CULTURE

Sta. Rita is one of the towns of Pampanga. Dwelling there are the Pampanguenos conversing in Kapampangan. A. The Patron Saint The municipality of Sta. Rita, Pampanga was named after their patron saint, Santa Rita de Cascia. She was an Italian Augustinian nun who was also a widow, then a saint. She is remembered for her dedication to her Christian values and a model wife and mother who was fervent to sanctify her husband. Even until her husband's death, she continued to guide her sons and dissuade them from seeking revenge for their father's death. Rita is also considered as the saint of the Impossible, abused wives and widows. An interview from lola was conducted during one of the ocular visits. She narrated with pride one of the miracles Sta. Rita de Cascia has given to the town of Sta. Rita. Once, there was an attempt to burn the municipal hall of the town, but a miracle from Sta. Rita de Cascia happened, in her own words, Dumating si Santa Rita at pinigilan ang pagsusunog. From then on, the townspeople became more devoted to Sta. Rita de Cascia. B. Sta. Rita The Religious Town The townspeople of Sta. Rita have lives that revolve around the church. The church-plaza complex is the main structure in the place. During weekdays, people visit the church to meditate, pray and to give thanks with a grateful heart to the Holy One. Moreover, every Sunday, the church is filled with people who are eager to listen to the gospel. Because of the huge number of people both citizens and pilgrims, visiting the church, many just stand outside of the church. The citizens of Sta. Rita are religious and strong in their faith. Despite of hardships and calamities, they stay faithful to the Lord. In 1991, this town was one of the most affected provinces in Luzon when Mt. Pinatubo erupted. According to a resident of Sta. Rita, the citizens of Sta. Rita held on to their faith for their safety from the harm and calamities brought by this volcanic eruption. C. Sta. Rita The Follower of Jesus Christs Teachings The citizens of Santa Rita, Pampanga apply what they have learned from Gods Word to their daily lives. They do not simply go to church to pray and leave what they have learned there, they practice His teachings. The low crime rate of this town proves the previous statement. According to our interviewees, Pag may kaguluhang nangyari dito sa amin, siguradong tagalabas ang may gawa niyon. Eh, kaming mga taga-Santa Ritay, hindi mahilig sa gulo.

Also, political dynasties are not so rampant in Santa Rita, Pampanga. Citizens run for office to serve the town, and not to do something else. D. Sta. Rita Bell Tower The church bells serve an important role in the community. The bells function as an alarm to signal the villagers when disaster strikes. They locally call this as the Parundung. Once they hear the odd ringing of the bells, they go out of their houses and ask around. Aside from the usual times the bells ring, it also serves the purpose to alert the people for situations. E. Sta. Ritas Heritage 1. Food Sta. Rita is also known for their intangible heritage such as their food and cuisine. The town boasts its culinary expertise which have become a tourist attraction through their sought after culinary tours. Among the delicacies Sta. Rita has to offer are the turrones de casuy and their sans rival. Unlike most commercial sans rival cakes, Sta. Rita's famous sans rival is made with pure, chewy, cashew nut layers and topped with creamy butter. During the Christmas season, the town celebrates a festival featuring their famous Duman or pinipig which is made of sticky rice that has been beaten from its husks and toasted in a clay oven. The exceptional culinary methods that have set apart Sta. Rita's cuisine have been carefully preserved. The little things like this help maintain the solidarity of the townspeople of Sta. Rita. Because of these delicacies, the people of Sta. Rita became more united with each other to continue this legacy left behind by their ancestors, which can only be found in their town. 2. Festivals Since Mt. Pinatubo's eruption in 1991, people who fled due to the circumstances have been moved back. Since then, the community has tried to revive its lost culture. Although it is almost impossible to completely reanimate the lives and cultures the residents had before the tragedy, Maam Karen explained that the town celebrates festivals, like their feast day for their patron saint on May 22, to aid in the communitys solidity. 3. Music and Art The citizens of Sta. Rita are also artistically inclined. Each barrio has its own band that plays during the fiesta. The residents also participate in musicals and plays. They also boast about their Letras y Figuras arch. Sta. Rita has also become a favorable choice as a setting for movies. Filmmakers have taken an interest in the theatric town. The place has been frequented by movie stars so much so that their presence no longer stirs huge crowds as compared to other locations.

4. Structures Sta. Rita is notable for its wide collection of heritage houses spanning several centuries of colonial rule. This array of structures ranges from the Carpio house from the Spanish era. The current Church at the Centro and the Old Convento were built during the Spanish colonial period. It can be noticed that these structures were made of crude materials that were used during the earlier periods. This can be further seen in the barangays of the town. One is Barangay San Vicente. The group interviewed a lola who has stayed in this barangay most of her life. She said that long ago, houses in the barangay were made of stilts and pawid only but now, everythings made of concrete. There are also a lot of social hubs and commercial establishments already since the public market of the town is located here and also, it leads to the national highway so everyone really passes by the place to come in and out of Sta. Rita, Pampanga.