Parol A paról is an ornamental, star-shaped Christmas lantern from the Philippines. It is traditionally made out of bamboo and paper and comes in various sizes and shapes, but generally the basic star pattern remains dominant. In the Philippines, the paról has become an iconic symbol of the Filipino Christmas and is as important to Filipinos as the Christmas Tree is to Western cultures. Its annual debut on houses and streets is usually in September along with other Christmas symbols, signaling the coming of the season Origin: The word paról is derived from the Spanish word “farol”, meaning lantern. Another, less-known name for this and lanterns in general is “paritaán”. The design of the paról evokes the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Kings to the manger. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the Filipinos hope and goodwill during the Christmas season. History: Patterns of the paról evolved from the five-pointed paper star lantern originally crafted by an artisan named Francisco Estanislao in 1928. His creation was made of bamboo strips covered with ‘papél de japón’ (Japanese paper), illuminated by a candle or kalburo (carbide). This kind of lantern was used by barrio folks to light their paths during the ritual yuletide dawn Masses called Misa de Gallo, as electricity was yet unavailable at the time in many rural areas. Traditionally, paróls have a star-shaped framework made of bamboo sticks which are then covered by coloured pieces of either Japanese paper or crêpe paper. The most common form is a five-pointed star with two decorative tails. Parol Today: Nowadays, the materials range from plastic, shells, glass, beads, foil, feathers, hemp, leaves, seeds, soft drink straws, wood and even metal. 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 the rose, the bromeliad, the snowflake and the sea urchin. Other designs aside from the common stellate pattern include that of angels, huge flowers, Santa Clauss face, reindeer, happy faces, and Christmas trees, among other Western holiday symbols. Recently, innovations from Pampanga include production of lanterns with electronic lights that can be programmed to produce a dancing effect, as is the use of LED rope lights, known as flexilight lanterns. Many communities, such as villages, schools, and groups hold competitions to see who can make the best paról. 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 paról 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. Although the use of the paról as a Christmas decoration is chiefly done in the Philippines, other countries where the Filipino diaspora have settled have also adapted its use. In Austria, the lanterns are a big attraction in the annual Wiener Christkindlmarkt (Vienna Christmas Market). A ceremonial lighting of 60 paról in a Philippine Tree was done at the Wiener Rathausplatz. The project was a collaboration between the citys government and the Philippine Embassy in Vienna, which introduced the lanterns in 2006. In San Francisco, California, Filipino Americans celebrated the 7th Annual Paról Festival in December of 2006 and Filipino-Americans in other places bring them to churches during the Misa de Gallo. Filipinos in Canada hang paróls in their party halls during Christmas parties to reminisce their traditional usage of the craft. * The Wikipedia
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 13:55:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015