Lantern making

On my last blog post (Busy December), I mentioned something about a lantern contest we joined. It is a competition between the different departments of our institution. The objective of the contest is to make a lantern representing the region assigned to you. You also have to wear a costume representing your region during the lantern parade. We represented Region XII or better known as SOCCSKSARGEN. We designed our lantern based on a Fanoos (or a Ramadan Lantern) because we thought that there a lot of Muslim in Region 12. So we basically made a Muslim-based or a Muslim related lantern. We covered the whole frame of the lantern with plastic cover and 5 colors of cellophane. We cut and shaped a lot of old pirated CDs and placed it on the outer layer of our lantern, giving it a mosaic effect. The cut-outs were forming a fish-like effect because of tuna which related to the region's major export product. The size of the lantern is 2 1/2 feet in width and about 2 1/2 feet in height (about 5 1/2 feet with the tail). Overall, I personally think that the lantern gives you the impression that it is Muslim-related but it does not lose the Christmas spirit of a parol. The combination of the colors and the glimmering effect of the CDs are vibrant. I personally think it is very unique (probably the only one of its kind.haha.). It is very eye-catching in the morning especially when the sunlight gives a reflection on the CDs, but it also looks outstanding in the evening when its lights are turned on. Well, you be the judge. Check some pics I posted:

~We placed second on the Lantern and placed third on the costume~

This is our explanation or the meaning of our Lantern:

"Ang aming parol ay kumakatawansa Region 12 o mas kilala sa tawag na SOCCSKSARGEN na binubuo ngSouth Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani at Gen. Santos City. Itong limang lugar na ito ay ipanakita namin sa aming parol na binubuo din ng limang kulay. Ang mala-bituin na hugis naman ng aming parol ay hango sa Ramadan Lantern o Fanoos, pinili namin ito dahi lmarami tayong kapatid na Muslim sa Region 12. Ang bituin din ang isa sa mga simbolo ng pasko. Ayon sa Bibliya, isang napalaking bituin o tala ang gumabay sa tatlong mago upang makarating sa Bethlehem kung saan ipinanganak ang sangol na si Jesus Christ. Ang disenyo naman ng aming parol ay hango sa pangunahing produkto ng Region 12, ang mga isda, partikyular na ang Tuna. Ang tuna at iba pang fish product ang major export ng Region 12. Sa Katholisismo naman, ang isda ay ginawang simbolo ni Jesus Christ ng mga sinaunang Kristiyano. Ang buong parol ay napapalibutan ng disyensyong isda na nanggaling mula sa mahigit na 200 recycled at ginupit na cds. Ito lahat ay hand-crafted at isa-isang ginupit at isa-isang nilagay ang humigit-kumulang na 650 pirasong cds na nagbibigay ng mala-Malong na epekto. Ang Malong ay isa ding kilalang produkto ng Region 12. Ang malong ay isang tradisyunal na kasuotan na sinusuot ng mga taga-Region 12 (gaya ng mga suot namin). Napili din namin na gumamit ng mga lumang cds dahil pangunahing produkto din ng region 12 ang DVD! DVD!."

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