Parol on the roll in 2022

Believe me or not I spent my weekend in three well-attended parol making workshops.

On Saturday morning I led the annual parol making workshop at St. Monica's Church, which was organized by the San Francisco Archdiocese's Filipino Ministry in conjunction of their Simbang Gabi tradition. It was attended by 50 participants, mostly intergenerational parishioners. It started at around 9:30 am with Filipino breakfast and we ended at around 3 PM.

At the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), we have young parol trainers who I trained to handle more than 40 participants from 2 pm to 5:30 PM. I was able to join them.

Then today, Sunday, we had another workshop at YBCA with 40 participants.

Parol is on the roll in San Francisco. Thanksgiving Day is around the corner. I know from experience as we close to Christmas, more and more families and groups would want to participate in parol making workshops or make their own parol lanterns.

This is the time of the year when longing and belonging percolate in our minds, and so pronounced that we look for activities, delicacies, gifts to share, colors and symbols.

The parol is the quintessential Filipino symbol of joy, faith, good luck, and hope during the holiday season.

Although one of the original aims of mounting an annual Parol Festival is visibility in the multicultural fabrics of San Francisco, as for me as pop-ed educator, community strategist, and historian, my drive is more than that. I am into navigating our search of “Sarili, Kapwa, Bayan” our Filipinoness (Kapilipinuhan) in this world.

Parol making workshops are my venues to share old and new narratives. What a joy in sharing our stories that are good for our soul.