by Curlan Campbell
- Carriacou’s beloved Parang Festival has been a fixture since 1977
- Famous “Melee” segment forced to evolve after past controversies
- Young people of Carriacou showing strong interest
Carriacou’s beloved Parang Festival, a fixture since 1977, returns this 19–21 December under the theme “Parang Strong: Reigniting the Rhythm After the Storm.”
But this year’s celebration comes with a shift in tradition: the festival’s famous “Melee” segment — where bands satirise the year’s events — has been forced to evolve after past controversies and threats of lawsuits linked to name-calling. That fallout has hurt sponsorship, and organisers are fighting to keep the event vibrant while softening the sharp edges of “Melee.”
“The name-calling has, over the past years, [gone] to a different level. Instead of just name-calling, the bands were detailing the [people] they were speaking about, and the [people] decided to take legal action,” explained Angus Morris, Chairman of the Carriacou Parang Committee. “That has impacted the festival very negatively. We have lost a lot of corporate sponsors because of that. They don’t want to be associated with such [a] thing, and we were told that it would have affected the brand.”
Still, Morris insists the controversy won’t define the festival. “If you ask me, I think the name-calling is what really makes parang what it is. What we have done over the years is that we have taken measures to kind of not eliminate the name-calling, but kind of soften the effect,” he said. “You could speak about somebody without necessarily calling [their] name, based on how you describe them. And we’ve seen for the last 2 years it has been working.”
The Parang Festival is rooted in village rivalry, blending carols with satire, humour, and bright costumes, accompanied by guitars, bass drums, violins, cuatros, mandolins, maracas, and tambourines. Since its revival in 2017, the festival, which originated in the community of Mt Royal,has grown again into a 3-day event.
But funding remains a serious hurdle. “To run a festival like that, minimum will cost $200,000, and that’s putting it on a minor scale,” Morris said.
Morris is appealing directly to Grenada’s private sector, seeking sponsorship. “Corporate sponsorship for any festival is paramount. The festival is not only for Carriacou. It is our culture, but we have to showcase it. Once you come on board, everybody benefits; you get publicity, you get to market your products, people get to see what you’re about.”
He also emphasised that parang is about far more than satire. “We need the support of the public, because there’s a stigma outside in terms of the name-calling. But it’s not only about that. It’s also about bringing Christmas spirit. It is the opening of the giving and the sharing and the community vibe. That’s what we want to promote this year.”
“Friday is another very important part of the parang that [many] people don’t speak about, but it is the Hosanna singing competition, where the bands compete singing Christmas parang. That too is another main aspect of the season,” Morris continued.
According to Morris, young people of Carriacou are showing a strong interest in the traditions, which augurs well for the future. “Since we began speaking about the parang festival, yesterday I had 2 calls from 2 different school groups that want to take part in the Hosanna competition. That is a very, very good thing for us,” Morris said, adding that the Culture Kids programme will return this year as well.
Diaspora support is also crucial. “Christmas time is a time when people normally come home, so that’s a plus for us. We want to encourage them to continue to come and support the festival and be part of it and contribute in whatever way [they] can.”
For Morris, parang is about community resilience. “Parang is the opening of the Christmas season. Carriacou is a small community where everyone is close. Parang kind of starts and sets the trend for that season. And with the struggles we’ve been having, we hope parang can bring back that community spirit. That’s why it’s important to really have a proper festival this year.”
From 19–21 December, sweet parang music will once again fill the air across Carriacou, promising festive food, live performances, and the unmistakable joy of Kayak Christmas culture — even as organisers fight to balance tradition with modern challenges.
