The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, and therefore is nestled in one of the most visually stunning areas of the world. Occupying the eastern half of the island, the Dominican has beaches on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The diversity of flora and fauna is incredible, not to mention the delicate ecosystems just waiting to be explored. The Dominican Republic has been enticing travelers for a few years now, sparking the construction of numerous resorts and ecotourism businesses.
The natural beauty of the Dominican is a sight to behold, drawing visitors to the island time and again. But when we find a place that intrigues us beyond the typical 7-10 day stint, we often find ourselves looking for ways to identify with the people. How do the Dominican people pass their time? The culture in the country has many influences, so how do they appear in the day to day activities of the Dominicans? There are of course, regional differences in language, festivities, practices and games.
As a rule in all regions of the country, social life for the Dominican people revolves around the family and the front porch of the family home. All generations of a family will typically converse and share stories of the day while playing dominoes. Tables sitting out in front of homes, markets and bars are very common. Men of all ages generally surround the tables, playing dominoes for hours at a time. Sundays are especially centered around dominoes. Women do play the game, but out in public it is usually just the men.
Baseball is a favorite sport in the Dominican. All ages play games just about every day, often without a real ball and bat. Players will use anything they can find, and competition is very high. Cockfighting is another popular past time, but centered on adult men. Gambling is a large part of cockfighting, and the stakes are usually very high. Festivals, carnivals, parties and dances are a huge part of Dominican culture. Especially dance, and most prevalently the Merengue.
The Merengue was developed in the Dominican, is the national dance and everyone knows the steps - even children. Along with dance, music has a long and enduring tradition in the Dominican Republic. Merengue music is performed using a tambora, melodeion, and a guira. The beat is fast and rhythm has a strong African feel to it, fitting well with the dance by the same name.
This is just a small taste of what the Dominicans do in their leisure time, but it gives a good impression of the culture. Family, sport and music are deeply rooted in the Dominican people's values. Visit and embrace the culture, enjoy the hospitality!
The natural beauty of the Dominican is a sight to behold, drawing visitors to the island time and again. But when we find a place that intrigues us beyond the typical 7-10 day stint, we often find ourselves looking for ways to identify with the people. How do the Dominican people pass their time? The culture in the country has many influences, so how do they appear in the day to day activities of the Dominicans? There are of course, regional differences in language, festivities, practices and games.
As a rule in all regions of the country, social life for the Dominican people revolves around the family and the front porch of the family home. All generations of a family will typically converse and share stories of the day while playing dominoes. Tables sitting out in front of homes, markets and bars are very common. Men of all ages generally surround the tables, playing dominoes for hours at a time. Sundays are especially centered around dominoes. Women do play the game, but out in public it is usually just the men.
Baseball is a favorite sport in the Dominican. All ages play games just about every day, often without a real ball and bat. Players will use anything they can find, and competition is very high. Cockfighting is another popular past time, but centered on adult men. Gambling is a large part of cockfighting, and the stakes are usually very high. Festivals, carnivals, parties and dances are a huge part of Dominican culture. Especially dance, and most prevalently the Merengue.
The Merengue was developed in the Dominican, is the national dance and everyone knows the steps - even children. Along with dance, music has a long and enduring tradition in the Dominican Republic. Merengue music is performed using a tambora, melodeion, and a guira. The beat is fast and rhythm has a strong African feel to it, fitting well with the dance by the same name.
This is just a small taste of what the Dominicans do in their leisure time, but it gives a good impression of the culture. Family, sport and music are deeply rooted in the Dominican people's values. Visit and embrace the culture, enjoy the hospitality!
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