Wikipedia

Parol

For other uses, seeParol (disambiguation).

Aparol(pronounced[paˈɾol],US:/pɑːˈroʊl/ⓘ,also written asparólorparul,fromSpanishfarol,meaninglantern) is aFilipinoornamentallanterndisplayed during theChristmas season.Parols are traditionally constructed usingbambooandJapanese paper,and are illuminated with candles, oil lamps, orcarbide lamps.Modern parols can be made using other materials such asplastic,metal,andcapiz shellsand are usually illuminated with electric lighting. Its most-common form is afive-pointed star,although it can come in various shapes and sizes.[1][2][3]Large disc-shaped electronic versions of parols produced inPampangaare known as "parul sampernandu",[4]the phonetic spelling ofparol San Fernando,owing tothe citywhere these lanterns are a major product.

A vendor's stall with various parol designs

The parol is a traditional part of thePanunulúyanpageant in the nine-day ChristmasNovenaprocession during theSpanish colonial period of the Philippines.It was initially rectangular or oblong in shape and was made with white paper, but eventually came to be made in various shapes and colors. It became standardized to a five-pointed star (symbolizing theStar of Bethlehem) during theAmerican colonial period.[5]It remains an iconic symbol ofFilipino Christmas.

History

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Parols illuminate theSt. Joseph Parish ChurchinLas PiñasduringSimbang Gabi.

Like in other parts ofSoutheast Asia,paper lanternswere introduced to the Philippines before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.[6]The wordparólis the modern Filipino spelling of the originalSpanishnamefarol,meaning "lantern".[7]In the native languages, parol and lanterns in general are also known asparitaan.[8]

The tradition of the parol becoming associated withChristmasdates back to theSpanish colonial period of the Philippines.It is a local adaptation of the Hispanic tradition of carrying small light sources (like torches, candles, orbraziers) during the nine-day ChristmasNovenaprocession leading up to themidnight mass(calledSimbang Gabiin the Philippines).[5][9][10]

Six-pointed parols inSan Fernando, Pampangain 1904 from the Luther Parker Collection,National Library of the Philippines.

They are particularly associated with thePanunulúyanpageant accompanying the procession, which is a reenactment of thesearch for lodgingsbyJosephand the pregnantVirgin MaryinBethlehem.The actors portraying Joseph and Mary, as well as the townspeople, carriedpaper lanternsmade with bamboo andJapanese paper(papel de japón). After the procession, these lanterns were then hung outside houses as decorations. Over time, they became an indispensable part ofFilipino Christmas tradition.[5][9][11]The significance of the parol in traditional Philippine Christmas celebrations is underscored in a letter byJosé Rizalin 1893. While he was in exile inDapitan,Rizal asked his family to send him Japanese paper so he might "celebrate Christmas properly."[5]

Early Spanish-era parols were initially simple rectangular or oblong shapes and were made with white paper. They were illuminated by candles orcoconut oillamps. Their shapes and colors became more diverse by the 1830s, including intricate designs made with foldedpapercutting.The lanterns were all made by hand, and thus the designs varied by household.[5][10][12]

In the traditionalLubenasprocessions ofPampangawhich dates back to the 1800s, the shapes and locations of the parols used have become standardized. They feature a cross-shaped parol at the head of the procession representingJesus,followed by a fish-shaped parol with hinged jaws (called theasan) representingIchthys.Behind them are thecarroza(wheeled carriage) or theandas(shoulder-borne palanquin) which carryreligious images.The carriages are flanked by two rows of six, star-shaped parols (usually having more than five points) for a total of twelve; each lantern represents one of thetwelve apostles.Behind the carriage is a giant intricately-designed lantern (which is the origin of theGiant Lantern Festival). This giant lantern can take any form.[13][14]In 1933, the giant lantern ofBgy.Del Pilar was reputedly built in the image ofKing Kong.[4]This was followed by a choir and a band singing various versions of"Dios Te Salve"(local adaptations of "Ave Maria"with Spanish lyrics).[13][14]

A simple star-shaped parol made ofcapiz shells

In the past, aside from the fish, parols shaped like a lamb (representing theLamb of God), adove(representing theHoly Spirit), and animals from thenativity scenewere also carried, along with angel-shaped parols. But they are rarely featured today. All of the parols featured in the Lubenas are traditionally predominantly white, but other colors are used today for trimmings.[13][14]The Lubenas was a vanishing tradition only practiced by around seven towns by the year 2000, but after recent efforts to revive it, there are more towns holding a Lubenas procession each year.[10][15][16]

The paról did not acquire its standard five-pointed star shape until theAmerican colonial period.[5]Based on oral accounts, anartisanfromPampanganamed Francisco Estanislao allegedly crafted the first five-pointed star-shaped paról in 1908.[17]His creation was made of bamboo strips covered withJapanese paper,illuminated by a candle orkalburo(carbide lamp).[18]

The first battery-operated parols withincandescent bulbswere produced in the 1940s. In 1957, parols with rotor systems were invented by the lantern-maker Rodolfo David. The parol was used for the year's entry of Barangay Santa Lucia in the Giant Lantern Festival ofSan Fernando, Pampanga,which they subsequently won from 1957 to 1959. His parol used rotating steel drums with wires on hairpins to program the light and music. This became the template for commercial electric parols calledParul Sampernandusold from 1964 onward.[19][4]

Thefarolitos(orluminarias) ofNew Mexico,which are paper lanterns that have the same function during theLas Posadas,are derived from the Filipino parol via theManila galleons.[20][21][22][23]

Construction and design

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Parols with programmedLEDlights

Traditionally, parols have a framework made ofbamboosticks which are then covered by coloured pieces of eitherJapanese paperorcrêpe paper.[24]The most common form is a five-pointed star with two decorative "tails".

Building the frame of a traditional parol with bamboo sticks

Nowadays, the materials range from plastic, shells, glass, beads, foil, feathers,hemp,leaves, seeds,plastic straws,wood and even metal.[25]They usually come in various sizes, from small, tinsel and foil lanterns to gigantic ones that are electrically lit at night, and may have one, three or more tails aside from the ubiquitous two. Some have a surrounding "halo," and the number of points on the star usually ranges from four to around ten (however, higher numbers exist). As for stellate patterns, more complex shapes that are seen are therose,thebromeliadorpineapple,thesnowflakeand thesea urchin.

Other designs aside from the common stellate pattern include that ofangels,huge flowers,Santa Claus's face,reindeer,happy faces,andChristmas 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 thetamborortambur( "drum" ). This is followed by thesiku-siku( "elbow" ), which contains the criss-crossing star shapes. The third layer is thepalimbun(from the Kapampangan wordlimbun,meaning a Novena procession), a circular rim that surrounds thesiku-siku.The last layer is thepuntetas( "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 asparul sampernandu,which date back to the 1940s to 1960s.[27]

Recently, innovations fromPampangainclude production of lanterns with electronic lights that can be programmed to produce a dancing effect, as is the use ofLEDrope lights, known as "flexilight" lanterns.[28]

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 thebarriosand thepoblacionsand is rarely done in urban areas.[29]A notable exception isSan Fernando, Pampanga,which is considered "Home of the Giant Lanterns" for its million-peso lantern-making industry, as well asLas Piñas,a city inMetro Manila,where a lot of parols also originate.

Use

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In the Philippines

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Entries in the 2012Giant Lantern FestivalinSan Fernando, Pampanga
Parols hanging from lamp posts inUrbiztondo,Pangasinan

In the Philippines, theparolhas become an iconic symbol of theFilipino Christmasand is as important toFilipinosas theChristmas treeis to Western cultures. Its annual debut on houses and streets is usually in September along with other Christmas symbols, signalling the coming of the season.[1]Theparolalso retains its original association with theSimbang Gabiritual, a series of dawn masses that lasts for nine days. These lanterns remain until January, traditionally removed afterEpiphany,to honour theThree Kingsand their visit to the infant Jesus.[30]

Many communities, such as villages, schools, and groups hold competitions to see who can make the bestparol.[24]One such event is the annualGiant Lantern FestivalinPampanga,which attracts various craftsmen from across the archipelago. The competition revolves around the illumination and performances of giantparolthat can reach up to 40 feet (12 m) in breadth. These giant lanterns are programmed to "dance" to the accompaniment of abrass bandor recorded music.[31]

Overseas

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Although the use of the parol as a Christmas decoration is chiefly done in the Philippines, other countries where theFilipino diasporahave settled have also adapted its use. In Austria, the lanterns are a big attraction in the annualWiener Christkindlmarkt(ViennaChristmas market). A ceremonial lighting of 60 parol in a 'Philippine Tree' was done at the Wiener Rathausplatz. The project was a collaboration between the city's government and the Philippine Embassy inVienna,which introduced the lanterns in 2006.[32]

Since 2005, renownedartist,Fred Deasis,offers free Parol Making Workshop to the Filipino community in theChicago, Illinoisarea and adjacent states. Workshops were coordinated by public libraries, community churches and localFilipino Americancultural organizations.During the workshop, participants learn to make a traditional FilipinoChristmasparol, originally designed by the artist, with the use of only 5bamboosticks,japanese paper,rubber bands, wire, glue and ornaments.[33]

InSan FranciscoandLos Angeles, California,Filipino Americanscelebrate an annual Parol Festival in December.[34]Parols are also common as Christmas decorations for Filipino-American homes and churches. Filipinos in Canada hangparolsin their party halls during Christmas parties to reminisce their traditional usage of the craft.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abJ., John (2005).A Christmas Compendium.Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 67.ISBN0-8264-8749-1.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  2. ^abMagocsi, Paul R. (2006).Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples.University of Toronto Press (published 1999). p. 510.ISBN0-8020-2938-8.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  3. ^"Christmas decors, Filipino-style"(in Tagalog). GMA news.TV. December 10, 2007.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  4. ^abcPangilinan, Ching (November 29, 2014)."In search of San Fernando lantern-making history".Sun Star Pampanga.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  5. ^abcdefTan, Nigel (December 17, 2016)."PH X'mas symbols, practices trace roots to Spanish era".Rappler.RetrievedDecember 1,2020.
  6. ^Dormido, Hannah (2023)."The story of the Filipino Christmas parol and how to make one".www.washingtonpost.com/.
  7. ^Villanueva, George (November 27, 2013)."Lighting Christmas Parols in Historic Filipinotown with Prayers for Victims of Typhoon Haiyan".KCET.RetrievedNovember 11,2020.
  8. ^"Gacad: The Light of Christmas".SunStar.December 1, 2015.RetrievedNovember 10,2020.
  9. ^ab"Parol: A symbol of Filipino Christmas Spirit".The Mixed Culture.December 15, 2013.RetrievedDecember 1,2020.
  10. ^abcOrejas, Tonette (December 14, 2012)."'Lubenas' is alive in Angeles City ".Philippine Daily Inquirer.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  11. ^Ferrolino, Mark Louis F. (December 15, 2017)."A Christmas like no other".BusinessWorld.RetrievedDecember 1,2020.
  12. ^"A Look Back at The History of The Parol".PropertyAsia.ph.December 13, 2016.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  13. ^abc"Pampanga Christmas Lanterns: The Star Wonders".Travel Trilogy.December 21, 2018.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  14. ^abcDelos Reyes, Ramil (December 4, 2013)."Ing Lubenas ning Pasku 2013".PinasMuna.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  15. ^"Center for Kapampangan Studies".Holy Angel University.Archived fromthe originalon May 8, 2021.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  16. ^Navarro, Chris (December 22, 2018)."Magalang's 'Lubenas' draws hundreds of tourists".Sun Star Pampanga.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  17. ^"Parul Sampernandu at CCP"(Press release).Cultural Center of the Philippines.December 8, 2017. Archived fromthe originalon November 9, 2020.RetrievedNovember 10,2020.
  18. ^Alejandro, Reynaldo Gamboa; Chorengel, Marla Yotoko."Parol".Tatak Pilipino. Archived fromthe originalon February 11, 2004.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  19. ^"Giant lantern festival in Pampanga today".PhilStar Global.December 15, 2012.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  20. ^Castro, Rafaela (2001).Chicano Folklore: A Guide to the Folktales, Traditions, Rituals and Religious Practices of Mexican Americans.OUP USA. p. 94.ISBN9780195146394.
  21. ^Greene, Bizia (December 27, 2017)."Holiday charm of farolitos started in the Philippines".Santa Fe New Mexican.RetrievedDecember 1,2020.
  22. ^"Our View: Why luminarias should be your new (old) Christmas tradition".December 21, 2017.RetrievedDecember 1,2020.
  23. ^Ribera Ortega, Pedro (1973).Christmas in old Santa Fe(2 ed.). Sunstone Press. pp.14–23.ISBN0-913270253.
  24. ^abFrank, Sarah (2006).Filipinos In America.Lerner Publications (published 2005). p.53.ISBN0-8225-4873-9.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.history of paper parol or christmas lanterns.
  25. ^"Giant Lantern Festival".SEAsite: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  26. ^abRomares-Sevilla, Joy (December 18, 2007)."Symbols of Christmas".SunStar Davao.Sun.Star Publishing, Inc. Archived fromthe originalon December 20, 2007.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  27. ^Arcellaz, Princess Clea (December 12, 2017)."Lantern industry in San Fernando 'innovating, not dying'".SunStar Philippines.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  28. ^"Paskong Filipino".SEAsite: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  29. ^Dacanay, Julian E. (1988)."Ethnic Houses and Philippine Artistic Expression".One-Man Show Studio. p. 156.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  30. ^Driskill, J. Lawrence (1997).Christmas Stories from Around the World: Honoring Jesus in Many Lands.Hope Publishing House. p. 53.ISBN0-932727-87-5.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  31. ^Orejas, Tonette (December 17, 2007)."Giant lanterns go 'dancing'".Inquirer Mobile.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  32. ^"'Parol' a big hit in Austria ".Philippine Daily Inquirer.November 26, 2007.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
  33. ^"Workshop on parol-making held in Illinois".ABS-CBN News.December 24, 2009.RetrievedNovember 25,2016.
  34. ^Orejas, Tonette (December 12, 2006)."Rains won't dampen Fil-Ams' lantern festival".Philippine Daily Inquirer.RetrievedDecember 20,2007.
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