Ink, Memory, and Language: Inside the Zine Sueños Esperanza Zine Project

Zine Sueños Esperanza is a critical record of Caviteño intangible linguistic heritage of Cavite City. These two dozen zine collection project which is this blog's brainchild chronicles the evolution of Chabacano Caviteño literature for several decades. Notably, this collection includes rare Spanish works from a forgotten Cavite-born poet whose legacy remained obscured until now. Meticulously curated, designed, and produced through two weeks of exhaustive, non-stop labor by yours truly, Zine Sueños Esperanza serves as a guardian of our collective memory.

The project premiered during Circle of Chabacano Dream’s very first major public event participation, following the CCD president’s decision to join the Día del Libro 2025 at Ayala Triangle to promote Chabacano Caviteño language.

For order message the publisher's FB Page :

Enriquez Publishing House

Recipes That Speak: The Chabacano Language on the Caviteño Table

Ecos del Galeon is a Chabacano heritage cooking book in which all recipes are accompanied by Chabacano translations. This project was the president’s brainchild for the Terra Madre event last November and it proved to be a resounding success. We were able to sell several copies, including to foreign guests who became deeply interested whenever we began narrating Cavite City’s history, particularly the galleon trade and its profound influence on the city’s culture and cuisine.

The sustained interest was also made possible through the presence of Tita A, especially her son Cons, who has learned and embraced Chabacano cooking. Their deep familiarity with the dishes allowed us to engage audiences meaningfully and keep conversations alive around Caviteño heritage cuisine that some want to visit the city to taste more our Chabacano cooking. 

#ChabacanoHeritage Cuisines

The Faded Echo of Fiesta Program Souvenirs - A Lost Caviteño Keepsake

The fiesta program souvenirs were far more than simple pamphlets, they served as time capsules,  encapsulating the elaborate lineup of festivities alongside sponsor acknowledgments and literary pieces spotlighting the richness of the city heritage and  Chabacano Caviteño language. Adorned with intricate cover illustrations crafted by talented artists, these keepsakes doubled as both a handy guide and a cherished memento, symbolizing the community's identity and collective pride.

These souvenirs reached their height particularly after World War II, as Cavite bounced back from cholera outbreaks and wartime occupations, sparking a renewed cultural zeal. Regrettably, this custom has since faded into obscurity, overshadowed by digital flyers and social media posts that now only displays the scheduled events on virtual posters. 

No longer produced in local print shops, the disappearance of this tradition has dulled the sensory charm of fiestas, transforming a once-vital link between generations into a wistful "what might have been" amid cultural decline. Could a revival perhaps through eco-friendly zines featuring QR codes for Chabacano audio - reignite that lost spark? Given Cavite's unwavering spirit of resilience, the possibility remains alive. Viva el fiesta, even for those traditions left behind! 

#CaviteCityTrivia #LutongCavite

A Mother's Day to Remember: Cooking, Culture, and Chabacano with the Cavite Bulilit and Teen Health Workers

Spending Mother’s Day at St. Joseph College with the Cavite Bulilit and Teen Health Workers and their equally amazing mommies was truly heartwarming. 

The morning was filled with laughter, learning, and love for both food and heritage. We kicked things off with a short heritage lecture where we explored Chabacano heirloom cuisines and the deep roots of two beloved Chabacano heirloom dishes: Pipian, a rich peanut-based chicken dish reminiscent of Kare-Kare, and Calandracas, a hearty sopas-like soup loaded with comfort and memories.

What made this gathering even more special was that it wasn’t just about cooking it was about connection. We wove language into every step. We introduced basic Chabacano phrases for cooking and meal-time conversations, aiming to help the next generation embrace our beautiful, but endangered, local language in a setting as familiar and beloved as the family dining table.

St. Joseph College Mock Hotel - the cooking venue.

A glimpse of the Chabacano cooking activity proper

Cavite Bulilit and Teen Health Workers proudly presented their cooked dishes afterwards and two were recognized - one for Best in Taste and another for Best in Presentation.

Big thanks to Doc Carol and Doc Vanie of Cavite Medical Society for partnering in this advocacy with Circle of Chabacano Dreams. 

And of course, a big shoutout to our ever-enthusiastic CCD President, Che Enriquez, who happily rolled up her sleeves to join the cooking and, as always, left with yet another brilliant idea brewing in her head! 

Cavite City Heritage Cuisine is, in truth, Chabacano Culinary Heritage and that’s a FACT

Chin Chao was one of the very reasons Lutong Cavite blog came to life. I vividly remember how native Chabacano speakers or who grew up in a Chabacano speaking home would rush early morning to the palengke every Good Friday, excited to get their hands on that prized lenten drink. Their joy was contagious dahil unahan ang pagbili kaya dapat maaga ka  - yet, strangely, there was barely any information or even photos of it online as well as the other beloved Chabacano dishes.

It actually took me a few years to finally feature chin chao. Back then, I didn’t really enjoy going to the market - if it weren’t for Sir Ige, who helped me see the beauty in it, I probably never would’ve appreciated it the way I do now. Chin Chao is elusive - miss it on Good Friday, and you’ll have to wait another year. And yes, I did miss it few years, which made finally featuring it all the more special when the time came. Now this year suddenly it was Filipinized in spelling being pushed by an individual page that isn’t even rooted in the community to tsin-tsáo. Why Filipinize something that is inherently Chabacano? Our Chabacano alphabet uses C and Ch - that's why Chin Chao is spelled that way. But now, here comes 2025 - suddenly it’s tsin-tsáo, forced into a Filipinized spelling just to match a page’s theme? LOL, just like that, puwede na palitan ang spelling? As if heritage is a trend you can tweak at whim?

And again the case of the so-called “lost Chabacano heritage recipe” that supposedly uses 115 sili and dates back 70 years based solely on the account of someone who lived here, but isn’t even a native. No community validation. No credible documentation. Just a dramatic revival story. But let’s be real - in a very small city like ours, where everyone knows everyone and tsismis spreads faster than fire, and food is life (tragon y tragona niso!) and the phrase “nuong araw” refers to a time when there were far fewer people so how could a dish that was allegedly served during fiesta and major social gatherings just vanish into thin air without anyone remembering it? How?

Our elders used kawa for large batches - if that dish truly existed, someone, anyone, would remember it. Children in the past here are "ayudante" of the elderly in the cooking. And since when did Chabacanos even have a preference for super spicy and with coconut milk wherein pork is mixed with seafoods?

It’s giving Imus and the flag moment all over again. Remember when they claimed the flag waving as theirs and it took the efforts of Sir Willy and the group to reclaim what’s rightfully ours? What if no one fought back then? The history would’ve been lost. And even now, let’s be honest, it still doesn’t fully feel like it's ours… because Imus celebrates it louder, even if the legacy is of our city.

Cavite City is incredibly rich in heritage. The deeper you dig, the more treasures you uncover. We have the potential to be among the top 5 cities in the country in terms of cultural assets. We even have our own Spanish creole language that is recognize around the world. But the problem is, we’re not fully embracing it.

Too often, we limit the idea of cultural assets to just old structures and monuments, while other places have already documented even the smallest details of their culture. And because we haven’t, others swoop in, rewrite the narrative, and claim the credit that should have been ours. If we don’t protect our heritage, someone else will and they won’t always get it right. 

Dia Chabacano 2020

Lutong Cavite is honored to be part of #DiaChabacano2020

Here are the program activities this year