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| Joannes Aves (in dark polo and glasses, left) teaches students how to make the Christmas lantern |
by
Susan Palmes-Dennis
The
parol or Christmas lantern is a traditional Filipino Christmas
decoration and it is said that a Filipino home isn’t complete
without this ubiquitous ornament come the Yuletide season.
Obviously
the lantern was used to light the way for churchgoers before the
advent of electricity. It is originally made of thin bamboo frames
and covered with colored cellophane or with rice paper.
According
to Wikipedia, the design of the parol evolved from the five-pointed
paper star lantern originally crafted by an artisan named Francisco
Estanislao in 1928.
Estanislao’s
creation was made of bamboo strips covered with papél de japón
(Japanese paper), illuminated by a candle or kalburo (carbide) known
as Japanese paper or papel de Japon.
The
parol had two tails that looked like the rays of a star.
Traditionally, paróls have a star-shaped framework made of bamboo
sticks which are then covered by colored pieces of either Japanese
paper or crêpe paper.
Materials
for parols range from plastic, shells, glass, beads, foil, feathers,
hemp, leaves, seeds, soft drink straws, wood and even metal.
Even
here at North Carolina, Fil-American communities display the parol or
lanterns in homage to the tradition back home.
I knew
of two people who were proficient in making parols. One is Joannes
Aves, the immediate past 1st vice president of the Filipino-American
Communities of the Carolinas (FACC).
Joanne,
who was taught by his late father to make parols in his elementary
grades, now passed his knowledge to students of the Eskwelahang Munti
(Little Schoolhouse) last month.
He
said it was a pleasure seeing the children having a good time making
the parols along with their teachers, volunteers, parents and
guardians.
I also
had a good time making a parol since it was quite a change of pace
from buying a parol from the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail back
home in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.
During
the demonstration, Joannes started by cutting the Japanese paper into
shapes, one of which was the tail of the star. From these shapes, he
assembled them slowly into the familiar Christmas star-shaped lantern
that we Filipinos know and love.
The
parol-making was such fun that it was extended up to Sunday School.
It was so fun I wondered why I missed doing this back in school.
Could be I wasn’t listening or I was sent on an errand by a
teacher.
Joannes
used materials from AC Moore. He told me he was making parols to be
sold at the Christmas party of the FACC for the benefit of the
victims of typhoon Haiyan in central Philippines.
Another
person who’s proficient in making parols is a kababayan from
barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro named Geraldyn Cabariban Jetton, who
now lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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| Geraldyn Cabariban Jetton with her giant Christmas lantern |
She
said she learned making parols in elementary grade. Geraldyn aka
Bebith said she uses dowel 3/13 sticks available in Walmart store
where she works in lieu of bamboo sticks for her parols.
Geraldyn
said she has been making lanterns for the past four years and this
year she made one with a logo bearing her prayers for the Filipino
victims of typhoon Haiyan.
”Every
time I see lantern I am reminded of my family in the Philippines.
It’s a tradition I want to hold close to my heart where ever I will
be,” Geraldyn said. I could only agree with her sentiments
wholeheartedly.
((This article also appeared in Sun.Star.com.ph. You can also follow me at Twitter at Susana Dennis@journ888)
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