Parol
Encyclopedia
Parols are ornamental star-like Christmas
lanterns from the Philippines
. They are traditionally made out of bamboo and paper and come in various sizes, shapes and designs; however, their star-shape façade and basic design remain dominant.
The shape is said to be inspired by the star
on the Nativity of Jesus
that guided the Magi
to the manger. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the Filipinos
' hope and goodwill during the Christmas season.
word farol which means "lantern" or ilawan in Tagalog
.
named Francisco Estanislao in 1928. His creation was made of bamboo strips pasted with papel de japon (Japanese paper
), illuminated by a candle or kalburo (carbide
). This kind of lighting was adapted by barrio
folks to light their paths during an annual ritual dawn Mass called Misa de Gallo, due to electricity
being unavailable at the time.
sticks which are then covered by colored pieces of either Japanese paper
or crêpe paper
. Nowadays, the materials range from various non-traditional materials such as beads, feathers, glass, hemp
, leaves, plastic, seeds, shells, soft drink
straws, wood and even metal. They usually comes in various sizes — from small, tinsel and foil lanterns to gigantic ones — shapes and artistic designs where some lanterns can be electrically lit at night. Other designs include that of Santa Claus
's face, angel
s, reindeer
, huge flowers, happy face
s, and Christmas tree
s. More complex shapes that are seen are the rose
, the bromeliad, the snowflake
and the sea urchin
.
Recently, innovations that have originated from Pampanga
include production of capiz or seashell
made lanterns and electronic lights that can be coordinated to produce a dancing effect.
The star-like shape of the parol which has been its original design remains common in the Philippines and considered distinct for Filipinos. The crafts are usually made in the barrio
s and the poblacion
s and is rarely done in urban areas. A notable exception is Parañaque, a city in Metro Manila
, which has the largest parol-making industry in the Philippines.
In the Philippines
, the parol has become an iconic symbol of the Filipino Christmas and is as important and iconic 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, thus signalling the coming of the season. The parol is associated with the Simbang Gabi
, a series of dawn masses that lasts for nine days. These then remain until January, traditionally removed after Epiphany
, to honour the Three Kings
and their visit to the child Jesus.
Many communities hold competitions to see who can make the best parol. One such event is the annual Lantern Festival in Pampanga
, which attracts various craftsmen from all over the archipelago. The competition revolves around the illumination and performances of giant parols that can reach up to 40 feet (12.2 m) in breadth. These giant lanterns are made to "dance" to the accompaniment of a brass band
.
, the lanterns are a big attraction in the annual Wiener Christkindlmarkt (Vienna Christmas Market). A ceremonial lighting of 60 parols in a "Philippine tree" was done in the Wiener Rathausplatz (Vienna City Hall square). The project was a collaboration of the Philippine Embassy in Vienna
and the city's government. The Philippine embassy first introduced the parol to Vienna on 2006.
In San Francisco, California
, Filipino American
s celebrated their 7th Annual Parol Festival on December 2006. Filipinos in Canada
hang parols in their Christmas party halls to reminisce their traditional usage of the craft during the season.
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
lanterns from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. They are traditionally made out of bamboo and paper and come in various sizes, shapes and designs; however, their star-shape façade and basic design remain dominant.
The shape is said to be inspired by the star
Star of Bethlehem
In Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi, or "wise men", and later led them to Bethlehem. The star appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew, where magi "from the east" are inspired by the star to travel to...
on the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
that guided the Magi
Biblical Magi
The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh...
to the manger. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
' hope and goodwill during the Christmas season.
Etymology
The word parol came from the SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
word farol which means "lantern" or ilawan in Tagalog
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
.
Adaptation and history
Patterns of the parol evolved from the five-pointed star-shaped paper lantern that was crafted by an artisanArtisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
named Francisco Estanislao in 1928. His creation was made of bamboo strips pasted with papel de japon (Japanese paper
Washi
is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
), illuminated by a candle or kalburo (carbide
Carbide
In chemistry, a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element. Carbides can be generally classified by chemical bonding type as follows: salt-like, covalent compounds, interstitial compounds, and "intermediate" transition metal carbides...
). This kind of lighting was adapted by barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
folks to light their paths during an annual ritual dawn Mass called Misa de Gallo, due to electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
being unavailable at the time.
Construction and variations
Traditionally, parols are made from a star-shaped framework made of bambooBamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
sticks which are then covered by colored pieces of either Japanese paper
Washi
is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
or crêpe paper
Crêpe paper
Crêpe paper is tissue paper that has been coated with sizing and then creped to create gathers.-Production:Paper that is creped is produced on a paper machine that has a single large steam-heated drying cylinder fitted with a hot-air hood. The raw material is paper pulp. The Yankee cylinder is...
. Nowadays, the materials range from various non-traditional materials such as beads, feathers, glass, hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
, leaves, plastic, seeds, shells, soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
straws, wood and even metal. They usually comes in various sizes — from small, tinsel and foil lanterns to gigantic ones — shapes and artistic designs where some lanterns can be electrically lit at night. Other designs include that of Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
's face, angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s, reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, huge flowers, happy face
Smiley
A smiley, smiley face, or happy face, is a stylized representation of a smiling human face, commonly occurring in popular culture. It is commonly represented as a yellow circle with two black dots representing eyes and a black arc representing the mouth...
s, and Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s. More complex shapes that are seen are the rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
, the bromeliad, the snowflake
Snowflake
Snowflakes are conglomerations of frozen ice crystals which fall through the Earth's atmosphere. They begin as snow crystals which develop when microscopic supercooled cloud droplets freeze. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Complex shapes emerge as the flake moves through...
and the sea urchin
Sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...
.
Recently, innovations that have originated from Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
include production of capiz or seashell
Seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...
made lanterns and electronic lights that can be coordinated to produce a dancing effect.
The star-like shape of the parol which has been its original design remains common in the Philippines and considered distinct for Filipinos. The crafts are usually made in the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s and the poblacion
Poblacion
A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...
s and is rarely done in urban areas. A notable exception is Parañaque, a city in Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
, which has the largest parol-making industry in the Philippines.
In the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the parol has become an iconic symbol of the Filipino Christmas and is as important and iconic to Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
as the Christmas Tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
is to Western cultures. Its annual debut on houses and streets is usually in September along with other Christmas symbols, thus signalling the coming of the season. The parol is associated with the Simbang Gabi
Misa del Gallo
Misa de Gallo is the Spanish phrase for the Midnight Mass celebrated on Christmas Eve, more literally translated as "Rooster's Mass". Its Portuguese counterpart is Missa do Galo....
, a series of dawn masses that lasts for nine days. These then remain until January, traditionally removed after Epiphany
Epiphany
Epiphany may refer to:* Epiphany , a Christian holiday on January 6 celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus* Epiphany , a sudden realization of great truth...
, to honour the Three Kings
Biblical Magi
The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh...
and their visit to the child Jesus.
Many communities hold competitions to see who can make the best parol. One such event is the annual Lantern Festival in Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, which attracts various craftsmen from all over the archipelago. The competition revolves around the illumination and performances of giant parols that can reach up to 40 feet (12.2 m) in breadth. These giant lanterns are made to "dance" to the accompaniment of a brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
.
In other countries
Although the use of the parol for Christmas celebrations are mostly in the Philippines, other countries have also adapted its use. In AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the lanterns are a big attraction in the annual Wiener Christkindlmarkt (Vienna Christmas Market). A ceremonial lighting of 60 parols in a "Philippine tree" was done in the Wiener Rathausplatz (Vienna City Hall square). The project was a collaboration of the Philippine Embassy in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and the city's government. The Philippine embassy first introduced the parol to Vienna on 2006.
In San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
s celebrated their 7th Annual Parol Festival on December 2006. Filipinos in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
hang parols in their Christmas party halls to reminisce their traditional usage of the craft during the season.