Santo Domingo, 1 March 2022 (TDI): The Dominican Republic celebrated the 178th National Holiday on Sunday, 27th February. On 27 February, Dominican Republic commemorated its independence from Haiti in 1844.
The Dominican Republic continuously struggled for its independence and got independence twice. It first gained independence from Spain in 1821 and then from Haiti in 1844.
Hoy celebramos 178 años de independencia, esa que muchos no creyeron se mantendría y por el contrario apostaron a su fracaso. Nos acercamos a 2 siglos habiendo superado desafíos externos e internos, listos para superar todos los que vengan. Viva la República Dominicana! 🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴
— Jatzel Román (@Jatzel09) February 28, 2022
Celebration
The Dominican Republic’s independence day celebration is not limited to one day, rather people celebrate their independence for the whole month of February. The month of February is known as “Patriotism Month.”
People started the celebration on 26 January as it is the birth date of the national hero and founding father, Juan Pablo Duarte. On 27 February the Dominican people pay tribute to the founding father at the Puerta del Conde in Santo Domingo.
Dominican people celebrated their independence according to their heritage and culture. Their independence celebrations become unique as they include Carnival in their celebration too.
The carnival-style celebrations can be seen on the streets of towns. In La Vega city, the celebration goes very special as here, Dominicans’ festive mood and patriotic pride mix to produce a celebration of legendary proportions.
History
The Dominican Republic became a European settlement after Columbus reached here on December 1492. It then became a Colony of Spain for the next 300 years.
In 1821, it gained independence from Spain but after a short period, it was invaded by Haiti that unified the island of Hispaniola. Dominican Republic people wanted independence from Haiti.
In 1844 a secret society ‘La Trinitaria’ was created by Juan Pablo Duarte along with other leaders. The secret society made Dominican Republic’s independence possible from Haiti. La Trinitaria revolted against the Haitian regime and got independence from Haiti on 27 February 1844.
Geographical Location
The Dominican Republic shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The island of Hispaniola, located between Cuba and Puerto Rico, is the second-largest island in the Caribbean region after the island of Cuba.
The Dominican Republic is located in the Eastern while Haiti is in the Western part of the Island of Hispaniola. It is bound by the Atlantic Ocean to the North and the Caribbean sea to the South.
Government
The Dominican Republic is a Democratic Republic state. Both Head of State and Head of Government are served by the President. The national power is distributed among the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary.
The executive power is in hands of the government while legislative power is granted to the bicameral National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of both mentioned executive and legislature.
Culture
The culture of the Dominican Republic exhibits the mixed cultures of Spaniard colonists, African slaves, and Taíno natives. These cultural colors are prominently seen in Dominican religion, music, food, and family structure.
Dominicans are hospitable and warm welcoming people. They have a great sense of humor and spread their joy by sharing their things. They are fond of merengue and bachata. Merengue and bachata are their cultural dance.
Family
Family in the Dominican Republic, as in other societies, is the basic element of society. Dominican Families are very caring and protective. They remain very close and integrated with each other. Young men remain with family till their marriage. After marriage, they stay close with their parents geographically.
Cuisine
Mangú is the traditional dish of the Dominican people. It is a savory puree made of mashed plantains, yucca, or auyama, and traditionally served with fried red onions, fried white cheese, eggs, or salami.
Fresh fish such as tuna, ballyhoo, and marlin are in vast numbers in the Dominican Republic. Bananas and plantains are eaten throughout the year, as this is part of their culture.
