Dominican Republic Culture
The culture of the Dominican Republic has its foundation embedded deeply within the hearts of its people. Despite its turbulent past, the country has grown to be a friendly and enjoyable place with rich cultural life. The way of life in the Dominican Republic is unique and so are the people who represent a peculiar mix of the native Taino people, colonists from Spain and slaves from Africa. With total population of over 8.5 million (2005 census), most of the Dominican Republic’s natives are mestizos.
Merengue Dancers - Part of Dominican Republic Culture, Photo by Amarintha, Flickr
Dominican Republic Culture
Great deal of country’s cultural heritage dates back to when the island was populated by native Arawak Indians (later renamed to Taino by the Spanish colonists). That is especially the case of some words which were adopted from the Tainos as well as the food. Many words that are used today even in English have their roots in the language of original inhabitants of the Hispaniola island – Arawak. For example word “tobacco” or “hammock”. Many culinary specials as well as the way agriculture in the Dominican Republic operates can be traced back to the Taino Indians.
While partially influenced by the local Taino population, the Dominican Republic culture was predominantly shaped by Spanish. That goes for language, but also other areas of life, such as religion, music, dancing, etc.
The cultural mix of the Dominican Republic however doesn’t end at the fusion of Spanish and Taino cultures. Far from it actually. During it’s turbulent past, the island shared between the Dominican Republic and Haiti was once ruled by the French, once by the Dutch, once by the English – each of which added their bit to the overall mix of cultures. This already colorful blend was later interwoven by cultures brought in by the people from the Middle East and Africa. You can even find strong Jewish community in Sosua, where many have fled during Nazi occupation.
The Dominican Republic culture truly is a unique mix of global cultures. The merengue dance along with music it’s danced to are a great showcase of this global mix of cultures. That being said – describing culture of such vivid society in words hard. To get the best feel of the real deal, you need to experience it for yourself. There is no substitute for it. And trust me, it’s this impossible to duplicate cultural mix that turns so many first time visitors to the Dominican Republic into regulars. You can’t get that anywhere else.
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