Parang

Parang
Stylistic origins	Joropo - Venezuelan music Soca - Trinidadian music
Cultural origins	1970s Trinidad and Tobago migrant communities from Venezuela
Typical instruments	Cuatro - Maracas - guitar - vocals - Violin - Claves - caja - mandolin - tambourine
Derivative forms	Soca parang

Parang is a popular folk music originating from Trinidad and Tobago, it was brought to Trinidad by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, and African heritage, something which is strongly reflected in the music itself. The word is derived from two Spanish words: parranda, meaning "a spree or fête", and parar meaning "to stop".

In the past, it was traditional for parang serenaders to pay nocturnal visits to the homes of family and friends, where part of the fun was waking the inhabitants of the household from their beds. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad and Tobago communities such as Paramin, Lopinot, and Arima.

A new form of parang, soca parang, has emerged. Soca parang is a combination of soca and parang.

In Trinidad, traditional parang music is largely performed around Christmas time, when singers and instrumentalists (collectively known as the parranderos) travel from house to house in the community, often joined by friends and neighbours family etc. using whatever instruments are at hand. Popular parang instruments include the cuatro (a small, four-string guitar) and maracas (locally known as chac-chacs). Other instruments often used are violin, guitar, claves (locally known as toc-toc), box bass (an indigenous instrument), tambourine, mandolin, bandol, caja (a percussive box instrument), and marimbola (an Afro-Venezuelan instrument). In exchange for the entertainment, parranderos are traditionally given food and drink: pastelle, sorrel, rum and "Ponche Crema" (a form of alcoholic eggnog).

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Wikipedia