Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas Paranda

It was our first paranda and now we are hooked. We traveled to Ponce last night where we met up with the ADAPRI (backpacking club) group from San Juan. They were out "parandaing" which is a holiday tradition for all Puerto Ricans all the way through the middle of January. The concept is, a group of people gather with their tambourines, whicharows, maracas, drums (we were lucky to have a great accordion player in our group) and anything else that makes noise, and they sing outside your house until you let them in. Sometimes you will be expecting a paranda, and sometimes they may just show up.

You are to invite everyone in and serve drinks, treats, etc. Songs, dancing, drinking and eating continued throughout the night until who-knows-when. We had to leave at midnight but they were still going strong when we left.

Jon practiced his salsa moves all night and eventually got into playing the whicharow pretty well! :)I think that the concept of the paranda came from Mary and Joseph searching for a place to stay. The same concept and tradition is done in Mexico. It was very fun to be a part of!

Jon really feeling the music!


Le lo le lo le lo li! Le lo le lo le lo li!

Our excelent musicians made it a fun night! Happy parandaing to all and to all a good night! You do realize that from now on, whenever there is Christmas Caroling to be had in the states, Jon and I will be there with our drums, tambourines and whicharows!

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