The Parang Lab brings story time to schools

Vocalist, composer and cultural researcher Curtra Skeete is leading a new creative initiative that blends music, literature and play to introduce students and families to the magic of traditional parang.

Through her project, The Parang Lab, Skeete and fellow musicians host bilingual storytelling sessions that combine live music with narrative, offering children a chance to experience the art form educationally and interactively.

Founded earlier this year, Skeete of Arima emphasised that The Parang Lab takes a scientific and educational approach to parang, presenting it not only as performance but as a learning tool.

"A lot of the work I do is for education," Skeete told Newsday.

"We play on the gimmick that we are doctors in parang, so we are parrangologists. It is about exposing children to the organic side of the art form, something which I was exposed to growing up in Santa Rosa Heights."

Her love for the art form began in childhood as a patron, accompanying her mother and other relatives to house-to-house parang.

Skeete later competed in secondary school parang competition as a vocalist.

Alongside her brother, Curt Skeete of Soñadores the Band, she has co-composed songs and is now developing a series of children's books aimed at ages five to eight.

Already, three manuscripts are under review, including Maria Primera Parranda, which is about a child's first parang experience.

Another is John Boy and the Golden Cuatro, about a man who taught himself to play the cuatro from scratch.

The third honours the legendary parang queen and musician Clarita Rivas.

Skeete uses the manuscripts of Maria and John Boy in her live narratives to the children.

She plans to expand the series to six books, weaving elements of magical realism and stories of patrons, dancers and cultural icons into her narratives.

"For me, parang is very magical. So, I want to play on the magical elements that I feel about it. Growing up, anywhere I go, parang with my mother and aunt, they would go to the front of the stage and dance the whole night. They would not be drinking alcohol; sometimes, it's just water," she chuckled.

The Parang Lab has visited many schools, including Ashley B' Learning Academy, St Michael's Anglican Primary, St David's RC, Forbes Learning Academy, Santa Rosa Government, Adonis Academy and Arima Presbyterian.

Some members of the band include Dr David Subero, Sebastian Subero, Ryan Wiseman, Joseph Vialva, Quincy Jones, Michael Rampersad, Rufus Garcia and Collin Garcia.

"The response from the children is insane. They are so wide-eyed, engaged and some don't like passing our instruments on to their friends." Skeete said.

"We go to the schools with extra instruments, so while reading, we would ask for help. Every time we change songs, we allow another student to try it out."

Sessions often break into songs midstory, creating a festive atmosphere in schools that may not otherwise host Christmas celebrations.

While Skeete acknowledged the evolution of the parang into "concert-style" or "conventional" performances, she emphasised the importance of preserving its traditional roots.

Skeete said, "We focus on the traditional instruments like box bass, guitar, cuatro, toc-toc, maracas, etc. We are not denouncing any other elements that are added. I just want to keep it basic and beautiful."

Skeete holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish from the University of the West Indies.

She serves as a programme facilitator with the NGO Vision on Mission and previously worked with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The initiative is offered free of charge.

She added, "It is on an invite-only basis. The schools have to invite us, and we will go. We tend to do it on Fridays."