Culture of the Dominican Republic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Dominican people and their customs have origins in a unique mix of African, Taino and European roots. The Dominican Republic was the first Spanish colony in the New World. The newly-arrived Europeans killed many of the native Taino people through enslavement and the introduction of diseases previously unknown to the native inhabitants, although many Tainos fled into the mountains where along with African escapees they formed Maroon colonies. The colonizers imported African slaves to replace the natives. After the Haitian liberation of the entire island, slavery was abolished and free blacks (and those of mixed race) could be found all over the islands.
However, there are vast differences in class and education that separate different groups. The wealthy privileged status elite are mostly of European descent, while the majority of the poor are of mixed race and of African descent. The metropolitan culture available to the upper class and vanishing (due to economic turbulence as of late) middle class is often comparable to the life of city dwellers in the rich countries of Western Europe and the United States. But this metropolitan culture doesn't reach the poorest people, who may not have the most basic amenities, necessities, running water, electricity, sanitary facilities nor consumer electronics.
Contents |
[edit] Relationships and communication
Ethnologist's say that Dominicans practice particularist, as opposed to universalist, social ethics (reference needed). By this, they mean that family networks and friends are more important than universal rights. As a practical matter, this means that Dominicans are more likely to achieve gains through who they know rather than by following strict rules or procedures, the latter being what people in universalist-ethics countries do. Dominicans depend on social savvy, trust, indirect communication, and consensus. These values are reflected in popular sayings like "everything is done through the help of others" and despues de la excusa, nadie se queda mal or "desde que se invento la excusa, nadie queda mal" (After the excuse was given, everybody got along fine.)
Dominicans are gifted at the art of indirect communication. The phrases "no hay problema" (There's no problem) "es usted que sabe" (It's you who knows, meaning "I hear you, and while I'm not sure I agree, I'm not going to argue") are popular and heavily used manners of deflecting disagreement. In the small society which is "the Dominican Family," it is highly important that people not embarrass each other nor be seen to act with malice. Ideally, one wishes to develop "confianza" with as many people as possible. Again, who one knows is a much more important than any law or absolute standard of conduct.
[edit] Religions
The Dominican Republic's Spanish cultural heritage is most evident in the national language and predominant religion, Catholicism. 95% of Dominicans are in the Roman Catholic Church. Other substantial religious groups are the Evangelical Christians and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Around one percent of the nation's inhabitants practice pure spiritism, although it is very common for Catholicism and spiritism to be mixed in Santeria's seances and "saint" parties. Because the Dominican Republic shares the same small island as Haiti, some people who live near the border with that country or who have immigrated from there practice voodoo in the Dominican Republic.
[edit] Entertainment
The music style of merengue is unique to the Dominican Republic. The earliest form of merengue, perico ripiao, originated in the countryside as three-person re-interpretations of suggestive folk songs. Bachata is also a Dominican invention, one that has become increasingly popular worldwide. Reggaeton, a style of music originating in Puerto Rico, defines the party lifestyle of the country and is popular with the youth, although the music is disliked by most of the older generations. Salsa music, though not of Dominican origin, is also a part of the popular music scene of the country. As people emigrated to the Dominican Republic, so did several instruments. Indians native to the island made güiros, hollowed out gourds with notches, which players grated with a fork. The güira evolved similarly, a metal cylinder with holes, scraped to make a percussive beat. Just as important is the tambora, a two-sided drum. Traditionally, one side of the drum was made of a male goat's skin soaked in rum, while the skin on other side came from a female goat who had never borne offspring.
The national beer is Presidente, the national drink is rum, and the national game is either dominos or baseball. The Dominican Republic has its own baseball league which runs from October to January. Many MLB players and minor leaguers play in this six-team league during off-season. The winner of the Dominican winter league goes on to represent the country at the Caribbean World Series against Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Venezuela.
[edit] References
- Manuel A. Patin Maceo (1947) Dominicanismos, 2do Ed. Ciudad Trujillo: Libreria Dominicana.
[edit] See also
- Music of the Dominican Republic
- Professional baseball in the Dominican Republic
- Latin American culture
- Literature of the Dominican Republic
[edit] External links
- Island Thresholds, Peabody Essex Museum's interactive feature, showcases the work of contemporary Caribbean artists and their exploration of identity, culture, and social justice. (requires Macromedia Flash)
|
|||||||
