Sunday, December 10, 2017

68. 12 GIANT SAN FERNANDO LANTERN TRIVIA

COLORFUL 'SAMPERNANDU' LANTERN, Magazine Cover, Esso Silangan, 1965

The famed San Fernando giant lantern is a product of Kapampangan innovation, creativity and tireless effort. So the next time you witness their spectacular display of lights, color and dazzle, do appreciate the hard work put into each of these works of art that can be considered truly Kapampangan. Here are vintage photos and trivia about this Christmas parul that put Pampanga in the world map.
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EARLY LANTERN PHOTO, SAN FERNANDO.  Taken 26 Dec..1909.
Luther Parker Collection.
1.This predecessor of the modern day Giant Lantern Festival was actually a religious activity which we know today as “lubenas. The lanterns measured just two feet in diameter, created in each barrio from bamboo and other locally available materials. During the nine-day simbang gabi novena before Christmas, these paruls were brought around each barrio in procession to their visita. Before the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the lanterns were brought to the town church together with the barrio patrons. This tradition gradually evolved as the lanterns became bigger and the designs more intricate. Later, one big lantern was made for each barrio, which was created through a cooperative effort.
 
TYPICAL SAN FERNANDO PROCESSIONAL LANTERN,1960,
2. The first documented lantern maker was Francisco Estanislao, active ca. 1908, from Barrio Sta. Lucia, San Fernando. “Apung Isku”, aided by his wife, crafted paruls in the 1900s using bamboo sticks, cotton, string, satin and coco fabric panels, which were glued to the framework using gelatinous rice paste. The back is left uncovered to accommodate the ‘kalburo’ (carbide) lights.

 
DEL PILAR GIANT LANTERN, 1940s
3. The San Fernando Giant Lantern Festival, which is held every December, finds its roots in Bacolor where a much simpler activity was held. Following the transfer of the provincial capital from Bacolor to San Fernando in August of 1904, this parul event followed as well.

STO.NINO GIANT LANTERN, in 1956
4. The earliest mention of a lantern procession that culminated in a lantern contest, was reported in the religious publication  in a 1930 issue of,“Ing Misyonero”, (year 4, no. 11) that was won by brgy. Del Pilar, followed by Sto. NiƱo. The next year,  it was reported in the same magazine that eight  barrios participated in the Christmas pageant  that was highlighted by lively band music and a colorful lantern competition with Del Pilar achieving a back-to-back win.

LANTERN PARADE IN SAN FERNANDO, 1960
5. It is believed that electricity was introduced to the San Fernando lantern in 1931. At this time, the lights were controlled by individual switches that were turned on and off following the beat of the music. Pioneer participants included the barangays of Del Pilar, Sta. Lucia and San Jose.

GIANT LANTERNS, from 1960
6. According to another version claimed by old folks, the Giant Lantern Festival started during the time of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon was trying to make Pampanga a model province. In fact, he made Arayat his vacation place and converted the legendary mountain into a tourist resort. As a show of gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas lantern contest to honor the first family. Quezon himself donated the prize for this lantern contest, which was personally awarded to the winner by First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.

SAN FERNANDO LANTERN EXHIBIT, Luneta. 1961
7. Severino David, married to Fortunata Estanislao (daughter of Francisco) is credited with introducing the battery-operated giant lanterns in the 1940s. Great strides in the 1950s made the San Fernando Giant Lantern more visually impactful. Steel wire was introduced in 1950 by Mario Datu and Susing Manalang for use in making the framework of the lantern, thus making it stronger.

INTRICATE LANTERN DESIGN, 1965
8. In 1957, Rodolfo David  invented the rotor system that used ordinary hairpins, attached to the end of the wires leading to each individual bulb. Masking tape strips are placed on the rotor to serve as light switches. As the rotor is turned, the hairpins brushes the tape strips, thus cutting off the current flow that lit the bulbs. When that particular hairpin regains contact with the steel rotor, the bulbs are again lit. Thus, the placement of the tape on the rotors determines the interplay of lights on the lanterns and can spell success or disaster for each entry.

SAN FERNANDO LANTERNS used in a San Miguel Beer Ad.1969
9. The lanterns gained national prominence in 1960, when, the Board of Travel and Tourism Industry and the Philippine Tourist and Travel Association sponsored the San Fernando lantern parade in front of the Luneta Grandstand. Beginning in 1964,  San Fernando lanterns became available for sale to the public, giving birth to the commercial lantern industry.

SAN FERNANDO LANTERNS, 1969

10. The Giant Lantern Festival, which was already an established San Fernando institution was cancelled for two years (1978-1979) by Mayor Armando Biliwang  because of Martial Law. It was revived in 1980. In 1987, Former San Fernando Mayor Virgilio “Baby” Sanchez started producing Capiz lanterns for the export markets, with MAKVEL Enterprises. These lanterns followed the traditional San Fernando design and were developed with the assistance of the Design Center of the Philippines. The next year, the first fiberglass lanterns were installed at the Pampanga Convention.

SAN FERNANDO LANTERN, 1979
11. The new 90s decade saw the transfer of the annual Giant Lantern Festival to the Paskuhan Village. The lanterns made international appearances at the World Expo in Seville (1992), and at the Hollywood Christmas Parade (1993). The festival venue was relocated to the open parking grounds of the SM City Pampanga at the turn of the new millennium.

LANTERN MAKER, Jesus Maglalang. 1979
12. The best-performing barangays in the Giant Lantern Festival Competition include Del Pilar, which had an incredible 9-year winning streak in the 1980s. before that, Sta. Lucia was a perennial champion. Brgys. San Felipe and Telabastagan almost became Hall of Famers (3 championships in a row) in the first decade of the 2000. In recent times, Brgy. Dolores has bagged the championship 4 times in a span of 10 years.

BONUS!
Double Take: LANTERN LOOK-ALIKES
TRADITIONAL MEXICAN WREATHS, have designs that mimic that of the famed San Fernando lanterns. Could these have been design inspirations as we also have a history of Mexican-Philippine relations? Or just plain coincidence?

VERY ENGLISH, VERY SAMPERNANDU. A giant lantern of English make has a striking similarity with the giant San Fernando lantern of San Jose. Taken at the Covent Garden, London, 1965.

SOURCES:
Henares, Ivan Anthony S. (2001). HOW TO MAKE A GIANT LANTERN: The story Behind the Giant Lanterns of San Fernando. School Project. University of the Philippines.
HISTORY OF GIANT LANTERN-MAKING IN SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA (Estanisla-Davido-Quiwa Clan), by Landlee Quiwa
HISTORY OF THE LANTERN INDUSTRY : Its Contribution to the Local Economy and Tourism, Oct. 4, 2016, Makati City
Thanks to: Ching Pangilinan, CSF Tourism, Ken Gardiner

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