The AACP Newsletter Since 1970 Asian American Curriculum Project, Inc. November/December 2009 AsianAmericanBooks.com - The Most Complete Nonprofit-Source for Asian American Books Traditional Christmas Stars Shine Bright in San Francisco The following is an article by MC Canlas who is the small Filipino (Tagalog) is bituin or tala, in Spanish it is estrella. I business assistance specialist and community strategist at the wonder why the Filipinos never refer to this Christmas symbol as Filipino American Development Foundation. MC Canlas is also tala or estrella, and parol became a generic term to refer for the founder and coordinator of the annual Parol Lantern Festival. Christmas lantern (Christmas ornament case with light) and ornament with star-based design and variation. The 7th Annual Parol Lantern Festival will take place on December 12, 2009 at Jessie Square (east plaza of St. Patrick's Origin of the Parol Tradition Church) in San Francisco. It is a common practice in the Philippines to hang parol to adorn houses, offices, stores, lampposts, and public places during the The Bayanihan Community Center in San Francisco holds free holiday season. The hanging of lighted parol according to some parol-making workshops and rehearsals on Fridays from 5-8pm. writers was originally designed and used to provide light and For more information go to bayanihancc.org or call 415.239.0249. guide the local folks on their way to the church for the novena (nine days) of "Misa de Gallo" or Mass of the Rooster, dawn All are welcome to participate. masses. What We Should Know About Parol However, if we read the origin of Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi, By MC Canlas as written in the Christmas program at St. Patrick's Church: "Introduced in the Philippines by the missionaries about the 16th Origin of the Word century, these novena of masses from December 16th to 24th, Christmas lantern is the common translation for parol or parul were celebrated in the early morning hours, when the roosters which originated from the Spanish word farol which means crow to announce the coming of the new day (hence misa de lantern. (The other Spanish words for lantern are linterna, fanal, gallo) for a very practical reason. Filipinos were farmers or lampara and faro.) The P spelling instead of F is an appropriation fisherman who either began or ended their day at dawn." What is of Spanish word to make it distinctly Filipino as in palda from then the parol for church goers - the local folks, farmers and falda (skirt), pista from fiesta (feast) and prutas from fruta (fruit). fishermen - who happened to be the most knowledgeable of their way in their locality even in the darkest night? In the Philippines not all parols are lantern. A lantern is a portable case with transparent or translucent sides for holding and My version of the origin of the parol tradition is connected to the protecting a light. And not all lanterns are parols. Filipinos do not celebration of fiesta or feast of the town's or village's patron saint. refer to the popular Chinese and Japanese lanterns as parol. Christmas is considered the feast of all feasts. The usual practice Although not all parols are lighted or illuminated they however of local folks of hanging banderetas (i.e. small flags, banneret or symbolize light and brightness as in the five- point star parol. bunting) to decorate the streets and houses during fiesta is similar to the hanging of parol in house windows to make known of the The Christmas symbolism of parol is the bright lone star of coming of baby Jesus Christ. Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men (Magi) to the manger (Continued on Page 2) of the newly-born King -Jesus Christ. The word for bright star in Lightning Strikes Twice My Novel Experience Part II By Leonard D. Chan For you regular readers of the AACP newsletter that were of running 26 miles, people that sign up for this challenge try to wondering, I did complete my second novel last month. Those of write 50,000 words of fiction in one month. you that don't regularly follow the AACP newsletter and just happened to come across this article online or are just getting the I re-read my article from November 2005 when I wrote my first AACP emailed newsletter for the first time, I participated in novel and found the article to be pretty good. I encourage you to National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org - read the article if you haven't seen it already or just forgot about it NaNoWriMo) this past November. NaNoWriMo is an event held like I did. ( http://asianamericanbooks.com/newslets/nl1105.htm ) each year, which is kind of a writers' marathon challenge. Instead (Continued on Page 4) Give Us Your Feedback Editor's Message Please feel free to send us your reviews, comments, and book Hello Everyone, suggestions. You can contact us at - [email protected] Hope you're all having a good holiday season. Up Coming Events One of the events that we wish to highlight on our schedule is Here are some events that AACP will soon be attending. Invite our up-coming 6th Annual Poetry In San Mateo Day. This year us to your events. we are featuring the finish of our new poetry book written by our Date/Time Event Location friend Hiroshi Kashiwagi. Come hear him read from his new Jan 16 6th Annual Poetry In San AACP Store book Ocean Beach. 2pm Mateo Day 529 E. 3rd Ave A Beginning of the Year San Mateo, CA The poetry event is returning to the cozy confines of our store. Poetry Celebration As always we welcome our audience to share their poetry too. Hiroshi Kashiwagi So don't forget to write a poem for the new year and bring it to Jan 31 Families with Children Mill Valley our event. If you email us your poem in advance we'll include it 1-5pm from China - N. CA Community Center in our next newsletter. 15th Between Two New Mill Valley, CA Years Celebration! Thank you MC Canlas for the use of your article. We wish you Feb. 14 Foster City Chinese New Foster City, CA much success with your Parol Festival and other efforts. 11am-2pm Year Celebration Feb. 14 The 30th Annual San Betsuin Bud. It's the end of the year and time to thank all of you that helped 5:30pm Jose Church with the newsletter in 2009. Thank you so much for your Day of Remembrance 640 N 5th St. assistance. We get by with a little help from our friends. 2010 San Jose, CA Feb. 20 Day of Remembrance Merced, CA For those of you that derived some value from our newsletter 2010 during this past year, we ask for your support too. Times are Mar. 6 Chinese New Year's Stockton Civic tough and we know it's hard for many of you to give at this time, 11am- Celebration Aud. but for those that can afford to donate, please remember AACP 5:30pm 525 N. Center St. in your year-end giving. AACP is a non-profit organization that Stockton, CA depends on its supporters. Other Event of Interest that AACP May Not Attend You can make a donation by going to our online donation form Dec. 12 7th Annual Parol Lantern Jessie Square at https://aacpinc-best.securesites.com/secure/dform.htm or by making 3-8pm Festival & Parade San Francisco, CA out a check to AACP, Inc. and sending it to Jan. 13-15 Assoc. of CA School Portola Plaza Hotel AACP, Inc. Administrators Monterey, CA 529 East Third Ave. Every Child Counts San Mateo, CA 94401 Symposium Feb. 6-28 Chinese New Year Chinatown Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka, Happy Holidays Everyone! Celebration Events in SF San Francisco, CA Feb. 20-21 25th Annual Oregon Lane County Leonard Chan Asian Celebration Convention Center Executive Editor Eugene, OR Feb. 27 Chinese New Year San Francisco, CA 5:30pm Parade Mar. 5-7 California Council for California Council the Social Studies for the Social Conference Studies Conference Mar. 6-7 Reading the World XII USF San Francisco, CA Traditional Christmas Stars extending in nearby barrios, carrying candles and lighted parols (Continued from page 1) and usually accompanied by musikong bumbong or local brass The Origin of the Parol Stroll or Lighting the Walkway band. It starts and ends in front of the Church courtyard. Another common practice in some towns and cities is a religious procession on the night following the nine-day early morning This particular tradition may have roots in Spanish Mexico when masses or simbang gabi, also known as Misa de Gallo. In that they do their luminaria; a votive candle set into a small, particular evening the local folks march around the town plaza, decorative paper bag weighted with sand and placed in a row with Page 2 others along a walkway, driveway, or rooftop as a holiday into contemporary experience in the South of Market decoration. Luminaria is also called farolito or small lantern. Neighborhood. The Filipino American Development Foundation, the proponent of Bayanihan Community Center, is proud to Parol Making as a Folk Arts and Craft sponsor and organize of parol-making workshops in October, The basic parol design is a five-pointed star inside of a circle, November and early December in conjunction to the Christmas usually made of bamboo stick, multi-colored crepe paper or papel Lantern / Parol Festival. From this years' experience we can say de japon and cellophane.