In the collective imagination, the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic are synonymous with talcum powder beaches and turquoise seas. In a certain sense, we can confirm that’s true! But what truly amazed us during our adventure here was the culture.
Population in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a multiethnic nation. It’s the result of African, Spanish, and indigenous heritage, preserving traces of its colonial past and the Taino Indians, the island’s inhabitants before the Spanish conquest. A fun fact: “Caribbean Sea” derives from the term “Caribe,” a native people who inhabited the Lesser Antilles, dedicated to “Caribelism,” which today we translate as “cannibalism”.
The population is largely Creole. It is not uncommon to encounter individuals with dark skin and light eyes. The term “Creole” derives from the Spanish “criollo,” meaning “mixed race”. It refers to people born in colonial contexts, blending European (Spanish, Portuguese, French, English) origins with African and local indigenous origins.
This cultural melting pot permeates all aspects of life, from music to food to the language, a Spanish with Taino influences. The Dominican Republic is a world of people who live their daily lives between coffee shops and neighborhood grocery stores, the colmados, at a slow and peaceful pace, the rhythm of the term “ahorita“, which can mean in a minute, hours, days, or never!
Santo Domingo and merengue
The capital is Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the New World, founded by Christopher Columbus in 1496. Its historic center, Zona Colonial, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s home to the first cathedral, the first street, and the first hospital in the Americas!
It is the center of the quintessential Caribbean rhythm, merengue! Merengue is the Dominican national dance that developed between the 16th and 17th centuries from the fusion of different rhythms:
- African,such as percussion (tambora)
- European (accordion and guitar)
- indigenous Taino rhythms (the güira, a perforated metal cylinder)
It was danced by African slaves on the sugarcane plantations. Tied at the ankles with chains, they swayed, moving their hips and shoulders. Today, merengue is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The dance’s metric/rhythmic basis was simple and resembled the cadence of forced marches: un dos, un dos, un dos. Fun fact: the term “merengue” may derive from the French meringue (“meringue”) due to its lightness!
Voodoo in the Dominican Republic
Deeply rooted in the culture is Voodoo, a religion that blends African and Catholic beliefs. It is believed that each individual has a guardian spirit that determines their wealth and fortune based on their behavior. If the person misbehaves, the spirit can punish them by causing health problems.
There are two forms of Voodoo: a benevolent one, associated with white magic, and a malevolent one, associated with black magic. Very few are able to use herbs as healers. These are sorcerers who generally accompany their magical rites with the “ensalmo”. It’s a special healing chant that drives away evil spirits.
Another traditional element of Dominican culture are the so-called “muñecas sin rostro“. These are faceless dolls, an iconic form of local craftsmanship originating in Moca and dating back to the 1980s. Usually made of ceramic or clay, they represent the ethnic mix. They’re dressed in colorful traditional clothing and depicted going about their daily activities. Moreover, they make lovely souvenirs!
The undisputed icon of Dominican culture is the cigar
Dominican cigars are famous for their blended tobaccos, often hand-rolled by expert torcedores, to obtain a wide range of flavors. The Dominican cigar is handcrafted by selecting and drying tobacco leaves, typically five, from different plants to create the filling called tripa. After that, torcedores roll the leaves, tie them with a wrapper called capote, and then wrap them in a quality outer leaf, the capa. The cigars are sealed with a natural plant glue such as honey and left to dry for about three days. This is followed by an aging phase.
Numerous excursions allow you to visit factories where you can observe the artisans at work and try the cigars.
What would the Caribbean be without the colors of Carnival?
During the month of February Carnival celebrates both Spanish and African traditions (diablitos, cimarrones). The masks are created and painted by hand.
The most important Carnival is that of La Vega, one of the oldest, dating back to 1520. During the parades, music, dance, and masks alternate. The protagonist is the diablo cojuelo (lame devil), a parody of the medieval Spanish knight. He wears a colorful costume adorned with mirrors, rattles, ribbons, and bells, a cape, and a mask with large horns. He wields a rounded whip, the vejiga, made from an animal bladder. During the parades he spanks spectators with a whip on the buttocks!
A cornerstone of every culture: the cuisine
Traditional recipes also have their roots in different food cultures. The Taino introduced the Spanish to yucca (cassava) and casabe, a thin, crispy unleavened bread made with yucca flour. Columbus introduced grains, legumes, and vegetables, Africans introduced bananas, watermelon, and yams, similar to the American sweet potato, but with a creamier pulp and an earthy, less sweet flavor.
La bandera is the national dish, made with white rice, beans (black or red), and meat or chicken. Sancocho contains various types of meat such as beef, chicken, and pork, root vegetables, and green plantains, served with white rice and avocado. Yaniqueques is a typical street food consisting of a thin, crispy, fried dough made with wheat flour, butter, water, and baking soda, fried in hot oil and served with ketchup.
Dominican beaches
We kept you waiting until the end to tell you about the beauty of the beaches! The winners are… Saona and Catalina!
Christopher Columbus discovered Catalina in May 1494 and named it Santa Catalina, in honor of Catherine of Alexandria, a 4th-century philosopher. In the 17th century, it became a haven for pirates and smugglers thanks to the shape of its inlets, invisible from the coast, which offered shelter to ships. Between 1698 and 1699, the Quedagh Merchant, the ship of Captain William Kidd, sank here. Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates of the time, and its remains have been converted into an underwater site that you can visit!
Saona Island is located off the southeast coast. It is part of the Parque Nacional del Este, a vast protected area known for its biodiversity, about 115 km from Santo Domingo, accessible by boat. Mano Juan is the only inhabited village on the island, where you can experience the daily life of the locals and purchase local crafts.
Now you’re ready to set sail like true pirates of yesteryear and explore one of the most enchanting islands in the Caribbean!