Playing and singing parang during the Christmas season is a deeply cherished and longstanding tradition in Trinidad and Tobago, greatly revered by many across the twin-island nation. Around this festive time, the air fills with the iconic voices of legends like Daisy Voisin, Scrunter, Baron, and many others.
Crystal Ettien-Sandy, a passionate member of the El Corazón de Parang group, shared her personal journey and how she was inspired to embrace parang. Her inspiration traces back to her high school days, ignited by her love for the Spanish language. She attributes her initial passion for parang music to her past teacher, Ms. Ria Barton.
“She would have really introduced me to the whole idea of parang,” Ettien-Sandy recounted. “So she saw the love for it, and then she said, ‘Hey, come, let’s try to sing some parang,’ and I’m like, ‘Wais parang?’ Didn’t really know what it was. And in the Spanish room, we going through one of the famous songs by Los Alumnos de San Juan, ‘Nuestros Salvador,’ and ‘Días,’ where my personal parang story would have commenced, and 14 years later, we here.”
Parang is a unique blend of Spanish and Trinidadian music, heavily influenced by the rich cultural heritage of our South American neighbors. Ettien-Sandy underscored the profound importance of parang, emphasizing Trinidad and Tobago’s strong association with this distinctive musical genre. Her passion for parang led her and a group of friends to form El Corazón de Parang in 2010, with the mission of sharing this unique flavor of Christmas joy with Tobagonians.
Ettien-Sandy also encouraged Tobagonians to wholeheartedly embrace traditional parang, which involves authentic live singing accompanied by instruments such as the cuatro, box bass, mandolin, and maracas, noting a trend towards more soca parang in recent times. This call aims to preserve the raw, traditional essence of the beloved holiday music.
