Giant festive lanterns compete in annual Christmas competition
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- (18 Dec 2017) LEADIN:
Giant, skilfully-crafted lanterns are raising Christmas spirits in the Philippines.
Ten villages in the country's Pampanga province are taking part in an annual giant lantern competition, proudly showcasing huge, flashing lanterns to visitors.
STORYLINE:
These small lanterns - known as 'parols' - traditionally decorate many Filipino homes during the Christmas holidays,
Usually made from round or star-shaped frames, they're adorned with colourful paper or polished seashells.
It's a popular tradition that ignites the Christmas spirits among Filipinos.
In Pampanga, a province on the outskirts of Manila, this tradition is being taken to a much grander scale.
It's said the first ever giant lantern was made in Pampanga in 1908 by Francisco Estanislao. It was made using bamboo and cloth.
Compared to traditional small Christmas lanterns that decorate homes, Pampanga province's giant flashing lanterns usually measure around 20 feet (almost 7 metres) in diameter.
They can hold up to 10,000 flashing light bulbs.
While traditional Christmas lanterns can be found all over the Philippines, some of the country's best lantern makers - known as 'parol masters' - are thought to come from Pampanga province.
Some families are known to have up to six generations of lantern makers.
"They are actually people who come from all walks of life," says city tourism officer Ching Pangilinan.
"They're not engineers, they're not graphic designers or anything. But they're just people who are very passionate and creative. It's something like the 'giant lantern gene' possibly runs in their blood."
Each giant lantern requires a skilful team led by a parol master. It takes months of planning to painstakingly craft these giant artworks.
It's hard enough to create a unique design each year, but bringing those ideas to life - using thousands of light bulbs and music - is a difficult task.
New technology has been adopted by lantern makers, such as LED lights. But to this day, giant lanterns are still moved manually.
Electricity to power the lights is run through wiring, attached to large steel cylinders that are turned by hand, in sync with the music.
But what makes a competition winner?
Teddy Aguilar, a 46-year-old parol master who's won the competition three consecutive times, says it's the audience reaction.
"I guess it's the people because if the lantern is beautiful, the people, they'll start cheering; they'll instantly know who will win (the competition)," he says.
Over a thousand visitors came to see these ten giant lanterns battle it out for the title.
"I went here to see just how creative Filipinos are, especially the people of Pampanga," says 16-year-old visitor Khent Capati.
After hours of light displays from the ten entrants, Aguilar's giant lantern took home the championship trophy.
That makes it four victories in a row, often referred to as "four-peat."
"Of course, I'm very, very happy because of the four-peat! I proved that a four-peat is possible," says Aguilar.
After winning the competition, Aguilar says he plans to meet with his team to develop bigger and better ideas for next year's competition.
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holidays around the world assignment, anyone? lol
YEP school
yuppp
Yeah me too haha
yes
lmao i think everyone is just watching this for the holidays around the world class assignment
BAHA YOU'RE NOT WRONG I GO TO FERRI AND THIS IS TORTURE KSJADJUDHLASI but I'm using another computer so they don't know who I am haha stinky
Yea That’s what my teacher gave us to watch in my class
totally. Why did they even use this.
For sure in different schools but yeah I got this project assigned last Wednesday lol
messed up thing is i cant even get the language for the assignment help me
i realized everyone is watching this for the world-class assignment bahah
Haha
my class is doing the holidays around the wold assignment
same
same
Me too haha
same
Lets be honest, you are only here because of school.
Anybody from mcburnetts class?
true
Im also here for school but its almost christmas people :D
Exactly no reason to watch this for fun
Yup.
We all here for the same thing.....school
If you are here for school then...we at least know you do your assignments🧍♀️
How does the first person interviewed describe the different builders of the giant lanterns?
Ikrrrrrr and I got that question too
Who is watching this for school in 2020
me
Me
😅
Have a good winter break 😄
Me :/
2021 for me
Yes
I can't remember what year that competition was but there was a time when everyone who competed were declared as winners because the judges thought that all the lanterns were beautiful.
My class is doing the world-class assignment, and it showed this video, the lanterns looks great!
3.5 milli subs and their vids have a 9k average. Talk about botted subs lmaoo
Lol
this video was literally for school
who else is here from school
AT 2:03 YOU CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SAY
and there are no subtitles
Bruh exactly
WOW!! These lanterns are amazing!!!!!
i showed this video to my brother, and he's even on the floor dancing!!!
Amazing lightshow, i gotta say
but your here for a project aren't you
The video would be great if I could understand what the people are saying!
A reply for a reply
a reply for a reply to a reply
I wonder how many times I can reply
me not knowing what tf there saying but it’s just for an assignment
Im cool lol
i hate this vid just for school
i like it cuz im filipino