Pampanga the Prostitute, Manila the Customer

Pampanga the Prostitute, Manila the Customer
A Review of Brillante Mendoza's 'Masahista'


The first time I heard about the Kapampangan digital film Masahista by Brillante Mendoza, I quickly searched for a DVD copy of it. Yes, even a pirated copy, just to be able to watch it. Thank Ápung Sinukuan, I got an original copy at SM.

My thesis proposal during my stay in the Broadcast Communication Department of the UP College of Mass Communication was about halting the deterioration of the Kapampangan language in Angeles City through the use of broadcast media, particularly TV, by giving people media content (soap operas, talk shows, teen-oriented shows, etc.) in the Kapampangan language.

But that topic was a trimmed down version of what I originally would like to make a study of. I wanted to cover all forms of mass media: print, film, radio, and even theater.

In the area of film, with 100% confidence, I hail Brillante “Dante” Mendoza the father of Kapampangan films. While there is no evident Kapampangan film industry yet, ever since his series of films, young Kapampangan filmmakers have been inspired to write screenplays using their Ámanung Sisuan. If I know, other non-Tagalog filmmakers have been influenced by Mendoza’s films, which I love to describe as “culturally detailed” and “colorfully realistic.”

Although not entirely Kapampangan when it comes to the language used, they offer a great deal of Kapampangan stuff, like festivals, traditions, superstitions, and comic relief only Kapampangans (by land of birth and language spoken) would be able to relate and give significance to.


Transition

Mendoza is a renowned production designer in many films. Famous in his lineup is the 1986 film ‘Private Show’ by Chito Roño, where he bagged an award; ‘Takaw Tukso’ by William Pascual; and 1985’s ‘Virgin Forest’ by Peque Gallaga, where he became Art Director.

Then one day, he decided to make his own film, thanks for being acquainted with Angeles City’s Ferdie Lapuz, a known international film distributor who has brought several Filipino films like Maryo Delos Reyes’ ‘Magnifico’ and Francis Xavier Pasion’s ‘Jay’ outside the country.

Who knew that in spite of Mendoza’s fame in Production Design, he would get greater honor as a Director, since his debut directorial film ‘Masahista’ (The Masseur) won the Golden Leopard Award in the video competition of the 58th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, which brought artistic pride to both the Filipino and Kapampangan community.

‘Masahista’

Center Stage Productions. Starring Coco Martin, Jaclyn Jose, Katherine Luna, and Alan Paule. Synopsis: Iliac is a young masseur who went home to Pampanga to find out that his bedridden father is dead. Iliac assists in the preparation of his father's burial including dressing his dead father up inside the morgue (Source: Wikipedia).

It’s not entirely a Kapampangan film (the Internet Movie Database even states that the language of the film is just Tagalog), because the story takes place both in Manila and Pampanga. In Pampanga, the characters speak Kapampangan. When Iliac goes to Manila, he speaks Tagalog, because his customer Marina Hidalgo (Alan Paule) was Caviteño and his raunchy girlfriend (Katherine Luna) was Tagalog-speaking. Some of his co-masseurs are Kapampangan though and they speak the language even though working in Manila.

In Mendoza’s visit to the Holy Angel University where we both delivered workshops to young film aspirants, he stated that his main goal in filmmaking is to show truth. Hence, the cultural detail, the scenes that would raise the eyebrows of censors and conservative families, and his unpopularity among the masses, who always go for the mainstream, escapist movies.


Truthful Cinema

A line I can never forget from the Hollywood film ‘V For Vendetta’ goes something like this: “Politicians use lies to hide the truth while artists use lies to tell the truth.” Mendoza is an illustration of this statement as even though his films appear to be fictitious, they are largely based on reality.

There is really no beginning-climax-end to look out for in ‘Masahista.’ A lot of critics say the story is flat; I couldn’t agree more. However, such sincerity is what makes me like most of Mendoza’s films. They are the show-don’t-tell type. Plus the culture and realistic happenings foster a sense of reality and sophistication. Of course, Mendoza can’t expect to be patronized by the average Filipino, since it takes some high level of art appreciation and intellect to enjoy his works.

The Kapampangan Experience

Culture, which manifests materially (through crafts, shelters, clothes, language, physical activities) and immaterially (beliefs, values, judgments, norms, laws), is presented in detail in ‘Masahista.’ Since a lot of scenes are in Pampanga, present Kapampangan culture enjoys much highlighting.

In ‘Masahista,’ Coco Martin (who is of Kapampangan descent himself) plays the role of a Kapampangan masseur. Asked why Mendoza (and Lapuz) chose the masseur to be Kapampangan, they said it’s because a lot of Kapampangan boys really work as masseurs in Manila, which they attribute to the average Kapampangan male’s tendency to be lazy and wanting of quick money.

The opening scene of the movie was enough to make me relate it to my life as a Kapampangan who used to study in Quezon City going home every weekend to Pampanga: the view of the plains and rice fields along the North Luzon Expressway under the vast firmament.
Then we are taken to sites and objects such as the kalésa (horse-driven carriage), pedicabs (public transport tricycles that house no motors), and the parul (giant lantern)—all of which would be more familiar to a Fernandino, since the setting of the film is specifically in the City of San Fernando.

I live in Angeles City and don’t go beyond the Intersection to the center of San Fernando so those objects didn’t really ring a bell. However, when I, for the first time, paid a visit to the City Hall of San Fernando to deliver a lecture on the state of the Kapampangan language for the city’s Heritage Week, I was given familiarity to the stuff I saw in ‘Masahista.’ I even rode a kalésa and a pedicab for the first time in Pampanga!

Cultural Detail

More cultural detail involves masseurs speaking their native tongues (Kapampangan, Bisaya), Iliac washing his feet the way Pinoys usually do, the continuous operation of prostitution houses, the palengki-like tawaran between prostitutes and customers, the forbidding of sweeping after the death of one person, the Kapampangan’s habit of criticizing people who accidentally trip (“Mulala!”), the feast-like funeral activities of people like playing cards, gossiping, and indulging on food, making a big deal out of a power failure, and many more.

Then, of course, the wonderful giant lanterns only Kapampangan craftsmen can erect beautifully. They are made for the annual Liglígan Parul (Giant Lantern Festival). The behind-the-scenes footages of the DVD show the technical side of the giant lantern and how the lights are controlled.

Beautiful Obscurity

I’m not really sure if the director/writer is trying to say something about life being like the magnificence of the giant lanterns and how people marvel at their beauty, but you are free to associate Iliac’s life with them. Mendoza’s films have the tendency to be unclear, but that is what makes artsy people intrigued; is the director trying to say something deep? Hence, the birth of the viewer’s thinking. Hence, Mendoza’s films can make you exercise your mind.

An interpretation I made, being a federalist and an Imperial Manila decentralist, involves the masseurs being provincianos and the customers and pimps Manila Tagalogs. I won’t discuss it in detail, since it will take a new set of pages to elaborate, but people familiar with the “Imperial Manila” discourse will get what I mean.

A Balid Film

Speaking of a sense of reality, on the bad side, it is obvious that the lead actors who have a number of Kapampangan lines are not Kapampangan-proficient, and the fact that they are not reeks in the way they deliver their Kapampangan lines.

Coco Martin is obvious in trying to adopt the sort of singsong accent of Kapampangan. Foreign and non-Kapampangan viewers have the slightest probability to detect such flaw, but for a Kapampangan like me, I can only cringe or laugh at the mispronunciations the actors make, the same way I roll in laughter at the trying-hard English of some Manila starlets.

Worse, in some lines, Coco mixed Tagalog grammar/words and Kapampangan. For instance, in an apparently fake accent, he said, “Sori pu, na-lowbatt ako nabengi.” (Sorry, my cell phone ran out of battery last night. / Sorry po, na-lowbatt ako kagabi.)

A native would find the line funny, because it should have been “Sóri pû, mé-lowbatt ku nabéngi.” Kapampangan verb tenses don’t sport the use of na- and the word ako is basically Tagalog.

Jaclyn Jose, who played Natty, the tocino-making mother of Iliac, was good. Almost. In some scenes, I was convinced that she indeed spoke the language. But it’s no surprise, as Jaclyn Jose is an Angeleño from Brgy. Sto Rosario. In the shooting of the controversial Pinoy film that made it to the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival ‘Serbis’ (where I worked as local coordinator and script continuity supervisor), we spoke to Jaclyn in Kapampangan, and even though she is balid, one can speak to her in Kapampangan and expect her to understand fully.

All of the extras in the Pampanga scenes, plus the siblings of Iliac (Lakan ning San Fernando 2008 Aaron Rivera and his younger sister) and one or two of the masseurs, are genuine Kapampangans. I can tell by the way they speak. Also, seeing their minor characters behave the way I perceive Kapampangans to behave in some occasions—such as the brutal gossiping behind people’s backs, silent criticizing upon another’s misfortune, and overreaction to actually-no-big-deal stimuli—makes the film closer to home.

It’s a great, even though simple and plain, film. In fact, it has earned a spot in my ‘Favorite Movies’ section in my Friendster profile. What taints it is the broken Kapampangan of the lead actors.

I’d like to believe that film is audio-visual and it is its innate goal to give the audience a sense of reality, not make them pretend to believe. With linguistic imperfections, reaching the goal is about 25% hindered. Sadly, even in Mendoza’s follow-up film ‘Káleldo’ (‘Summer Heat’), the lead actors speak Kapampangan as if with twisted tongues.

But then again, I understand. There aren’t many Kapampangan-speaking actors. I just hope that in the future, this language thing would be fixed in Mendoza’s (and every Kapampangan filmmaker’s) films. I believe we’re on our way there.

Please email reactions to sisig_man@yahoo.com.ph. Photo of Mendoza by Laura Irvine.

The Rebellion of the Age 50+

Photo by Ruston Banal, Jr.

The Rise of Teatru Ima at Arti
By Jason Paul Laxamana
Urban Kamaru
Central Luzon Daily

“Your Apung Monang used to be a zarzuela actress,” Ima would recount, referring to Simeona “Monang” Calma-Matsdairo, the sister of my maternal grandfather who got married with a Japanese man at the age of 14 during the Japanese occupation. Ima told me that in reaction to ArtiSta. Rita’s “Siwala the Musical” at St. Scholastica’s Academy which she and I watched together.

Apung Monang was young, active, and vibrant then. They would travel to different places within and outside Porac to perform various Kapampangan musicals, which most memorable to my Mom is a play called “Bunga Ning Dewakan.” She seemed to be so good and popular in her thespian career, in that one time two years ago, when Ima was buying some fruits and vegetables at the kabalenan of Angeles, a certain vendor whom we didn’t know asked her about Apung Monang; the vendor was actually a fan of hers.

Nakbag, Angat

Zarzuelas were halted for several reasons. Ima guessed that it could be because of the introduction of movies and, later on, television. Then, when the Mt. Pinatubo erupted, it seemed almost impossible to revive zarzuelas. Then came ArtiSta. Rita a decade after.

ArtiSta. Rita swept the “culturally ailing” and “theater-ignorant” province with their well-attended Kapampangan musicals and albums. It introduced several youths who showed what the Kapampangans can offer in the field of performance, and I personally cite Edward Bernabe, one of the lead male singers of the group, to be very promising.

ArtiSta. Rita is one of the groups that fuse career with the socialization of the talented Kapampangan youth on their ethnicity and heritage, including language. While everyone else is busy tapping young ones to participate in the industry of Kapampangan empowerment, Mr. Andy Alviz, Artistic Director of ArtiSta. Rita, found an often-ignored bracket of people and decided to tap their energy to play part in the emerging Kapampangan bandwagon—women with ages 50 and above, willing to develop and share their thespian skills to a seemingly ageist society. Altogether, the group came to be known as MaArti, or Teatru Ima at Arti.

Photo by Ruston Banal, Jr.

Rebellion Against Ageism

Ageism is relatively a new concept in the Philippines. It is loosely defined as discrimination or marginalization based on one’s age, and the frequent victims of this are the youth (ageism against the youth or adultism) and the elders (ageism against the elders).

I first heard the term in Prof. Albina Peczon Fernandez’ Gender in Literature class when I was studying in UP Diliman, where we tackled the popular fate of female elders in modern Philippine society—they become stuck at home, become unpaid accomplishers of household chores and yayas to the grandchildren, and sometimes, even reprimanded—shouted at—for their fading memory power, right within the perimeters of the home they used to energetically build.

The performing arts, including theater and show business are breeding pools of ageism, the kind that would tend to discriminate the aged. Star searches on television want innocent teenagers the image of whom they can mold to their liking. The same goes for shows that search for the next local idol in singing. Theater, while less discriminating to the elderly compared to showbiz when it comes to performing, is still dominated by the young. And for female elders who are most probably stuck at home fulfilling the dictations of family tradition, they should be having lesser chances of being included in theater.

The members of MaArti are lucky, for their group is the first of its kind in the country, where elders take the limelight. It sure is a liberating experience for aged women to experience the spotlight in spite of the age (which a lot of women tend to conceal), the side effects of aging, the household responsibilities, and the ageist society.

As for a watcher like me, I actually find old people, especially old Kapampangan women, beautiful. And I don’t mean just physically beautiful, but beautiful in every sense of it. They seem to be very experienced, full of wisdom, and naturally funny. The Kapampangan woman is said to be a powerful member of the society, as well reflected in Brillante Mendoza’s films. In fact, in an interview with Mendoza for the film “Serbis,” he described Filipino society as “ruled by the women but it is the men who are in the forefront.”



Kebaitan Da Ring Ketuan

Rita Alarcon recounts how the group began. “Andy first brought up the idea two years ago but nothing came out of that plan. When the idea came out again in one of our conversations in the gym, he asked us if we were interested. When he saw the enthusiasm, he immediately told us to recruit people who may be interested in theater. Because of technology, we were able to gather a group of about 20 persons and by August 19 we had our first meeting.”

“We continued to recruit more through friends and had our first workshop after a week. The rest is history. Barely a month we had our script and after a month we had our launching and MaArti was born.”

Childhood or Current Dream?

It couldn’t have been a childhood dream of theirs to perform in front of people, but during their younger years, they had varying degrees of being inclined to performing.

“I do not recall if it was my dream to be a stage performer since childhood, but when I was in the States, I wanted to enroll and take up Theater Arts,” recalls Roxanne Gorospe. “Since I was a little girl, my elders would put me on top of the table and make me sing and dance. I come from a musically-oriented family and I guess that easily explains what I do now.”

As a student, Gorospe was often involved in events that required singing, dancing, acting, and choreography. She taught choirs of different age brackets at a young age and when college came, she took and finished a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, Major in Voice at the University of the Philippines College of Music. Behold: she also became a member of the prominent Philippine Madrigal Singers, and even became a vocal coach to Aiza Seguerra.

Her involvement in the Kapampangan industry is highlighted by her participation in the recording of Juan Crisostomo Soto’s “Alang Dios” along with Alviz himself.

For Dita Patawaran, on the other hand, she secretly wished to land on lead female roles in school dramas, but she often got in small roles. “In one of our school plays, the only role I was given was a bride with no single line to say,” recounts Patawaran. “I just had to walk down the aisle and that’s it.”

But who could have foretold that during their launching at ArtiSta. Rita’s “Pamanuli” Concert at the Holy Angel University, she would act the role of a supladang palengkera?

Alarcon actually never dreamt of taking performing as her chosen career path despite of being a regular participant in school plays. “But when the opportunity to have workshops with no less than Andy Alviz,” she said, “we grabbed the opportunity.”

Bayung Experience

In theater, youngbloods are often the ones sought for. But Alviz thought that the age group of MaArti members are “untapped resources.” Alviz expounds, “They are actually the most perfect artists in terms of experiences, maturity, confidence and depth.”

Asked about the difference between handling young thespians and the older, Alviz claims it’s basically the same. “No difference at all,” he declares. “These women can do anything. They are not old women, not aged; they are ripe, mature, and perfect for the harvest.”

Working most of the time with young actors age 40 and below, Alviz finds working with MaArti members a learning experience for him. “These women have so much passion discipline and love for what they are doing.”

True enough, as in spite of the side-products of aging, these women still find time and effort to attend their twice-a-week workshops with their director. Aging is “embellished” with various features my own mother would often make saingsing about—rheumatism, arthritis, depreciated stamina, blood pressure, memory gaps, etc.

Source of Strength

Surprisingly though, the idea of MaArti is claimed to be, as Alarcon would say, “a therapeutic source of physical and psychological strength.”

Patawaran testifies on this. “In one of our rehearsals,” she reports, “I heard someone say, Ba’t kaya patye Lunis at Webis, ala kung panamdamang másakit, lalu na istung miblas na ku para munta kening workshop tamo?”

“In a great big way, these women are very healthy, exciting, riotously ready to do anything Andy would tell them,” Gorospe asserts. “The things you mentioned (arthritis and all) are present in some but no worries. I myself am experiencing the challenges of being pre-menopausal.” She further humorously elaborates, “I have ovarian cysts, oneng sabi na pin Andy: Sus, nowadays if you don't have ovarian cysts, ali ka ‘in.’ I think by this time mengalaglag no reni king kaka-ayli!”

Corito Tayag of Angeles City shares a different story though. In spite of age, she claims to be a healthy woman. She does Tai Chi about four to five times a week and dances a lot, which she considers as exercise. A disclaimer though from her: “I guess the biggest problem would be the senior moments: the memory gap!”

In spite of everything, these women want to keep on doing what they’re doing as long as their health permits it, as long as there is clamor for the group, and as Gorospe puts it, as long as “e ya susuku i Andy kekami.”

And the Family Says…

MaArti members are most probably mothers and homemakers. How do their better halves and children react to their joining a theater group?

Gorospe, Alarcon, and Tayag can say in unison that their husbands and children have no apprehensions on their MaArti participation. “My husband is very supportive and proud that I can dance and perform on stage,” Tayag says. Alarcon narrates that her daughter and husband even came to watch her during the “Pamanuli” concert.

Patawaran has a different story to tell. “As of now, they frown at me,” she laments. “Maybe they could not imagine I can do it because I don’t even have the art of cooking. At times they even complain why I am nowadays always out of the office. I even jokingly said in one of our interviews that I was already fired so I have no choice but to take my early retirement.”

But when these women become fully and successfully transformed—after the CDs, commercial endorsements, radio and TV exposures, national, US and world tour that Alviz is envisioning for them the way he did for ArtiSta. Rita—will Patawaran’s family and other people skeptical of the potential of the group still frown? Patawaran tells us to “watch out and see.”

If Alviz and the group indeed materialize their plans—which I am praying for—then MaArti will go down in history and become a source of Kapampangan pride, and perhaps even Filipino pride, for the future generations to come, regardless of age.

'Kalam' episode 2 now on the works

After what seemed like a "production standstill" due to minor obstacles, 'Kalam' is once again on the works, as the production of its sophomore episode titled Tagimpan Da Ring Makariking (Ambition of the Secondary) is now halfway done.




In the second episode, the character of Rhodskie, played by Raco Del Rosario will be introduced. He is the ex-boyfriend of Dette -- played by Reachel Mucho and also making her first appearance in the show after her foreshadowing in the first episode -- in the story and is bound to add color to the Kapampanganovela.

'Kalam' actor is Auctionista model finalist

Jayvie Dizon, AB Mass Communication student from the Angeles University Foundation (AUF) and one of Kalam's main actors, is one of the finalists in a certain modeling contest called Auctionista.



Dizon acts as Kenneth in Kalam, the mirage making (uple) sidekick of the powerful sorceress Albina.



Please support our kabalen by going to this link, registering, and voting for Jayvie:
http://events.auction.ph/index.php?module=ModelContest

How Music Videos Can Help Kapampangan Recording Artists

An Overview of the Kapampangan Music Scene (Part 2)
By Jason Paul Laxamana
Urban Kamaru
Central Luzon Daily

Budding Kapampangan musicians these days are more fortunate compared to the dreamy-eyed elders, who didn't enjoy the presence of local mass media that could increase their popularity. As I have been telling a chum, pursuing a music career these days doesn't require one to perform everytime (although that would certainly help). A musician, if busy in other matters, can sit pretty; his recorded songs, as long as they're melodically infectious, can spread like virus to the masses.

With the rise of local (local, as in Pampanga- or Central Luzon-based) television and cable stations, musicians, in partnership with filmmakers, have now a new means of propagating their works: through music videos.

For the record, music videos are what Filipinos passionately call MTVs. But MTV, which stands for Music Television, is a company name. To say “Inalben ke itang MTV nang Michael Jackson king MYX” is nothing different from saying “Sinali kung Colgate, itang Close Up,” or “Menalbe yang Popeye, itang Dragon Ball.”

Dagdag Exposure

In a phone interview, I asked Ara Muna (singer of 'O Jo, Kaluguran Da Ka') regarding the importance of music videos because I heard he has plans of rendering a music video for his Tagalog-Kapampangan hit.

“Nung kabud ka mu kasi king radyu, mapalyaring aburi de ing kanta mu, oneng bala mu 50% ya mu; e da ka balu itsura,” the comedienne claimed. “Potang atin kang music video, ababalu da nung ninu ika; kayi potang kabit de ing lupa mu karing tarpaulin o nanu, tambing dang balu ring taung ika ita. Dagdag yang exposure para karing artist.”

But music videos, while highlighting the musical artists, have more functions. Being a filmmaker myself, I believe music video making is another avenue for budding filmmakers, along with other people involved in the production of a film or video like editors, actors, and cinematographers, to practice their craft. When a music video wins an award, for example, in the annual MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards), it's not the just the victory of the artist; it's also the victory of the music video director.

The Upaya of Images

Music videos vary according to style, depending on the director or whoever is in charge with the concept. Some videos austerely show beauty shots of the singer/band in a certain location while some include a narrative in the video.

Music videos are actually like TV commercials—a fact which a lot of music video directors tend to neglect.

“I know some beautiful songs destroyed by their badly done music videos,” says Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez, a Quezon City-based music video and indie film director whose directorial works include the music video/s of Parokya Ni Edgar ('Gitara'), Hale ('Tollgate,' 'The Day You Said Goodnight'), Kyla ('Til They Take My Heart Away'), Sugarfree ('Hari Ng Sablay,' co-directed with another music video director, Topel Lee) and Shamrock ('Okey Lang'). “And I know some good music videos which were destroyed by crappy songs,” he continues.

The power of music videos can even transcend linguistic barriers. In radio, when one hears a song in an unfamiliar language, he is most likely to reject it, simply because he cannot understand it (except if the listener knows how to enjoy music in spite of the language). Music videos on the other hand can make a viewer tune in and watch the video while listening to the song. Even if the song is in an unknown language, the combination of the images, the narrative, and the emotional impact of the music can act as a universal language.

Barros-Sanchez tells his experience: “There's one music video I watched ['Because I'm A Girl' by Kiss] the lyrics of which I don't even understand because it's in Korean. Pero sobrang lakas ng tama sa akin at tuwing napapanood ko, may mga panahong iniiyakan ko pa rin.”

The music video of 'Because I'm A Girl' is about a girl accidentally blinded with chemicals in the dark room of a certain photographer guy. Fortunately, someone donated eyes to her, but when she got her vision back, the photographer can no longer be found, only to find out a few years later in a park that it's the photograper who donated his eyes to her.




“Very sad,” Barros-Sanchez remarks. “I love that in videos. Yung may kurot. Yung may puso.”

Problems in Pinoy Music Videos

“Makikita mo naman sa video pa lang kung pinagkaperahan ng director,” Barros-Sanchez laments. “First of all, the camera used is bad. Second, the location is ugly; ni walang art or architectural thing na magpapabuhay man lang ng interes mo. Third, no effort was allotted to the production design and cinematography. Hindi kinarir kahit maliit ang budget. Kurtina at halaman (madalas palmera plants) at throw pillows at bed sheets lang, tapos na... Alam mong dalawang oras lang, tapos na ang shooting.”

If one will watch his favorite music channel, he will find a vast number of badly done local music videos, the reasons for which vary. There includes the lack of artistic vision of the director, lack of originality of the concept maker, and the pretentious personality of some music video directors, especially aggressive, budding ones.

Barros-Sanchez expounds, “There's always a new guy around who is willing to do his first music video kahit mag-abono siya para lamang sa demo reel niya at konting pampayabang sa pamilya at barkada.”

“Ngayon, baratan na talaga sa budget. Lokohan na, kaya mapapansin rin lately na the videos are suffering. Medyo pangit na ang kalidad at dahil doon nag-dwindle na rin interes ng mga tao na panoorin sila. Naumay na. Wala na kasi ng bagong ipinapakita.”

“Masyado nang naging sikat ang music videos lalo na sa dekadang ito,” the director comments. “Everyone wants a share of the pie, even just the crumbs that fall on the floor. Nawawala na tuloy yung art. Too many cooks spoiling what was once a special brew.”

The Infant Pool of K-Music Videos

Yes, there are Kapampangan music videos already, the number of which could either mean that Kapampangan music video making is emerging, or that Kapampangan music video making is bound to not flourish. Mekikuan, ada pen.

There are two non-commercial, non-live Kapampangan music videos. One is the Pampanga Tourism video with song by ArtiSta. Rita and Mon David ('Malaus Ka Pampanga') and the other is the San Fernando 'Kaluguran Da Ka' music video. My concern though would be more on Kapampangan commercial, non-live music videos by Kapampangan artists, the total number of which would be three. Yes, three. Atlu.

The first music video I have seen (through YouTube) would have to be Harvey Quiwa's 'Ika Mu Ing Tune Para Kaku,' the second placer in the first ever Kapampangan songwriting and pop music contest by ASLAG Kapampangan last 2007. Directed by Emil De Jesus and conceptualized by the singer himself, the video is a simple showcase of the artist singing the love song in a green and grassy field with the indigo silhouette of Bunduk Arayat in the background. Intercut with a mini-plot involving a romantic couple (where Quiwa is the leading man) in a subdivision, the video is currently garnering around 15,000 views in YouTube, mostly from Kapampangans.

The second and third music videos would be those of the opening and closing theme songs of Kalam, the upcoming Kapampangan telenovela of Infomax. 8 and Kalalangan Kamaru.

Four members of 2007 Angeles City San Miguel Beer Battle of the Bands champion 5 Against The Wall (Jon Tanganco, bass; Jaynard Bengco, drums; Nhoel Austria, guitar; Arnold Espino, vocals), the vocalist of Guagua-based Red Horse Muziklaban finalist rock band Nora Aunor Fans' Club (Ramcos Nulud), and a Mabalacat-residing teenage violinist John Canlas collaborate to create the opening theme song of Kalam. 5 Against The Wall and Nora Aunor Fans' Club were both participating bands in Kalalangan Kamaru's and Holy Angel University Center for Kapampangan Studies' RocKapampangan project, with the former doing a reggae version of 'Sibul Na Ning Arayat' and the latter composing a blues version of a hilarious Kapampangan children's song they titled 'Kaplas.'

Tarlac City-based Kapampangan band Mernuts—popular through YouTube for rendering Kapampangan translations of songs such as Rihanna's 'Umbrella' and Beyonce's 'Irreplaceable'—made their original composition 'Oras' to serve as the closing song of Kalam.

The Kapampangan youth, who have been part of the so-called MTV generation, have not been disappointed upon seeing the music videos created for the theme songs, which are regularly aired on the Infomax channel. They may also be viewed by checking out the YouTube account of 'sisigman,' where they are gradually garnering lots of views from Kapampangans and non-Kapampangans alike. “Agyu na pala ning Kapampangan ing gawan anti karen,” said one of the students who saw the music videos in Kalam's Pampanga Campus Tour.

In spite of the pop culture theme of the music videos, Kapampangan culture enthusiasts will not be disappointed as well, as the creative team made it a point to fuse pop culture and local culture.

Shot in the City of San Fernando, the music video of 'Oras' features not only a number of the main cast of 'Kalam,' but also Roland Quiambao, Pampanga's contemporary giant lantern master, and some of his beautiful works.

Shot in the Henson-Hizon heritage mansion care of Corito Panlilio-Lim, the music video of 'Alang Anggang Sugat' could serve as an independent short film, as it boldly shows the experience of a girl raped by her trusted male friends and how the loss of her virginity caused social stigma, until she decided to end her torment by committing suicide. The non-conservative treatment of the video has caused some to brand it "too dark and gory," while some reacted in awe and called it a "piece of art" and "at par with international music videos." Maleldo (Holy Week) icons were used as well to poetically show emotions of regret and suffering.

Filmmakers and Musicians

Kapampangan musicians and Kapampangan filmmakers can grow hand in hand by supporting one another, a phenomenon which I have witnessed as a student in the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Mass Communication—indie bands and indie film directors working and celebrating their art together.

I call on Kapampangan Masscomm students to be observant of the music videos they see on TV and to take advantage of the Internet when it comes to studying. While observation can help you get familiarized with the popular standards and styles of music video direction and conceptualization, remember that you should not be content with copying or perfecting the style of another. As a Kapampangan, you are obliged to bring pride to your race—by coming up with an original style in the creation of music videos which other peoples can look up to someday.

Let's not forget that as Kapampangans, we should live up to the tradition of excellence which we love to take pride in. Let's keep striving for more groundbreaking Kapampangan music, partnered with breath-taking and non-mediocre Kapampangan music videos, as every music video we make is an “advertisement” of the Kapampangan people. To spawn a mediocre music video is either a learning stage for the budding filmmaker, or simply a form of neglect to the subconscious consequences an ugly piece can have to the Kapampangan image.

May Kapampangan music and music videos bloom in the future. Young Kapampangan filmmaking enthusiasts are invited to get acquainted with the writer by texting 09186992459. Kalalangan Kamaru has plans of developing young Kapampangan directors.

Email reactions to sisig_man@yahoo.com.ph