WHAT IS PARANG?
Parang as a word is an interpretation of the word "Parranda" - this means basically...
WHAT IS PARANG?
Parang as a word is an interpretation of the word "Parranda" - this means basically "the action of merry-making, group of serenaders". In Spanish this word is used in the form "andar de parranda" or "parrandear" (used in Venezuela), meaning basically "to go Paranging". Originally the "Paranderos" - as the singers and players of instruments are called - went carol singing and playing from house to house in the neighbourhood, serenading family and friends spontaneously. These would in return often serve some food and refreshments such as pastels or other snacks and ponche-a-creme to the merrymakers, and the resulting atmosphere would be that of happy togetherness and the joy of a good Christmas lime that could continue to early hours of the morning.
Parang season began in early November and lasted until the sixth of January, the date of the the Feast of the Epiphany (also known in T&T as "Dia de Los Reyes" or "Les Rois") - sometimes until the beginning of February (the feast of Purification on the 2nd). Though Christmas was and especially nowadays is THE season for Parang, other religious and social events could also inspire Paranderos to come and play (Easter, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, weddings).
The usual instruments that were (and are still) used in Parang were mainly string-instruments, such as the Guitar, the Cuatro (a four-stringed small Guitar), the Violin, the Mandolin and the Bandolin, accompanied by some light rhythm-instruments such as the Chac-chac (or Maracas) and possibly some other light rattlers to keep the beat. The rhythm is what can be loosely described as Hispanic or Latin-based, though it is distictively different from other well-known Latin rhythms such as Montuno, Son, Cumbia or Merengue.
Traditionally the lyrics of Parang were mainly religious and Christian at that - hardly surprising, looking at the cultural background of the people among who the music originated (Hispanic Catholics). Many reminded of and recaptured the true meaning and message of Christmas and were rooted in Hispanic Christmas carrols of the Old World. The language was Spanish, and not just any kind of creole or local spanish, but "Castellano" - old and original Spanish-Spanish dialect. This differs somewhat from the more "modern" dialects spoken in Venezuela and the Caribbean in it's pronounciations and the particular vocabulary used.
Though nowadays most listeners cannot tell the differences, Parang songs come in many different styles and categories, classifiable by their lyrical contents and the musical measurements. The best known perhaps are the AGUINALDOS (also known as Serenales) - Relating the story of the Nativity and characterized by their hexa-syllabic quartets. Other styles worth mentioning are GUARAPOS and DESPENDIDAS. Guarapos are secular in nature, allowing a wider range of topic - the length and content of the song depends on the lead singer's choice and skill of rhyming and composing verses. A Despendida is sang as the last song upon leaving or when the Paranderos prepare to pause for a while - usually the song's last verse even states this, for example "A mi me parace es mucho cantar, parale la voz para reposar".
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