Parol
A parol (pronounced
The parol is a traditional part of the
History
Like in other parts of Southeast Asia, paper lanterns were introduced to the Philippines before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.[6] The word paról is the modern Filipino spelling of the original Spanish name farol, meaning "lantern".[7] In the native languages, parol and lanterns in general are also known as paritaan.[8]
The tradition of the parol becoming associated with Christmas dates back to the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. It is a local adaptation of the Hispanic tradition of carrying small light sources (like torches, candles, or braziers) during the nine-day Christmas Novena procession leading up to the midnight mass (called Simbang Gabi in the Philippines).[5][9][10]
They are particularly associated with the
Early Spanish-era parols were initially simple rectangular or oblong shapes and were made with white paper. They were illuminated by candles or coconut oil lamps. Their shapes and colors became more diverse by the 1830s, including intricate designs made with folded papercutting. The lanterns were all made by hand, and thus the designs varied by household.[5][10][12]
In the traditional
In the past, aside from the fish, parols shaped like a lamb (representing the
The paról did not acquire its standard five-pointed star shape until the American colonial period.[5] Based on oral accounts, an artisan from Pampanga named Francisco Estanislao allegedly crafted the first five-pointed star-shaped paról in 1908.[17] His creation was made of bamboo strips covered with Japanese paper, illuminated by a candle or kalburo (carbide lamp).[18]
The first battery-operated parols with
The
Construction and design
Traditionally, parols have a framework made of bamboo sticks which are then covered by coloured pieces of either Japanese paper or crêpe paper.[24] The most common form is a five-pointed star with two decorative "tails".
Nowadays, the materials range from plastic, shells, glass, beads, foil, feathers,
.Other designs aside from the common stellate pattern include that of angels, huge flowers, Santa Claus's face, reindeer, happy faces, and Christmas trees, among other Western holiday symbols.[26]
The lantern-makers of Pampanga have their own long-standing tradition on parol design. The Kapampangan parol has four concentric layers. The central circular part is known as the tambor or tambur ("drum"). This is followed by the siku-siku ("elbow"), which contains the criss-crossing star shapes. The third layer is the palimbun (from the Kapampangan word limbun, meaning a Novena procession), a circular rim that surrounds the siku-siku. The last layer is the puntetas ("edges" or "tips") which contain smaller intricate details. Pampanga is also the origin of the first electric and battery-operated parols with automated rotor systems, known as parul sampernandu, which date back to the 1940s to 1960s.[27]
Recently, innovations from
The original stellate design of the parol remains common in the Philippines and considered distinct for Filipinos.[26] The traditional craft of lantern-making is usually taught to schoolchildren around Christmastime, but actual manufacture is now primarily done in the barrios and the poblacions and is rarely done in urban areas.[29] A notable exception is San Fernando, Pampanga, which is considered "Home of the Giant Lanterns" for its million-peso lantern-making industry, as well as Las Piñas, a city in Metro Manila, where a lot of parols also originate.
Use
In the Philippines
In the Philippines, the parol has become an iconic symbol of the
Many communities, such as villages, schools, and groups hold competitions to see who can make the best parol.[24] One such event is the annual Giant Lantern Festival in Pampanga, which attracts various craftsmen from across the archipelago. The competition revolves around the illumination and performances of giant parol that can reach up to 40 feet (12 m) in breadth. These giant lanterns are programmed to "dance" to the accompaniment of a brass band or recorded music.[31]
Overseas
Although the use of the parol as a Christmas decoration is chiefly done in the Philippines, other countries where the
Since 2005, renowned
In
See also
- Belén, another traditional Filipino symbol of Christmas
- Luminaria
- Windowpane oyster
- Las Posadas, a similar Novena tradition in Latin America
- Piñata, a similar but unrelated tradition in Mexico symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem
- Christmas lights
References
- ^ ISBN 0-8264-8749-1. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ ISBN 0-8020-2938-8. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ "Christmas decors, Filipino-style" (in Tagalog). GMA news.TV. December 10, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ a b c Pangilinan, Ching (November 29, 2014). "In search of San Fernando lantern-making history". Sun Star Pampanga. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Tan, Nigel (December 17, 2016). "PH X'mas symbols, practices trace roots to Spanish era". Rappler. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ Dormido, Hannah (2023). "The story of the Filipino Christmas parol and how to make one". www.washingtonpost.com/.
- ^ Villanueva, George (November 27, 2013). "Lighting Christmas Parols in Historic Filipinotown with Prayers for Victims of Typhoon Haiyan". KCET. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Gacad: The Light of Christmas". SunStar. December 1, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ a b "Parol: A symbol of Filipino Christmas Spirit". The Mixed Culture. December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ a b c Orejas, Tonette (December 14, 2012). "'Lubenas' is alive in Angeles City". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ Ferrolino, Mark Louis F. (December 15, 2017). "A Christmas like no other". BusinessWorld. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ "A Look Back at The History of The Parol". PropertyAsia.ph. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Pampanga Christmas Lanterns: The Star Wonders". Travel Trilogy. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c Delos Reyes, Ramil (December 4, 2013). "Ing Lubenas ning Pasku 2013". PinasMuna. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ "Center for Kapampangan Studies". Holy Angel University. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ Navarro, Chris (December 22, 2018). "Magalang's 'Lubenas' draws hundreds of tourists". Sun Star Pampanga. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ "Parul Sampernandu at CCP" (Press release). Cultural Center of the Philippines. December 8, 2017. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ Alejandro, Reynaldo Gamboa; Chorengel, Marla Yotoko. "Parol". Tatak Pilipino. Archived from the original on February 11, 2004. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ "Giant lantern festival in Pampanga today". PhilStar Global. December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ISBN 9780195146394.
- ^ Greene, Bizia (December 27, 2017). "Holiday charm of farolitos started in the Philippines". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ "Our View: Why luminarias should be your new (old) Christmas tradition". December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ISBN 0-913270253.
- ^ ISBN 0-8225-4873-9. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
history of paper parol or christmas lanterns.
- ^ "Giant Lantern Festival". SEAsite: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ a b Romares-Sevilla, Joy (December 18, 2007). "Symbols of Christmas". SunStar Davao. Sun.Star Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ Arcellaz, Princess Clea (December 12, 2017). "Lantern industry in San Fernando 'innovating, not dying'". SunStar Philippines. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ "Paskong Filipino". SEAsite: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ Dacanay, Julian E. (1988). "Ethnic Houses and Philippine Artistic Expression". One-Man Show Studio. p. 156. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ISBN 0-932727-87-5. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (December 17, 2007). "Giant lanterns go 'dancing'". Inquirer Mobile. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ "'Parol' a big hit in Austria". Philippine Daily Inquirer. November 26, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ABS-CBN News. December 24, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
- ^ Orejas, Tonette (December 12, 2006). "Rains won't dampen Fil-Ams' lantern festival". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
External links
- Media related to Parols at Wikimedia Commons