Last night we attended the 2009 San Fernando Pampanga Giant Lantern Festival. And it was amazing. I had no idea that something like this even existed but apparently it has been going on since my parents were kids.
Each barrio or “baranguay” creates a lantern through a cooperative effort for entry into the competition. There is a head lantern maker, head electrician and head rotary operator. Together, with the help of other members from the barrio, they spend the year creating a giant lantern, usually made with paper or plastic, that will light up to synch with a Christmas music medley. The lanterns are so big that they are usually rigged permanently to an old long-haul truck and can be easily transported around the province. What’s amazing about it all, especially when you see them light up, is that each lantern is manually controlled – no computer programs, no automatic flashers – just lights and wires and a rotary operator who controls the currents and sequence of the light show.
There are three rounds in the competition where each barrio is given the opportunity to show off its lantern-making skills. In the first round, each team gets 6 to 8 minutes to present a music and light show. The second round is like a “lantern off” where three baranguays show at the same time, enabling judges to compare in unison. And the third round is when all nine barrios show at the same time: like a dance-off but for lanterns! It was a great experience to watch! The lanterns are beautiful, towering 15 to 20 feet high.
The effort taken to create such beautiful detailed designs is unbelievable. Even in the pictures below, you can see that some bulbs have burnt out and that the teams layer their paper to produce some beautiful shadow effects in their designs. My uncle Ramon used to make these by hand while we still lived in Calgary and his were only 3 feet in diameter. It used to take him weeks to complete one. I can’t imagine the kind of effort and patience it took to create these beautiful pieces. =) SO MUCH FUN!
Winning lantern by Dolores baranguay. They included a silhouette of Mary in the middle. See the burnt out bulbs? =)
This year, Dolores baranguay won. Their lantern was beautiful and classy, with clever shapes that created a unique look. Because of the popularity of this festival, the City of San Fernando has been nicknamed the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines”. So cute!
Merry Christmas Eve to you all! =) Sending love from the Philippines =)
