Filipino Christmas glee

A Pasko celebration comes alive
at the Honolulu Academy of Arts

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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM The Honolulu Academy of Arts became the staging ground yesterday for the celebration of Pasko, the Filipino Christmas season. Above, Campbell High School FilAm club members John Kenneth Yee, in foreground on the left, and Sheena Mendoza performed the traditional Filipino dance called the Cariñosa. Every year during Pasko, a child is supposed to ask for a blessing from an elder relative.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM 12-year-old Christopher Ballesteros asked for a blessing from Pauline Mationg, who was the designated Pasko celebration elder at yesterday's festivities.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Performing the traditional Filipino dances of Sinuan and Lawiswis Kawayan yesterday were Ading Ocenar, left, and Glecer Goo, of the Samar and Leyte Association.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Rowena Ibay of Kalihi took a moment to shop for the traditional Pasko Christmas ornament called a parol. These fancy and colorful ornaments date back to the earliest Catholic influences that Spanish explorers brought to the Philippines.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Traditional Filipino treats also were offered. Jennie Reyes was among the people who prepared a dessert called putobumbong. Made from black rice, coconut and sugar, the mix is stuffed into bamboo tubes and steamed for a few minutes. The finished product is placed in a ti leaf and then covered with butter.