Dominican Republic Travel Guide

Dominican culture is as varied and colorful as the land itself. This culture was created from a legacy of races that came together in the country’s development forming the basis of the cultural and social identity of the people.

A variety of ethnic groups came together in the fascinating development of the Dominican Republic’s history to form what is a unique and lively culture today. European, African and to a lesser extent, indigenous Taino Indians’ influence are interwoven and expressed in the country’s art, music, gastronomy, craftsmanship, sport, religion and more, all of which come together to make up the identity of the Dominican people.

With regard to gastronomy, the country possesses a rich and multi-faceted culinary history, having been influenced by Spain, France, Germany and all other corners of the world, giving rise to Dominican food with delicious tastes and aromas.

In the early formation of the country, before much exploration and integration occurred, the main ingredients on the Dominican menu were rice, meat, beans, plantains and vegetables, as well as fish and sea food and others. These are still Dominican staples today, and give shape to the recipes that adorn the country’s tables on a daily basis.

The emblematic Dominican dish is called the “flag”, made using white rice with red beans, accompanied by a portion of meat (beef or chicken) and a salad or “tostones” (fried slices of green plantain), a dish that is served at lunch. This is followed by “moro” and “locrio” rice dishes. This list continues with tasty stews and soups, such as “sancocho” soup known as a “national dish”, also “asopao” stew, braised kid, and other dishes such as “mangú” (green plantain, boiled and mashed), casseroles, pasteles en hojas (turnovers wrapped and cooked in banana leaves), pork or chicken rinds and an endless amount of options.

From a crafts point of view, the country has a rich artistic range, among which are those created with Taino Indian motifs. Dominican jewelry is made of amber, larimar, bone, horn and coconut husk. While clay, porcelain, wood, leather, hemp and guano also serve as the basis to create the most diverse articles and figures for personal, decorative, domestic and religious use.

Baseball is the preferred sport of the Dominican Republic, not only as a game or pastime, but as a major source of national pride and identity. Almost 40 percent of players in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) and minor leagues come from Latin America. The Dominican Republic produces the most MLB players outside of the U.S. including famous Dominicans such as Pedro Martínez, Alex Rodríguez, Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramírez, Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero and many more.

“Ball”, as it is popularly called, arrived in the Dominican Republic during the last decade of the 19th century. Professional teams were organized at the beginning of the 20th century, and it is deemed that the best quality baseball in the Caribbean is played on this island.

In the Dominican Republic, there is freedom of worship and the majority of the population are Christian, principally Catholic, followed by the Evangelists and others who belong to various beliefs.

Among Dominican festivals and holidays, there are the following national holidays: January 26, day of the patriarch Juan Pablo Duarte; February 25, day of the patriarch Ramón Matías Mella; the National Day of Independence, February 27; March 9, day of the patriarch Francisco del Rosario Sánchez; then the Restoration of the Republic on August 16; and Constitution day on November 6. These are followed by numerous popular religious festivals in each region of the land, however, the most important of these in popular Dominican culture is the Carnival, a celebration recreating liberty, integration and identity, where masks, exaggeration, sarcasm, the unusual, the satirical, the grotesque and the imaginary are the basic characteristics. Carnival is celebrated in nearly all the villages of the country on Sundays during February and March.

As the first city founded in the Americas and the Dominican Republic’s capital city (named the Cultural Capital of the Americas in 2010), Santo Domingo boasts a valuable collection of museums, culture, historic sites, monuments, arts and music and more. The Colonial City, located inside Santo Domingo is the first city of the America’s and features the first street, hospital, university and cathedral in the Americas, along with ancient buildings, parks and streets where Spanish conquistadors once strolled.

In Dominican museums, the displays guard the Dominican identity that is expressed in ancient objects, documents, canvases, sculptures, costumes, indigenous pictographs, and the furniture from the different centuries and religions. Among these are the Alcázar de Colon (Fortress of Colon), the Catedral Primada de América (the First Cathedral in the Americas), the Fortaleza Ozama (the Ozama Fort), the monasterio de los Padres Dominicos (the Monastery of the Dominican Fathers), the Casa del Cordón (the House of Cord), the Casa de la Moneda (the House of Coins), the Reloj de Sol (the Sun Clock), the Casa de Nicolás de Ovando (the House of Nicolás de Ovando), the Casa del Tostado (the House of Tostado), the Casa de Bastidas (the House of Bastidas), the Museo de las Casas Reales (the Museums of the Royal Houses) and the Panteón Nacional (National Cemetary).

Other important museums or historic buildings include the Altar de la Patria (Altar to the Homeland), the Casa de Juan Pablo Duarte (the House of Juan Pablo Duarte), the Palacio Consistorial (the City Hall), el Palacio de Borgellá (the Borgellá Palace), the Parque Colón (Columbus Park), as well as religious monuments such as the Iglesia del Carmen (Church of Carmen), the Iglesia y Convento Santa Clara (St. Claire Church and Convent), the Iglesia de Las Mercedes (Las Mercedes Church), the Regina Angelorum (Regina Angelorum) and San Miguel y Santa Bárbara (St. Michael and St. Barbara).

Source : Godominicanrepublic.com