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Dominican Republic Culture

The Dominican Republic Culture is vibrant, exciting, and colorful.

When visiting a foreign country it can be a memorable experience that can be fully enjoyed only if and when you understand some of its cultural facts and internal natural beauty.

Come let us review our dance, music, language and religion.

As in all countries it's language, music, dance, religion, literature, and architecture play an important role in it's culture.

Language

Dominican Republic Culture

The official Language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish, it's roots can be traced back to Spain.

Although the language spoken by it's people is Spanish there are many languages that are spoken including German, Italian and French.

The diversity of languages is a testament to the variety of nationalities that visit and sometimes settle in the country.

Dominicans have a distinct Spanish pronunciation which reflects the region in which they live.

This is similar to a country pronunciation versus a city pronunciation.

Music and Dance

Dominican Republic Culture

The Dominican Republic's population has a passion for music, particularly merengue and in recent years, bachata. Music has defined itself as the peoples emotional expression.

During the Colonial era, secular music had an important place in the daily life's of the planters and the Dominican elite.

Song and Dance from Spain were imported directly, and forms like the bolero and fandango became important during the 18th century.

Culture Dominican Republic
Dominican Culture Dance

Perhaps the earliest form of music and dance to emerge as a distinctive Dominican style was the sentinal serenade known as Barcarola Criolla.

Several folkloric dances are performed in Santo Domingo. a number of national theaters and dance troupes perform in the capitol regularly.

Some older folklore dances and songs are still hanging on especially in rural regions. Along the south coast the Mangulina is celebrated in the Patron Saint day, as is the Jacana in the North.

These two dances are highly formalized ceremonial's derived from Spanish forms.

whether a night club in a Dominican Republic villa, hotel or resort, along Santo Domingo's seaside Malecon or a packed park or a city celebration, the Dominican people always have rhythm and music in their hearts.

Religion

Dominican Republic Culture

Roman Catholic Dominicans are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, the Dominican Republic has one Archdiocese, 500 clergy, most of whom belong to religious orders. The Clergy represents about one priest for every 10,000 people the fourth largest ratio in Latin America.

Although the church has long tried to throw it's weight against birth control and divorce, Dominican law permits extensive family planning and encourages easy divorce.

Protestant Protestants in the Dominican Republic constitute a small but growing minority. Originally, Protestants came to the island in the 1820's from North America.

Folk beliefs folk religion, folk beliefs and Voodoo are still major influences in the Dominican Republic, although it is practiced in secret areas not visited by tourists or outsiders.

We have as many as one million people of Haitian descent living in the Dominican Republic, many of whom practice Voodoo in their own country and here in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Government regards Voodoo as African paganism and does not support the belief.

Dominican Literature And Architecture Click here

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