On December 18th, 2011, the "Parang" Carol Ships Family Dinner & Dance Cruise set sail once again, on board the MV Harbour Princess. But what is Parang? Maybe not everybody who loves Caribbean music and culture can answer that.

If you ask anyone in Vancouver what Trinidad and Tobago is famous for, they will likely say,  “Carnival!”, “Steelpan” or “Calypso”.  A less well-known aspect of the islands’ culture is Parang music, an integral part of the Christmas tradition.  Parang can be traced back to the Latin influences on Trinidad’s heritage and is attributed to the island’s close proximity to Venezuela, rather than from the island’s Spanish colonisers.

Are you a second-generation or other younger member of the local Caribbean community in Vancouver? If so, here is an invitation for you.