This past Christmas vacation was the first time to visit the Dominican Republic; it was by far the best vacation I have had. With only three hours from JFK, Dominican Republic is a Caribbean island is full of beautiful beaches, resorts, a fantastic history, and super friendly people. They make visitors love this place even more. Currently, it’s the most visited Caribbean island, most especially for family vacations and honeymoons. Geographically, D.R borders with Haiti to the west side; regardless of their unsettling times, they have still managed to thrive their economy. Here is what I learned from my short visit to the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic’s population is made up of people from African and European ethnicity; however, there are also some white and black minorities in the country. There is a belief that some of the people are descendants of the Taino people who were wiped by diseases, war, and other implications of hard labor when the European arrived. The Spanish language has long dominated as the country’s national language. However, I noticed that there is quite a number of people speaking in English. Most people say that is due to the recent emigration from the states that have been taking place. In terms of their religion, a majority of the Dominican Republic citizens are staunch Roman Catholics, which has influenced a majority of their ways. Their flag is the only one in the world with a bible in it. In the rural areas of the country, their religious beliefs are syncretic, based on their traditional cultures (African and Spanish). The rest of the population is split between evangelism, Judaism, and other religions.
The Dominican legal system is rooted in the Napoleonic code, with a group of nine people in the Supreme Court where the final appeal takes place. They are governed by a 2010 constitution which provides rules of constitutional matters. What’s interesting is that although the law mandates the independence of the government, the presidents and the government members can influence a decision. Art in this country is represented in different forms of music, dancing, painting, and other handicrafts such as wood carvings, baskets, and dolls. Dominican people highly value art is rather evident from their well-known salsa and bolero dances that originate from the African communities. Social events which do not involve music and dancing here are considered to be incomplete, in the city, I witnessed groups of people during different festivals dancing and competing at the same time. The guitar and the drums are the most popular musical instruments that are typically used in the dancing and singing; however, in remote areas, I noticed that the guitar and drums are not as popular as flutes and marimbas.
At the museum, I discovered that Dominican’s literature became noticeable through the poetry of Felix Maria Del Monte in the 19th century. Their literature continues with the likes of Manuel de Jesus, Garston Fernando Deligne, and Americo Lugo. Other contemporary writers have shifted their attention to concentrate 9on the daily activities of life in the Dominican Republic. During the colonial era, the Spanish colonial policies were felt in Hispaniola. The Spanish established the oldest hospitals, cathedral, and monastery on the island. The first-ever university was built in 1538 in Santo Domingo. In February 1844, that’s when the Dominican finally became a republic. An interesting fact about the Dominican Republic is that it came to be after part of the island was separated, forming Haiti, and the remaining part was named Santo Domingo, which is currently the Dominican Republic. Another interesting fact I discovered about Dominica is that it’s the only place in the world where the Larimar is produced a type of rare mineral.
Saying that I had fun is an understatement, I am definitely going back to the Dominican Republic!