Before the conquest of the Philippines by the Spaniards, early Pampangos already led a highly civilized way of life. They had an advanced system of government, practiced sophisticated farming techniques, were highly skilled in various skills, and were already engaged in trade and diplomatic relations with neighboring China and Southeast Asian countries.

HOW THEY CAME

The first trickle of Pampango settlers came from Indonesia around 300-200 B.C. By the 11th to 12th century, a mass exodus took place at the height of the Madjapahit era during which the empire embarked on a ruthless adventure that forced the smaller kingdoms to establish their own independent empires.

Among these kingdoms were the fiercely independent and free-loving Pampango speaking Sumatrans who, under Prince Balagtas, himself a sovereign of the Madjapahit empire, established his own dynasty based on liberty, independence and economy.

Prince Balagtas first stopped at Burnay (Brunei) where he established his dominion and strengthened his influence by marrying the granddaughter of the kingdom's ruler. Enticed by tales of a "paradise land", Prince Balagtas and his group sailed for Central Luzon and gradually pushed inland passing through the Rio Grande (Pampanga River), and the Rio Chico, the only passable routes at the time.

PANG-PANG DWELLERS

Along the way, they found river dwellers whom they left in peace but at the same time established their own settlements and imparted knowledge in farming the verdant forests and fertile soil now known as the Central Luzon. The progressive newcomers became known as "taga pangpang" and the settlement area known as "pangpangan", meaning river bank. With the Spaniards' difficulty pronouncing "ng", and compounded by the vagaries of the communication process, the name of the province finally became "Pampanga".

COMING OF THE SPANIARDS

Fifty years after Magellan landed in Mactan, a Spanish fleet under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, arrived in Manila and were met with resistance by Kapampangans under the combined leadership of the Pampango rulers Raja Soliman and Raja Lakandula. The Pampango warriors engaged the Spanish troops of Martin de Goiti in fierce combat. In the face of far superior firepower, however, the Kapampangan defenders lost the battle, and Pampanga, as in other parts of the country, came under Spanish domination.