Carriacou Parang Committee
WHAT IS CARRIACOU PARANG FESTIVAL
AND WHEN DID IT BEGIN?
WHAT IS CARRIACOU PARANG FESTIVAL
AND WHEN DID IT BEGIN?
Carriacou Parang Festival is held each year on the weekend before Christmas Day. It began in 1977; it was an idea that was brought up by Mr. Bentley Thomas, three years after the formation of the organisation that is known today as the M. R. P. Y. M. Though he met with opposition from the other members who at the time, did not think that the festival would have gain any attention, Mr. Thomas persisted and persuaded the members to support the staging of the first festival in 1977. The main objective of organising the festival was to revive and keep alive the “house to house” serenading of string bands. At that time this indigenous aspect of our culture was slowing dying.
Carriacou Parang Festival is unique, when compared with the Parang Festival in the neighboring island of Trinidad and Tobago, where the parang songs are sang in Spanish and electrified instruments are used to supply music.
Carriacou Parang is filled with fun, humor and excitement. The lyrics in the songs are rather controversial at times, since they reflect on political events in the country, historical events and the social wrong doings that occur in people’s lives through out the year.
The festival is held in the form of a competition, with organised parang groups from villages through out Carriacou & Petit Martinique and even Grenada all competing for cash prizes along with a challenge trophy.The groups are comprised of not more than eight (8) members and they are all dressed in colourful out fits to reflect the festive season. All of the instruments used for this occasion are percussion instruments, these include: base drum, iron, guitar, quarto, violin, marack (shack – shack), mandolin, saxophone, tambourine and any other percussion instrument that can make a melodious sound.
The groups would make two appearances; first to perform a “test piece”, this is a Christmas Carol that is selected by the Parang Festival Committee. This song is performed by all of the groups. In their second appearance the groups would perform a composition of their choice. Groups are judged on both appearances, read the criteria for Judging parang & hosanna BANDS… for the past 23 years many different bands have captured the title.
For the first ten years, the festival was held for one day, the Sunday before Christmas Day. In 1987 a new dimension was added to festival, and it was extended to two days Saturday and Sunday. Many of the international entertainers were brought to perform here for the people of Carriacou and Petit Martinique. As a result the Saturday was dubbed as “foreign entertainers night”.
Foreign Artists who performed at Parang 1986 – 2000
Antigua
The Mighty SwallowBarbados
“Rass Ily”
“Red Plastic Bag”
The “Mighty Gryner”
Comedian – McFingalJamaica
Roy Rayon
Comedian – Oliver SamuelMontserrat
Radio Announcer – “Dubie” RichardsTrinidad & Tobago
“Gypsy”
“Penguin”
“Bomber”
“Cro Cro”
“The Baron”
“Alrounder”
“Chalk Dust”
“Roots Man”
“Pink Panter”
“Trinidad Rio”
“Lady Wonder”
“David Rudder”
“Mighty Crazy”
The “Protector”
“Prince Unique”
Anslem Douglas
Marcia Miranda
Machel MontanoCOMEDIANS:
Errol Fabian
“Nicky Crosby”
“John Agitation”
“Tommy Joseph”
Paul Kings Douglas
All the bands that took part in Parang 1977 - 2000
One Love – from Grenada
Gun Boys – from L’Esterre
Bits & Pieces – from Belair
Strugglers – from Brunswick
Y T T Boys – from L’Esterre
Cacao Invaders – from Cacao
Ghetto Boys – from Six Roads
Bits & Pieces – from Brunswick
Country Boys – from Brunswick
Eastern Bees – from Mt. Pleasant
Wayward Boys – from Windward
Western Invaders – from L’Esterre
Determinators – from Bogles/Belair
Mama & the Boys – from Beasejour
Rough & Roughed – from Mt. Royal
Eastern Serenaders – from Belviderre
Royal Determinators – from Mt. Royal
Mama Determinators – from Beasejour
Central Serenaders – from Hillsborough
Men from the Mainland – from Grenada
Put Down & Fane – from Cacao/Beasejour
The Harmonious Band – from Petit Martinique
B B H Serenaders – Belmont, Bellevue & Harvey ValeIn 1989, yet another dimension was added to the festival, which at the time was growing into popularity, the festival was extended to three days; Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In keeping with its objective to revive and maintain the dying traditional culture here in Carriacou, the hosanna bands competition was introduced for both junior and senior categories.
The objective of this competition was and still is, to keep alive the traditional “house to house” hosanna carol singing. The competition is judged based on two rounds, in the first round each of the groups performs the test-piece, which is selected by the committee. In round two the groups perform a Christmas carol of their choice.
Following are the winners in the senior hosanna bands competition
YEARS 1ST POSITION 2ND POSITION 3RD POSITION 1989 New Tide Carolers 1990 New Tide Carolers 1991 New Tide Carolers 1992 New Tide Carolers 1993 Splendiferous 1994 Harmonites 1995 Splendiferous Fair Wind 1996 Splendiferous New Tide Carolers One Love 1997 New Tide Carolers New Splendiferous B B H Woman’s Org. 1998 New Tide Carolers New Splendiferous B B H Woman’s Serenaders 1999 New Tide Carolers Melodious Singers B B H Woman’s Org. 2000 New Tide Carolers B C Carolers
Following are the winners of the Air Jamaica/EC Xpress
Parang Song Festival Competition
Senior – solo category Years Winners 1999 Natasha Williams 2000 Dave Augustine
Senior – duet category Years Winners 1999 Cosmos Bristol & Efflyn Joseph 2000 Livie Noel & Ann Lendore
Junior – solo category Years Winners 1999 Nelgine Stiell 2000 Nelgine Stiell
Junior – duet category Years Winners 1999 Nekita Joseph & Sasha Thomas 2000 No participant
Following are the prizes for the various competitions in the 2001 Carriacou Parang festival
Parang Bands 1st prize $2400.00 2nd Prize $2000.00 3rd Prize $1700.00 Consolation $ 500.00 Best Dressed $ 300.00 Best rendered Test-Piece $ 100.00
Hosanna Bands 1st Prize $1200.00 2nd Prize $1000.00 3rd Prize $ 800.00 Consolation $ 350.00 Best Dressed $ 350.00 Best rendered Test-Piece $ 75.00 Carriacou Parang Song Festival Competition
Junior – solo category 1st Prize $200.00 2nd Prize $150.00 3rd Prize $100.00 Consolation $ 50.00
Junior – duet category 1st Prize $250.00 2nd Prize $200.00 3rd Prize $150.00 Consolation $100.00
Senior – solo category 1st prize $300.00 2nd Prize $250.00 3rd Prize $200.00 Consolation $ 75.00
Senior – duet category 1st Prize $350.00 2nd Prize $300.00 3rd Prize $250.00 Consolation $150.00 The entire festival is estimated to cost $93,150.00 in order for it to be organised successfully,
Read Parang Budget 2001…
For the 2001 festival, the committee is expecting at least eleven bands to participate in the Parang bands competition. It expects five bands in the hosanna bands competition, and five competitors are expected in each of the categories of the Parang Song Festival Competition.
Some of the Parang band winners from over the years
Years 1st Position 2nd Position 3rd Position 1985 Eastern Bees Country Boys 1986 Y T T Boys Country Boys Eastern Bees 1987 Country Boys Ghetto Boys Central Serenaders 1988 Country Boys Ghetto Boys Central Serenaders 1989 Central Serenaders Country Boys Ghetto Boys 1990 Country Boys Central Serenaders Ghetto Boys 1991 Ghetto Boys Country Boys Central Serenaders 1992 Country Boys Ghetto Boys Central Serenaders 1993 Ghetto Boys Mamma Determinators Central Serenaders 1994 Central Serenaders Determinators Ghetto Boys 1995 B B H Serenaders Ghetto Boys Central Serenaders 1996 Ghetto Boys Determinators B B H Serenaders 1997 Ghetto Boys Central Serenaders B B H Serenaders 1998 Ghetto Boys Men From The Mainland B B H Serenaders 1999 Ghetto Boys Men From The Mainland Western Invaders 2000 Ghetto Boys Men From The Mainland B B H Serenaders
This page last up-dated 14 November 2001
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