Paranderos in action.

The carnival season has already begun but one can still hear the strains of Parang. After three months, the Parang season has, finally, come to an end with “Le Wah” at Harris Promenade tomorrow.

The pan yards are alive with steelband music. The all inclusive fetes have begun and mas’ makers are working feverishly on costumes. But wait, the strains of parang music are still being heard as paranderos prepare for the grand finale on Sunday at Harris Promenade in San Fernando.

Trinidad and Tobago is undoubtedly the land of calypso and the steelpan, however, from late September to early January, the Christmas season, visitors from other lands could be excused for thinking otherwise. For during those three months, the Parang music can be heard everywhere: clubs, parties, beach or river limes, and in the homes of most Trinbagonians.

The word “Parang,” is used as a noun in Trinidad, but it is derived from the Spanish word “parranda,” a verb that describes the actions of a merry group of serenaders. Today, the word “Parang” in Trinidad refers to religious folk music of Hispanic origin or influence.

A secular form of the music with Christmas themes mostly dealing with the birth of Christ has evolved over the last 40 years, sometimes in English or a mixture of English and Spanish. This form of the music is known as “Soca-Parang,” and has wide popular appeal, but some Parang-lovers see this as an erosion of the musical tradition. More recently, Indian “Chutney” melodies have been mixed with Soca-Parang, and the results are also popular among many Trinidadians.

Parang music, whether in the traditional form or the more modern versions, is enjoyed and sung by Trinidadians of all ethnicities. It is not seen as “Spanish Music,” but is now as Trinidadian as Calypso.

There are two theories about the origins of Parang in Trinidad: Some insist that Parang was brought to Trinidad by Catholic missionaries from Spain brought here to convert Amerindians in Spanish-run missions. Others insist that the Parang enjoyed by Trinidadians today was introduced by Venezuelans imported to work in Trinidad’s cocoa estates. In fact, music heard in Venezuela-the Manzanares, Aguinaldo, Serenal, Joropo- closely resemble Parang music. Parang is also enjoyed by Tobagonians and people in other Caribbean islands. Traditionally, Parang bands consisted of four to six singers accompanied by musicians who played guitar, cuatro, mandolin (bandolin) , violin, cello (violoncello), bandol (bandola), box bass, tambourine, clapper, toc-toc (claves), wood block pollitos, tiple, scratcher (güiro) and maracas or “chac-chac”). Parang band members are known as paranderos..

The bands moved from house to house serenading families during all religious festive seasons. The families would greet the paranderos with drinks and food. After a ritual that accompanied the entry to the home, the dedication of songs to the host, and songs relevant to the occasion, a meal was shared before departure.

Parang is now considered the “Christmas music” of Trinidad. But in the past, the music was also heard during Easter and other times of Christian celebration. The music was also played at christenings, funerals, and at the end of the cocoa crop to accompany the traditional “dancing” on the cocoa (part of the process for curing the cocoa beans).

In villages nestled in the lush valleys of the Northern Range like Santa Cruz and Lopinot, and in other parts of Trinidad with strong Spanish influence such as Arima, Manzanilla, Rio Claro, and Erin, many old Spanish traditions remain alive, and occasionally, one may still hear sweet sounding Parang music outside of the Christmas season.

On Sunday eight groups, finalists at the recent National Parang competition organised by the National Parang Association of Trinidad and Tobago will perform at this event known as “Lewah” which will end the season which began on September 12.

The current champions are Los Alumnos De San Juan.

]]> http://www.tntinsider.com/entertainment/02831/parang-season-ends-in-san-fernando-sunday/feed/ 0 http://www.tntinsider.com/festivals/02807/happy-new-year-to-all-our-readers/ http://www.tntinsider.com/festivals/02807/happy-new-year-to-all-our-readers/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:28:45 +0000 TNT Insider Staff http://www.tntinsider.com/?p=2807

The Tntinsider wishes its many readers in Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the world a Happy New Year.

Special New Year greetings go out to Google for its great advertising support throughout 2009 and we look forward to a continued relationship in 2010.

This year Tntinsider, Trinidad and Tobago’s daily online newspaper, will be stepping up its coverage of events in this vibrant country with sparkling neo-journalism and pictures.

Onward to the second decade of the millennium.

The Tntinsider extends Seasons Greetings to all our readers in Trinidad and Tobago and around the world.

Merry Christmas to all.

Ten years of Tobago Blue Food. This year’s event will have new recipes.

The tenth edition of the annual Tobago Blue Food festival will get underway on Sunday

October 18 at the Bloody Bay/L’Anse Fourmi Recreation Ground, starting 10a.m.

This unique all-day event will showcase creative recipes which utilise locally grown vegetables so that at one festival a Tobagonian young woman displayed her culinary prowess with dasheen, producing over 50 dishes as well as ice cream.

The festival has been very popular with locals as well as tourists and the organisers, Tobago House of Assembly’s Division of Tourism and Transportation, among other things, believes that the festival could be one of “the engines of growth for domestic and community tourism.” New recipes are expected to be on show.

There will be entertainment provided by top artistes