Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Parang

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Derivative forms
  
Soca parang

Stylistic origins
  
Joropo - Venezuelan music Soca - Trinidadian music

Cultural origins
  
1970s Trinidad and Tobago migrant communities from Venezuela

Typical instruments
  
Cuatro - Maracas - guitar - vocals - Violin - Claves - caja - mandolin - tambourine

Parang is a popular folk music originating from Trinidad and Tobago, it was brought to Trinidad by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, and African heritage, something which is strongly reflected in the music itself. The word is derived from two Spanish words: parranda, meaning "a spree or fête", and parar meaning "to stop".

Contents

In the past, it was traditional for parang serenaders to pay nocturnal visits to the homes of family and friends, where part of the fun was waking the inhabitants of the household from their beds. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad and Tobago communities such as Paramin, Lopinot, and Arima.

A new form of parang, soca parang, has emerged. Soca parang is a combination of soca and parang.

Performance

In Trinidad, traditional parang music is largely performed around Christmas time, when singers and instrumentalists (collectively known as the parranderos) travel from house to house in the community, often joined by friends and neighbours family etc. using whatever instruments are at hand. Popular parang instruments include the cuatro (a small, four-string guitar) and maracas (locally known as chac-chacs). Other instruments often used are violin, guitar, claves (locally known as toc-toc), box bass (an indigenous instrument), tambourine, mandolin, bandol, caja (a percussive box instrument), and marimbola (an Afro-Venezuelan instrument). In exchange for the entertainment, parranderos are traditionally given food and drink: pastelle, sorrel, rum and "Ponche Crema" (a form of alcoholic eggnog).

While traditional house-to-house caroling tradition is still practised by some small groups and larger organized groups, modern parang music has also developed a season of staged performances called parang fiestas, held from October through to January each year, culminating in a national parang competition. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad and Tobago communities such as Paramin, Lopinot, and Arima.

Varieties

Traditional parang music includes a variety of song types:

  • aguinaldo or serenal: relating to the stories of the nativity of Christ, equivalent to the Western concept of a 'carol';
  • guarapo: a secular song, often with passages of improvised lyrics where content and length vary according to the skill of the lead singer;
  • estribillo: a lively call-and-response style song;
  • rio Manzanares: a Venezuelan waltz which celebrates the different aspects of the Manzanares River of Cumaná, Venezuela;
  • joropo: similar in style to the Spanish waltz;
  • galerón;
  • picón;
  • despedida: a song of farewell and gratitude.

    • Since the 1950s, parang has become more popularised, giving birth to "soca parang", a fusion of soca and parang with lyrics in English. While still festive in nature, the lyrics often refer to North American cultural elements such as Santa Claus.

    Parang has also been fused with chutney, a form of vocal music indigenous to Trinidad, influenced by Indian rhythms and sometimes sung in Hindi.

    Parang artists

    Notable parang bands and artists include Daisy Voisin, Henry Perreira, Sharlene Flores, Leon Caldero, Baron, Scrunter, Jacqueline Charles, Lara Brothers, Francisca Allard & Philip Allard (Dinamicos), Los Tocadores, Fuego Caribeño [1], Irvys Juarez, "Rhonda Rosales", Los Parranderos de UWI, Los Alumnos de San Juan and del Caribe, Las Estrellas De Paramin, Los Paramininos, Los Alacranes. Other popular bands include:

    1. A La Rio Suave
    2. Amantes de Parranda (Barataria)
    3. Amores de Musica
    4. Ay Caramba
    5. Brasso Seco Parranderos
    6. Canciones Melodicas of Santa Cruz
    7. Carib Santa Rosa
    8. Carib Shaman
    9. Con Amor
    10. Courts Rio Senores
    11. Courts Ruisenores (Pointe-a-Pierre)
    12. New Image Serenaders
    13. Del Caribe
    14. Dulzura Caliente
    15. El Sabor (St. Joseph, Maracas)
    16. Flores de San Jose
    17. Fuego Caribeño ( South Vistabella)
    18. G. Sharp and Friends
    19. Hermanos Latinos
    20. Homer Parranderos Parang Band (Sangre Grande)
    21. Levantamientos Petrotrin
    22. La Casa Parranda (Princes Town)
    23. La Libertad
    24. La Divina Pastora
    25. La Estrella de Oriente
    26. La Familla Alegria
    27. La Familia de Camona y Amigos (Edinburgh Gardens Phase 3, Chaguanas)
    28. La Familia De Rio Claro
    29. La Familia De San Raphael (Gallon)
    30. La Finca Paranda
    31. La Ruseda de Agua (Diego Martin)
    32. La Sagrada Familia
    33. La Santa Familia
    34. La Santa Maria
    35. La Tropical
    36. Lara Brothers (Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz)
    37. Las Buenas Nuevas (Santa Rosa, Arima)
    38. Las Estrellita de Oriente
    39. Lopinot Paranderos
    40. Los Alacranes from Paramin
    41. Los Alumnos de San Juan
    42. Los Amantes de Parranda
    43. Los Amigos Cantadores (Trincity)
    44. Los Amigos De Jesus (La Canoa, Santa Cruz)
    45. Los Amigos en Musica
    46. Los Buenos Paranderos (El Dorado)
    47. Los Caballeros
    48. Los Caneros
    49. Los Cantadores de Brazil
    50. Los Campaneros
    51. Los Cantos de Amor
    52. Los Hermanos Lara
    53. Los Muchachos del Agua
    54. Los Ninos de Santa Rosa
    55. Los Ninos del Mundo
    56. Los Originales (Diego Martin)
    57. Los Pajaros (Brampton, Ontario, Canada)
    58. Los Paramininos
    59. Los Paranderos Amigos
    60. Los Paranderos de UWI (UWI – St. Augustin)
    61. Los Pastores (Palo Seco)
    62. Los Pavitos
    63. Los Reyes1
    64. Los Tocadores and Peter Estrada
    65. Michael Carabai (Stafford, Virginia, USA)
    66. Moments Parang Group
    67. Morella Montano and the Maraval Folk Choir
    68. Mucho Tempo
    69. Paramininos (Paramin Maraval)
    70. Rancho Quernado
    71. Rebuscar
    72. Rembunction
    73. Rio Suave Los Buenos Parranderos
    74. Sabor del Caribe (Enterprise, Chaguanas)
    75. San Jose Serenaders
    76. Sancouche (Point Fortin)
    77. Santa Rosa Serenaders
    78. St Augustine's Son del Sueno
    79. Starlight Serenaders (Brooklyn, New York)
    80. Sun Valley Parang Group
    81. Un Amor
    82. Unidad Serenaders (Mt Pleasant, Arima)
    83. Universal Rhythms (was Universal Parang) (Canada)
    84. Viva Nueva
    85. Voces Jovenes

    Noted parang-soca artists include Scrunter, Baron, Crazy, and Big B.

    References

    Parang Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA