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The Giant Lantern Festival of the Philippines

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Manage No	DI00000586
Country	Philippines
Author	ROYCE LYSSAH MALABONGA
Published Year	2018
Language	English
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Description	Owing to its Catholic traditions, the Philippines is perhaps one of the few countries in the world that celebrates Christmas the earliest and the longest. The country marks the Christmas holidays starting from 1 September. Shopping malls and shops will start displaying Christmas decorations; families will start to put up Christmas trees in their houses; and Christmas songs will be heard almost everywhere. San Fernando, a city located in the province of Pampanga, is known as the Philippine Christmas capital. The city is famous for its colorful and handcrafted lanterns that had been part of the province’s Christmas traditions since the 1900s. The Christmas lantern is called parul sampernandu in Kapampangan, the local language of the Pampanga province or parol in Filipino. The origin of the word parol came from the Spanish farol, which means lantern or light. The lanterns symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, thus most lantern designs from San Fernando incorporate a star caricature. In the Catholic tradition, the Three Kings are believed to have followed the Star of Bethlehem that led them to find the Child Jesus in a manger. Every December, the Giant Lantern Festival (Ligligan Parul in Kapampangan) is held in San Fernando. The lanterns are transformed like gigantic glowing stars with rotors that synchronize thousands of dancing lights and the sound of Christmas melodies. Usually the giant lanterns are about six meters tall and hung up in the air. Decorated with thousands of light bulbs, capiz shells, and fiberglass, the giant lanterns are stuck to polyvinyl plastic. It is a festival for the eyes; people flock at night to witness the grand salvo of lights and sound. The Giant Lantern Festival is also a competition where various barangays in Pampanga compete to win for the most beautiful giant lantern in the province. The locals take pride in their province’s competition as it is where they showcase their creativity and knowledge in crafting the intricate designs of giant lanterns. Tracing back to the country’s colonial history, the lantern-making tradition in San Fernando Province is influenced by the Spanish. The Spanish encouraged the local people to have lantern processions in honor of Our Lady of La Naval or the blessed Virgin Mary. In the past, the people would have a nine-day novena called lubenas, which was usually held before Christmas. The religious tradition has evolved to become the Giant Lantern Festival where people flock to witness the spectacular yuletide festival. Photo : 2012 "Ligligan Parul" Giant Lantern Festival CCBYSA3.0 Ramon FVelasquez / WikiMedia

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PI00003538 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The NCCA ICH video documentation team covers the showdown and contest for a documentary on the giant Christmas lantern tradition of San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines.

Philippines 2018
PI00003537 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The NCCA ICH video documentation team interviews a lantern maker for a documentary on the giant Christmas lantern tradition of San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines.

Philippines 2018
PI00003536 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The NCCA ICH video documentation team with a lantern maker during the shoot of a documentary on the giant Christmas lantern tradition of San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines.

Philippines 2018
PI00003535 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The NCCA ICH video documentation team interviews a lantern maker for a documentary on the giant Christmas lantern tradition of San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines.

Philippines 2018
PI00003534 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Operated manually, giant rotors control the thousands of light bulbs and the creation of different patterns and designs in a giant Christmas lantern. The lantern competes at the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003532 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
A giant Christmas lantern displays its different patterns as it vies in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003531 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
A giant Christmas lantern displays its different patterns as it vies in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003530 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
A giant Christmas lantern displays its different patterns as it vies in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003529 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003527 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, are being set up in an open field where they will vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003526 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, are being set up in an open field where they will vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003525 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
The giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, are being set up in an open field where they will vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003523 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Teddy Aguilar, 49, is tricycle driver and lantern maker and designer. He designs giant Christmas lanterns which compete at the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003522 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Each giant Christmas lantern has about 7,000 to 10,000 light bulbs. They compete at the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003521 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Workers put on the light bulbs on a giant Christmas lantern. One lantern has thousands of light bulbs. It will compete at the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003520 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Workers work on the giant Christmas lantern design of Rolando Quiambao. The lantern is the entry of the barangay of Del Pilar the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003519 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Operated manually, giant rotors control the thousands of light bulbs and the creation of different patterns and designs in a giant Christmas lantern. The lantern competes at the ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003518 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Rolando Quiambao, 63, is a prominent lantern maker and designer from the barangay of Del Pilar in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines. For many years, he has been making and design giant Christmas lanterns which vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns change to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003517 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns changes to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018
PI00003516 Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Lantern Tradition Of San Fernando City, Pampanga
Giant Christmas lanterns, made by different barangays, vie in a ligligan parul or Christmas lantern showdown and contest in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Philippines, a local tradition in December for more than a century. The lights of the lanterns changes to create different patterns and designs to the accompaniment of music.

Philippines 2018

Videos

VI00000324 Giant Lantern Festival in Holiday Season
The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in the city of San Fernando in Pampanga Provice. The lanterns, known locally as parul, are illuminated by electric lightbulbs. With some crafted as big as 6 m in diameter, these enormous lanterns create various patterns to accompanying music. Symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem that led the Three Magi to the infant Jesus, the parul has been developed into a spectacular festival reflecting the imagination and creativity of the locals to spark the festive mood and inspire hope. This video introduces the history of the parul as well as many stories about parul-makers.

24:30
Philippines 2018