The University of the West Indies (UWI) witnessed a remarkable cultural celebration as Los Parranderos de UWI marked its 45th anniversary with a special concert at the Learning Resource Centre in St. Augustine on November 30. The event brought together past members, former leaders, and distinguished guests from the parang community to honor the group’s enduring legacy in Trinidad and Tobago’s musical landscape.
Founded in 1980 by members of UWI’s Spanish Society, the ensemble has evolved from a student initiative into a nationally recognized parang institution. Their journey into competitive parang began in 1993 through the National Parang Association of TT (NPATT), where they achieved an extraordinary record of seven consecutive second-place finishes (1999-2005) before clinching the national championship title in 2006.
The anniversary concert featured nostalgic recollections from founding member Farzan Ali and former leaders Sharon Beharry (1985-86), Keith Dalip (1987-90), and Miguel Browne (1999-2024). They shared anecdotes about the group’s adventures traveling to the Paramin festival, the challenges of convoy transportation, and their commitment to ensuring all members returned safely after late-night performances.
Musical highlights included performances of the group’s greatest hits from their four albums: ‘Mi Parranda’ (2003), ‘Vamos A Celebrar’ (2005), ‘Parranda Ta Nos’ (2010), and ‘Nuestra Canción’ (2025). The setlist blended original compositions like ‘Canta’ and ‘Recordemos’ with tributes to parang legends Gloria Alcazar, Henry Periera, and the Lara Brothers.
The ceremony included the induction of five members into the group’s honor roll: Keisha Mark, Camivel Cova, Jerry Ramdass, Brandon Akai, and Khadine Bovell. Special recognition awards were presented to Tony Narine for 29 years of sound system support and retired principal’s assistant Elizabeth McComie for her instrumental role in securing the group’s presence at major campus events. Longest-serving members Miguel Browne (41 years) and Desdra Bascombe (40 years) received distinctive honors for their enduring dedication.