
⚫ Description
◼ Social Group's Way of Life
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⚫ Category - Material
⚫ Elements - Tools
⚫ Description
◼ Accomplishing human activities

⚫ Category - Material
⚫ Elements - Artifacts
⚫ Description
◼ Concrete cultural elements.

Types of Culture

Natural Heritage
⚫ Importance of environmental preservation.
⚫ Ecological features of cultural communities.
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Cultural Heritage
⚫ Inheritance of physical and intangible artifacts from past generations.
⚫ Preservation and development of cultural property.
⚫ Classified into tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
⚫ Bestowed for future generations (UNESCO).

Tangible Cultural Heritage

⚫ pertains to cultural property that can be touched
These are categorized into two
◼ Movable are those which can be transferred from one place to another
◼ Immovable are those which have fixed location
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH)
⚫ The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2006 recognizes practices, representations, expressions,
knowledge, skills, instruments, objects, and artifacts as part of a community's cultural heritage.
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UNESCO provided five domains of ICH which are the following:

1. Oral traditions and expressions including language as a vehicle for ICH

⚫ Kapampangan Language (Amánung Sísuan), Kulitan Script, Epic Poetry (Pámangáwit or
Pámangáráwit)
2. Performing arts
⚫ Sinukwan Festival, ArtiSta. Rita, Kuraldal (Sta.Lucia | Sasmuan, Pampanga)
3. Social practices, rituals and festive events
⚫ Lenten Rites in Cutud (Maleldo), Fiestas, Ligligan Parul (Gian Lantern Festival)
4. Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
⚫ Agricultural practices, Mangrove restoration and protection, beliefs in anitos and
environmental spirits
5. Traditional craftsmanship
⚫ Parul, Woodcarving in Betis, Pottery in Sto. TomasOther literatures include gastronomy as
an additionaldomain of ICH to pay due respect on the role of food in one’s culture Sisig,
Bringhe, Tibuk-tibuk, Longganisa and Tocino
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NATION AND STATE

⚫ Nation
◼ Composed of people with shared culture, history, beliefs, and language.
◆ Nationality: Based on individual's cultural group.
◆ Race: Rooted in biological connection based on bloodline or decent meaning.
◆ Ethnicity: Similar to nationality, bound by shared culture.
⚫ State
◼ Legal term for administrative function and structure over people.
◼ Composed of people, sovereignty, government, and territory.
◼ Citizens are members of a state.

⚫ Nation-State
◼ State boundaries align with single nation's.
◼ Shared national identity, culture, language, history.
◼ State governance reflects and promotes shared identity.
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⚫ Stateless Nation
◼ Shared cultural identity, language, history.
◼ Identifies as distinct nation.
◼ Doesn't have independent state or sovereignty.
◼ Lives within existing states.
◼ Kurds (Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria)
◼ Palestinians

⚫ Nationless State
◼ Often occurs in states with artificial borders.
◼ Population consists of multiple distinct nations or ethnic groups.
◼ Often a product of colonial powers.
◼ Iraq (Kurds, Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs)
◼ Afghanistan (Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks)
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⚫ State with many nations
◼ Comprises distinct national, ethnic, or cultural groups.
◼ Maintains identities, languages, and practices.
◼ Coexists under a single state government.
◼ Canada (English-speaking Canadians, French-speaking Quebecois, Cree, Inuit)

The Philippines as Multicultural Country

⚫ According to United Nations Development Programme (2013) the Philippines has:
⚫ 110 ethnic groups.
⚫ Over 100 million population.
⚫ 14-17 million indigenous.
⚫ 1973 Bilingual Education Institutionalization
⚫ Mother-tongue education from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
⚫ Pragmatic reasons for implementation.

Kapampangan as a Multicultural Country

⚫ Bilingual Education to multilingual education has been implemented.
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Kapampangan as a Cultural Community

⚫ Kapampangan can be used to refer to:
◼ The people
◼ The place
◼ The river
◼ The culture
◼ The language
◼ The nation

KAPAMPANGAN HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND CULTURE

⚫ Derived from root word "pampáng" meaning "riverbank."
⚫ Historically spoken in Kingdom of Tondo, Lakans ruled.
⚫ Spanish colonial period saw creation of Kapampangan dictionaries and grammar books.
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The River
⚫ Indigenous Settlers in Luzong Area
⚫ Living adjacent to river.
⚫ Known for vast central Luzon area.
⚫ Seafaring Austronesians.

The Language
⚫ 12th most spoken language.
⚫ Amanung Sisuan.
⚫ Southern China and Taiwan.
⚫ Loud, strong, emphatic.
⚫ Cultural assertiveness, expressiveness, resilience.
⚫ Kapampangan Language is an Austronesian language, one of eight major languages in the
Philippines.
⚫ Words include Apu-Apu, Adwa-Duwa, Bulan-Bulan, Mangan-Makan, Aku-Aku, Iya-Dia, and
Bapa-Bapa.
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⚫ Kulitan, also known as súlat Kapampángan and pamagkulit, is an indigenous suyat writing
system.

The Nation
⚫ Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Andres de Urdaneta established Cebu on April 27, 1565.
⚫ Initially, resistance arose as Spaniards conquered Luzon, Manila, and Kapampangan
motherland.
⚫ The province of Cebu was established on December 11, 1571.
⚫ The Battles of La Naval de Manila were five naval battles in the Spanish East Indies in 1646.
⚫ The war had both positive and negative effects.

The Culture
⚫ The Kapampangan people's unique cultural identity is rooted in their historical, cultural, and
linguistic background.
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The People
⚫ Kapampangan's are skilled cooks, and Pampanga is the food capital of the Philippines, offering
a diverse range of culinary delights from colonial to folk to exotic dishes.

The Place
⚫ Sixth largest ethnolinguistic group.
⚫ Live mainly in Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales.

LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

THE KAPAMPANGAN LANGUAGE

• Austronesian people migrated from Taiwan and Southern China 5000 years ago.
• Various languages emerged within 2000 years.
• The language is affectionately called amanung sisuan or "language suckled from the mother's
breast."
• The Philippines has an indigenous script, Kulitan, written vertically from right to left.
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THE FEATURES OF THE LANGUAGE
• Linguistic reference and grammar for Kapampangan language developed by experts.
• Lack of universal reach due to factors.
• Simplified explanation of practical language features.

The Kapampangan Sound System

• Kapampangan people are known for their unique pronunciation, particularly in the sound of h
and f.
• This is due to the absence of indigenous words that include these sounds in Kapampangan.
• The indigenous script lacks characters representing these sounds.
• The original sounds in Kapampangan are those represented by Kulitan characters.
• The pronunciation order includes consonants derived from Kulitan and vowels.
• Kapampangan language focuses on long vowel sounds and glottal stops, which dictate
pronunciation and cue word meaning.

The Kapampangan Words

• Not limited to two varieties.
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• Variations in phonology, lexicon, and morphology.

The Kapampangan Sentence

• Predicate-initial followed by pronoun.

The Kapampangan Writing Systems

• Use of c and q in Baculud/Bacolor Orthography.
• Shift to k in Wawa/Guagua Orthography.
• Hybrid fusion of Baculud and Guagua.
• Use of u in Sulat Batiauan.
• Commission on Wikang Filipino Version.

Other Features

Double Marking
• Pronoun substitutes noun or subject.
• Both pronoun and noun present in Kapampangan.
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• Example: "Bumili ng suman si Pedro" vs "Sinali yang suman i Iru."

Optional Degemination
• Success of consonant with another of same sound.
• Other sound omitted.
• Example: "Abak (k)e puntalan" vs "Abake puntalan" vs "Mayap(p)a pin"

Monopthongization
• Dipthongs aw and ay converted to /o/ and /e/.
• Despite this, some varieties maintain dipthongs.
• Examples: balay-bale, aldaw-aldo, palay-pale, sabaw-sabo.

Vowel Glide
vowel is succeeded by another vowel, Kapampangan people tend to fill a glide between the two
vowels
• Dau-Da(w)u
• Saup-sa(wup)
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• Mayapa (y)abak panaun- pana(w)un

/u/ to /o/ and /i/ to /e/

• /u/, /o/, /i/, and /e/ do not affect word meanings.
• Kapampangan uses these changes to convert statements into questions.
• "Ba" is not used when asking a question.

Double cross referent pronoun

presence of fused pronoun in a sentence
• Pengan ke ing manuk: ke = ku + ya (manuk).
• Leko me ing saken: me = mu + ya (saken).

Kapampangan Literature
• Pre-colonial literature embedded with music or performance.
• Content varies from everyday life, customs, traditions, cultural beliefs.
Basulto:
• Composed of 6 syllables per line and 8 lines per stanza, often contains metaphorical words.
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• Contains hidden meanings, especially for farm workers.

Pang-obra:
• Song of labor.
• Contains vague and metaphorical words.

Panyinta:
• Song for loved ones.
• Contains hidden meanings.

Pamuri:
• Song for romantic love.

Sapatya:
• A poetical singing debate accompanied by dance.
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Goso:
• Singing performed on All Soul’s Day.

Polosa:
• Extemporaneous song based on audience observation.

Tumaila:
• Compatibility of lullaby.

Karagatan:
• Literary game played during wakes.
• Assumptions of a princess's ring being lost.

Diparan/Kasebian:
• Proverbs containing culturally accepted truths.
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Duplo:
• Poetical game played during wakes.

Bulaklakan/Talubangan:
• Songs to console bereaved families.

Dalit:
• Songs to praise gods and goddesses.

Pasyun:
• Sung during Holy Week to commemorate Christ's passion.

Kuriru:
• Derivative of corrido of Spaniards.

Crissotan:
• Poetic debate.
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Kawatas:
• Poetry.

Kumidya:
• A theatrical musical performance.

Zarzuela:
• More recent work composed of dialogues.

Amlat:
• May pertain to folklores, legends, myth, and historical accounts.

KAPAMPANGAN FOLK FESTIVALS

LUBENAS
• Originally a Catholic religious practice.
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• Symbolizes the Christmas season.
• A night-time procession (limbun).
• A corrupted term combining Spanish word for light and 9-day prayer.
• Composed of two rows of lanterns on bamboo poles.
• The anda or carroza holds the patron saint of the barangay.
• Larger lanterns or parul are led by a fish-shaped lantern.
• The limbun is accompanied by a prayer called Dios Te Salve.
• Originated in Angeles, now Angeles City, but also in Bacolor.
• Currently practiced in Angeles, Mabalacat, San Fernando, and Magalang.

LIGLIGAN PARUL
• Literally means lantern competition.
• Annual event in San Fernando, Pampanga.
• Features giant lanterns run by rotor technology.
• Lights dance during competition, accompanied by varying song genres.
• Lantern use believed to originate from Bacolor.
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AGUMAN SANDUK
• Festival in Minalin
• Socio-cultural celebration on New Year's Day.
• Boys from various barrios wear wigs, makeup, and lady's clothes.
• No gay participation allowed.
• Queen is proclaimed after the parade.
• Originated in 1931 when drunk men cross-dressed to end Christmas and welcome the new year.

KURALDAL
• Festivity honoring patron saint.
• Street dances and prayers.
• Uncertain origin necessitates research.
• Observed in Sasmuan, Lubas, Macabebe, Betis.

BATALLA
• Similar to Kuraldal, celebrated on May 22.
• Comprises dancing and hopping.
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• Scholars believe it symbolizes early Christian-Muslim battle.
• Experts believe these dance-based traditions are indigenous Kapampangan practices.
• Folk people in Macabebe still observe Batalla.

LIBAD
• Libal, meaning fluvial parade, is exclusive to river areas in Pampanga.
• The practice suggests people in the area are river people.
• The most famous libad is in Apalit, Kapampangan, from June 28-30.
• Town people, with the patron saint, celebrate through a fluvial procession.
• Other areas practicing libad include Sasmuan, Minalin, and Macabebe.

SABAT SANTACRUZAN
• Known as a Christian tradition, observed in May.
• Kapampangan people have adapted it into sabat santacruzan or goydo-goydo.
• Interrupted by costumed performers as Moros, resembling Helena's struggle for Jesus' cross.
• Duels required between the two sides, either verbal joust or swordfight.
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MAL A ALDO
• Practiced in various towns: pamamalaspas, pamamusan krus, pamagsalibatbat, pamagpapaku
king krus.
• Puni (places for passion singing) located in houses and chapels.
• Catholic church condemns flagellations, but maleldo or kaleldo in Pampanga seem unusual
without them.