ParangOn 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.

Parang is often sung in Spanish and the performers are referred to as "Parranderos" or sometimes "Serenaders". The traditional form of Parang is kept alive by small, local groups who still go from door to door, singing their songs and delighting family and friends with their performances; and large, well-organized groups that compete in the national Parang competitions every year.

But Parang has not been immune from the rest of Trinidad’s vibrant culture.  The music has evolved in recent years with other music styles influencing lyrics and compositions.  Soca-Parang is a fusion of the traditional Parang with Soca and Calypso music.  Lyrics are in English and songs are inspired by the North American concept of Christmas with references to Santa Claus and gifts, or more "racy" Carnival-related themes.  East Indian instrumentation and chutney melodies have also been mixed in with Parang.

Like Trinidad’s soca and calypso music, Parang has travelled throughout the Caribbean and festivities include the Carriacou Parang Festival held each year on the weekend before Christmas Day. The Festival was created in 1977 to revive and keep alive the “house-to-house” serenading of string bands, an indigenous aspect of Carriacou’s culture, Grenada’s tiny sister island..

Rekindle the Trini Xmas Spirit at the Caribbean "Parang" Carol Ships Family Dinner & Dance Cruise aboard the MV Harbour Princess on December 18th, 2011.  The boat will be part of the Carol Ships Parade. Special treat: Los Parranderos (Vancouver's premier Latin Parang band)!

 Tickets are limited and can be reserved @ (604) 210 0759, or select local outlets. Details and tickets are here

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