What happens in a Puerto Rican parranda?
A parranda or trulla is the boricua version of a Christmas Carol. Friends and families gather in front of a house – usually after 10:00 p.m. – with instruments like panderos, maracas, güiros, cuatros, and guitars to sing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs).
What is the meaning of a parranda?
party or spreeA parranda (English: party or spree) is a Puerto Rican music tradition that takes place in Puerto Rico during the Christmas holiday season. Parrandas are social events that feature traditional Puerto Rican music, food, and drinks.
What time does a parranda end?
Songs and singing are very popular at Christmas time in Puerto Rico. People like to go carol singing, known as Parrandas (also sometimes called Asalto or Trulla). Friends gather late in the evening (about 10pm) and visit different houses.
What is the purpose of parrandas?
The purpose of Parrandas at Wellesley is to bring together students, faculty, and staff in celebration of the holiday season, and to share an important part of the Latino culture with the Wellesley community.
How do you pronounce parranda?
0:090:24Parranda Meaning - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd drumming p ha dar dar ha ND Maranda.MoreAnd drumming p ha dar dar ha ND Maranda.
Where did Parrandas originate?
RemediosKnown as Las Parrandas, the carnival-like festival originated in Remedios, one of the country's oldest cities.
What are 3 Christmas traditions in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico Christmas TraditionsGo to Mass – Misa de Aguinaldo. ... Go Caroling in a Parranda. ... Celebrate Nochebuena – Puerto Rico Christmas Traditions. ... Grapes for Good Luck. ... Collect Grass for the Camels. ... Celebrate Three Kings Day. ... Drink Coquito or Pitorro.
What is Christmas in Puerto Rico called?
Navidad is Christmas Day (December 25th). Most modern Puerto Rican families celebrate with Santa on this day. Homes are decorated much like in the mainland but include a lot of palm trees and their branches. Families set up "nacimientos" or "pesebres".
What is the most popular holiday in Puerto Rico?
Holy Week (santa semana) is the most important Catholic festival and consequently the busiest holiday in Puerto Rico.
Where is Parrandas celebrated?
CubaParrandas are a traditional carnival-like street parties with origins date back to the 19th century. They take place in northern and central cities of the former Las Villas province (now divided into Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila provinces) in Cuba.
What songs are sung during Parrandas?
One of our favorite traditions is the Parranda. Parrandas are the Puerto Rican version of caroling. It is marked by singing traditional Puerto Rican music called aguinaldos (Christmas Songs) and using traditional instruments, including guitars and cuatros, tambourines, maracas, palitos, and guiros.
What are Vejigante masks?
The vejigante is a demon figure from medieval Spanish folklore that has become a staple of Puerto Rican Carnival culture. During Carnival festivals, the vejigante dress in a horned mask called a careta, and flowing costume to join the crowds in singing and dancing. The careta masks are a cultural symbol of Puerto Rico.
Why is Parrandas de Remedios celebrated?
History of the "Parrandas" : The Parrandas allegedly began in 1820, when the local priest sent some children out on the streets with spoons, pots and pans so they can make noise and sing verses in order to get the parishioners to attend the Advent Masses.
What are the artesanías from Puerto Rico?
Artesanía is a term that encompasses a wide variety of artworks, and may include: Small shot glasses made of the inner bark of our exquisite coconut. Wooden mortars where our delicious mofongo is made and served. Beautiful lace dresses worked in a technique known as mundillo (Hand Bobbin Lace)
What inspired flag is the flag of Lares?
It was originally created by Ramón Emeterio Bentances to be the flag of the Puerto Rico Republic once independent from Spain. The flag is identical to the original Dominican Republic flag but with the five-pointed star.
What are the instruments used in a parranda?
The most common instruments found are the maracas, a kind of rattle of Indian origin; the güiro; the tiple, a five-stringed guitar; and the cuatro, an instrument similar to the guitar that has five double strings instead . Other instruments include the violin, guitars, flutes, and even percussion instruments such as los palitos made of wood, bongos, and the pandereta, also known as a tambourine.
What do we call Puerto Rican traditions?
One of the biggest traditions in Puerto Rican culture is what we call parrandas.
How does a Parranda Work?
This song awakens and greets the homeowner who must come to the door and let the musicians in. The musicians squeeze into the house and continue to perform aguinaldos . They usually get started after 10pm so that one is awoken in surprise. Then, as a group, they continue to the next house. Each house visit grows bigger through the night as more neighbors join in. The parrenderos are usually plied with drinks and food , and perhaps a little homemade coquito (Puerto Rico’s version of eggnog) and then on to the next house. Usually, things wrap up around daybreak, with the last house usually providing something heartier like an asopao, or stew.
Who wrote the Parrandas?
Parrandas: A Puerto Rican Music Christmas Tradition was written by Captain Tim and posted in the Caribbean Trading Company, where you can find products from the Caribbean, including Puerto RIco books, treats. coffee, jams. Imagine a traditional store in Old San Juan, but online. They have a small playlist of Parrandas and Aguinaldos in their YouTube channel . Click here to see a parranda in action and enjoy the unique Puerto Rican music.
What is the Puerto Rican tradition of Christmas?
One of our favorite traditions is the Parranda. Parrandas are the Puerto Rican version of caroling. It is marked by singing traditional Puerto Rican music called aguinaldos (Christmas Songs) and using traditional instruments, including guitars and cuatros, tambourines, maracas, palitos, and guiros.
When do parrandas take place?
Some parrandas can take place in the evening, or arrive after the host is in bed already, and yet others can start after midnight and go well into the wee hours of the morning. That is probably why some call it an asalto.
What is the Puerto Rican equivalent of Christmas caroling?
To the sound of the guitar, the güiro, and the cuatro — which is Puerto Rico’s national instrument — the parranda is the Puerto Rican equivalent of Christmas caroling in the United States. Groups of friends get together to visit friends’ houses and bring a bit of holiday cheer into their lives.
When does Puerto Rican Christmas end?
No, the Puerto Rican Christmas season comes to an end after January 6, when kids wake up to presents from the Three Wise Men on the day of the Epiphany.
Does the parranda end?
The parranda doesn’t end after that visit, however — it moves on to another house. That continues until it’s time for everyone to go home, closer to dawn.
Where do parrandas take place?
Parrandas are a traditional carnival-like street parties with origins date back to the 19th century. They take place in northern and central cities of the former Las Villas province (now divided into Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila provinces) in Cuba.
What do parrandas eat?
Snacks like candies, pork and ham sandwich, pizza, traditional rice with pork and yucca, handmade toys and craft can be found all over. Occasionally there are some rides like Ferris wheels, carousels and dragon boats.
What are the similarities between carnivals and parandas?
While every town possesses their own particularities, Parandas in general, follow a very similar structure of events based on their very roots and while they might look similar to Carnivals they actually don’t share much common ground. In the Carnivals there are also floats, but instead of two representing districts there are as many as possible for the hosting city because the mayor even here is the float display and it takes hours and kilometers of city roads for all of them to finish the run. These Floats are also big in size but smaller compared to the ones made in Remedios, Camajuani and Vueltas cities. Characters in the floats perform elaborate dances combining salsa, mambo, cha cha and all sort of tropical rhythms. There are as many rumbas as floats because in Carnivals they become a duo, and the rumba announces the float. Rumba performers don’t expect the people in town to join them since streets are closed in the first place. They also are as over-the-top dressed as the characters in the floats and perform complicated routines. There is a small fireworks display announcing the last float just crossing the finish line, and this leads to the end of the competitive run.
What is a district rumba?
A district rumba, the musicians and flag carriers drag with their rhythm the followers.
Overview
A parranda (English: party or spree ) is a Puerto Rican music tradition that takes place in Puerto Rico during the Christmas holiday season. Parrandas are social events that feature traditional Puerto Rican music, food, and drinks. The traditional events have been likened to Christmas caroling, but the contents of the songs are secular rather than religious. They are sometimes carried out in …
Planning and purpose
Parrandas are often spontaneous events and traditionally occur anytime from the late evening to the wee hours of the morning, visiting targeted extended family members or friends in their homes and intentionally waking them up to the parranda music. They reportedly generate a sense of Puerto Ricanness, unity and camaraderie among both those bringing the music as well as the targeted families receiving it. Those participating, whether playing an instrument or singing, are …
Parranda "plot" and venues
One form how the event occurs is most traditionally as follows: A group of friends of the homeowner, musical instruments in hand, arrives at their target house sometime after 10 PM and then, quietly, make their way to the porch or as close to it as possible. The parranda leader (generally, their musical director) signals everyone to start playing their instruments and singing. The music and singing surprises the sleeping dwellers who get up, turns on the inside and outsi…
Associated terms and events
The term trulla or trulla navideña is to the group of people that get together to participate in the parranda. It includes singers, musicians, and anyone else that joins the group. The term asalto navideño (literally, "Christmas assault") is used to describe to the surprise visit by the trulla group when they descend upon their sleeping friends at their homes to sing Puerto Rican Christmastime songs to them after they have gone to sleep.
In popular culture
• The song by Gilberto Santa Rosa (featuring Tony Vega) titled Llegó la Navidad (Sony BMG Music, 2011 {Album: "Top Latino Navidad Volume 2"},UPC 886979550124), opens with "Llegó la Navidad, y las parrandas se oyen por doquiera..." (The Christmas season has arrived, and the parrandas can be heard everywhere...)
• "La Parranda Fania" is a music album with Hector Lavoe, Yomo Toro and Daniel Santos. The album cover says "La Parranda Fania...A Gozar, A Bailar, A Parrandear" (L…
See also
• Vicente Carattini
• Parang
Further reading
• Atlas de Tradiciones de Venezuela, Fundación Bigott, 1998.