Its a Next House We Going Again Trinidad Parang

Written by Joseph Bertrand, Education and Outreach Officeholder, National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago

Lopinot House (Image Source: Joseph Bertrand)

Feliz Navidad a todos! It'southward Christmas time and what is a Trini Christmas without Parang? Parang is a style of music that is synonymous with the Christmas season in Trinidad and Tobago. This folk form evolved over fourth dimension to incorporate singing from house to house and large corporate stages. Competitions and festivals highlight the parang music and create traditions that are part of this Trini Christmas. With this in listen, this blog looks at the versatility of parang and its connection to the heritage of Trinidad and Tobago.

Parang is heard mostly effectually Christmas time merely did yous know that it is not only Christmas music? Only two types of songs talk about the Annunciation and the Nascence of Jesus Christ and a lot of the other popular songs are about secular topics. Have Rio Manzanare for instance; this is about the River Manzanare that flows through Venezuela. Simply that is a discussion for some other fourth dimension. Today, let us await at how parang connects the states to various aspects of the heritage of Trinidad and Tobago.

Clay Oven (Image Source: Joseph Bertrand)

Traditionally, parang is sung in Spanish and information technology is part of Trinidad's Spanish Heritage. The Castilian Heritage goes a bit deeper than language when talking about parang. During the period of 1498 – 1797 the Spanish colonized Trinidad and some areas where they established towns and mission villages are now hubs for parang. [ane] For instance, San Jose de Oruna, present day St Joseph is habitation to several parang bands such as San Jose Serenaders and Flores de San Jose and there is one of the largest Les Rois celebrations to stop the Christmas Season.[2] Additionally, mission villages that became towns such as San Francisco de los Arenales (San Raphael), Santa Rosa De Lima (Arima) and La Divina Pastora (Siparia) are simply a few major areas when talking parang.

We are besides pointed to the connexion with Trinidad's Cocoa Heritage. Historian, Prof. Bridget Brereton states in her work Cocoa, the Aureate Bean Cocoa and the 2nd Frontier (1870-1920) from: The Volume of Trinidad that "Parang and the culture associated with it are inseparable from the cocoa peasantry." The menstruation from the 1880's – 1920's is considered the second gilded age of Cocoa and Venezuelan peons came to Trinidad to work on the cocoa plantations. They brought their skills in cocoa cultivation, but they also brought their music and traditions. The "Cocoa Panyols" every bit they were chosen, sang their folk songs while playing various audio-visual instruments which all form an integral function of parang in Trinidad.

Parang Band (Prototype Source: Joseph Bertrand)

The instruments used in a traditional parang band also connect us to various peoples and cultures that came to Trinidad. We tin can name a few of the instruments showtime with the Cuatro. This is the Venezuelan National Instrument that plays the chordal accessory for the band. Next, nosotros have the maracas (chac-chac) which has roots in African cultures and First Peoples expressions and which provide a poly-rhythmic accompaniment that enhances the audio. The Box Bass is believed to have African roots and has developed over the years. It provides the bass tones for the band. The Mandolin and Violin are European influenced instruments, simply they are played as lead instruments that would complement the melody of the song. In contempo times the steel pan, the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago has been used in parang by various bands to enhance the sound. Interestingly while not considered traditional, but yet noteworthy is the use of the dhantal, which has Indian origins. This can exist heard from the band La Divina Pastora, the band of the queen of parang Daisy Vosin.

The Parang Queen Daisy Voisin (Prototype Source: Newsday.co.tt)

Parang too is role of the graphic symbol and identity of historical places in Trinidad. Lopinot and Paramin, are two communities that are nestled in the hills of the Northern Range. Parang is engrained in the traditions of these two communities. House to House parang is a feature that occurs in and out of the Christmas season in these areas and it is something special to witness as the camaraderie, dearest and happiness flows through the music into each home.

Portraits of Parranderos in the Lopinot Museum (Image Source: Joseph Bertrand)

So next time you lot heed to some parang music or accept part in a socially distanced house-to-firm parang, take a moment to capeesh these connections and these linkages. Parang is then much more than Christmas music. Information technology is part of the Trinbago identity. It connects various aspects of Trinidad and Tobago'south heritage together to form this "Trini Christmas".

Viva La Parranda!

Sources:

Brereton, Bridget. Cocoa, the Gilt Edible bean Cocoa and the Second Frontier (1870-1920) from: The Book of Trinidad.

[1] Mission Village is a site where Indigenous Peoples were concentrated in order to excerpt labour and to convert them to Christianity.

[2] Les Rois – Lehwah the banquet of the Three Kings. This Christian feast marks the cease of the Christmas Season

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Source: https://nationaltrust.tt/parang-heritage-connection/

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