A Parol Lantern in the Sky
Image from www.astronomy.com
Jupiter and Saturn will appear to converge in the sky on the eve of the winter solstice on December 21, 2020. It will be the closest these planets will have visibly come together since the year 1226. Known as the “Great Convergence of 2020”, Jupiter and Saturn will merge into a bright spot in the night sky that will be visible even to the naked eye.
The parol lantern, symbolic of a star, is the quintessential Pilipino holiday symbol of hope, blessings, luck, peace, and light. Before the Spanish colonizers came and imposed their rule and religion throughout most of the archipelago, astronomy was already widely practiced by the indigenous people of what is now known as the Philippines. Our ancestors had mastered the language of the planets and constellations to guide them in the planting and harvesting of crops, fishing, hunting, oceanic navigation as well as for ritual and worship, rites of passage, and celebrations. They made use of the celestial symbols of the universe for mythical, spiritual, and practical purposes.*
This conjunction of the planets that has occurred throughout the centuries is one of the theories behind the origins of the “Christmas Star” or the Star of Bethlehem in the Christian myth of the nativity of Jesus as told in the Bible. As the story goes, three “magis”—wise men and, possibly, astrologers—came to the manger (where Jesus was born) guided by a star in the heavens. Other theories and possible explanations behind the Star of Bethlehem are a supernova, a comet, and the conjunctions of other planets in the sky.
As with all postcolonial cultures, the indigenous has converged with the colonial. This merging of cultures and beliefs has allowed for indigenous ways and spirituality to survive and thrive beneath the blanket of imposition that has resulted in contemporary mainstream Pilipino culture and beliefs. All we have to do is take a look and seek out the bright spots like a parol lantern in the night sky to gain insight towards a deeper understanding of the origins of our traditions and beliefs, and, ultimately, ourselves.
For more information about indigenous Pilipino astronomy, check out the 2005 University of the Philippines journal article, “Balatik: Katutubong Bituin ng mga Pilipino (Balatik: Indigenous Stars of Filipinos)” by the “Father of Philippine Ethnoastronomy,” Dante L. Ambrosio.