Center for Kapampangan Studies

The Center for Kapampangan Studies was established in 2001 and was named after the late Don Juan D. Nepomuceno. He is the co-founder of the Holy Angel University (HAU) where the said Center is situated. The Center aims to preserve, study, and promote the Kapampangan cultural and historical heritage.

Holy Angel University

Holy Angel University is a private Catholic university located in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. Founded in 1933, it is considered to be the first Catholic school in the country that was founded by the laity (instead of the diocese or a religious congregation) as well as the first Catholic high school that was co-educational (instead of exclusively for boys or exclusively for girls).

Laus Deo Semper

Laus Deo Semper ("Praise always to God") is the motto of the university. Staying true to its Roman Catholic roots, this is the first thing that you will read upon entering the Center for Kapampangan Studies. Inside the Center are galleries containing artworks and artifacts that showcase the rich culture of Pampanga.

Retablo

Retablo (retable in English) is a raised shelf above an altar for the altar cross, lights, and flowers. The retablo in the picture contains the statues of patron saints, each representing the 21 towns in Pampanga. Right at the center is Virgen de los Remedios, the patroness of the province.

Balê Kúbû

A replica of a typical Kapampangan nipa house will welcome the visitors upon entering the place. The Balê Kúbû was the single-room multi-purpose house that pre-colonial Kapampangans used for shelter, work, sleeping, eating, cooking -- all in one boxy structure made purely of nipa and bamboo, sometimes coconut, cogon grass, tree trunks, and whatever was available in the immediate environment.

Death Mask: The Last Facial Expression of a Great Man

Death masks of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and the late national artist Fernando Poe Jr. were also exhibited. The two both have Kapampangan blood. Ninoy was a full-blooded Kapampangan from Concepcion, Tarlac while Poe's maternal grandmother was a Kapampangan from Candaba. These death masks were cast by the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture" himself, Napoleon Abueva.

Wreaths

These are the wreaths of some famous Kapampangan poets and playwrights. They carry on their heads the dignity of long-ago glory symbolized by these gold crowns of laurel leaves.

Picture panel

This is a picture panel showing vintage photo reproductions of old Pampanga Churches.

The enigmatic Macabebes

When the Macabebes first appeared in written history, they were fierce freedom fighters who fought off the Spanish invaders. But later on, they helped the Spaniards colonize the rest of the country and invade countries in Southeast Asia. They sided with the Spaniards when the revolution broke out, while the rest of Pampanga threw its support for the quest for independence. These events fueled the enmity between the Kapampangans and the Tagalogs, resulting to the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo, the President of the Republic of the Philippines during that time.

Kapampangan timeline

This is a timeline showing the history of Pampanga from the early times to the early 21st century. Also, this is a photographic mural of landmarks and landscapes in the Kapampangan Region.

Leaves

Four towns in Pampanga, namely Apalit, Betis, Mabalacat, and Masantol were named after the apalit, betis, balacat, and santol leaves, respectively.

Artifacts

There are archaeological finds and artifacts displayed in the museum, giving the visitors a glimpse of Pampanga's pre-colonial past.

100 Faces of Kapampangans

Upstairs is a wall with pictures of Kapampangan personalities born each year of the 20th century. The pictures come with a trivia or short story about the person. The photo collage is arranged by the year they are born.

"Land of contradictions"

This is a picture showing a brief history of Pampanga and the prominent Kapampangans in the history of the Philippines.

Theater

The theater, with its state of the art technology and facilities, is used for showing films, documentaries, and other presentations and lectures about Pampanga.