Afro-Dominicans

Afro-Dominican

Jordhy Ledesma Notables: Jordhy Ledesma  · Arlenis Sosa · Francisco del Rosario Sánchez · Feniosky Peña-Mora · Salomé Ureña
Languages
Dominican Spanish majority  · English, minority
Religion
Roman Catholic majority  · Protestantism and African traditional religions, minority
Related ethnic groups
Afro-Latin American, African people

Afro - Dominican is a Dominican of African descent. Most Africans arrived to the Dominican Republic came to this land from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century because of slavery. Most of them came from West and Central Africa. Currently there are also many black immigrants, particularly Haitians, which can be included within of the Afro-Dominican community, if they were born in the country or have Dominican naturalization. Afro-Dominicans are the majority in the country, being mainly mulattos.

History

With the conquest and colonization of the island, the Spanish began to import large numbers of African slaves to replace the native labor, greatly reduced by wars, brutal working conditions and epidemics. About 80 or 90% of the native population died in the first century of the conquest. Meanwhile between 1492 and 1870 some 30,000 Africans were imported to the current Dominican territory to be devoted to sugar.

The slaves brought to Santo Domingo came from various parts of Africa and therefore belonged to different cultures. In the early days the slaves were Ladino, ie born in Spain and Christianized, but as traffic and intensified trade and colonial authorities demanded more slave labor for plantations and other housekeeping, were allowed introduction of black "bozales", imported directly from Africa. In 1503 there were already many slaves in Spanish, as at present, were developed rebellions and escapes to the mountains by themselves. The rebels Africans lived with the indigenous in shelters away from urban centers.

Until the conquest of Jamaica by corsarios of British Admiral William Penn and general Robert Venables, in 1654 the Spanish had only permanent control of the southeastern the island, leaving a large part of the center and north of the island, very mountainous regions, as places where African and Taino slaves on plantations, could escape. In both plantations and isolated villages of runaways will be a strong miscegenation between Indians and Africans and Europeans. This domain mixing together the social, cultural and economic European element will form the basis of national identity of Dominicans. It is estimated that the population of the colony in 1777 was 400,000, of which 100,000 were Europeans and Creole s, 60,000 African, 100.000 mestizo s, 60,000 Zambos and 100,000 mulatto.

The following waves of black immigrants were: migration of fugitive slaves from the French colony of the western part of the island, usually composed of black fugitives, escaped from the rigors of their masters, and that fed the Spanish colony since the time initial establishment of the French on the island. These slaves came directly from Africa, and in some cases they even form communities such as San Lorenzo de Los Mina, who is now district or sector of the city of Santo Domingo. Others slaves coming from other parts of the West Indies, especially from the minors, dominated by French, English, Dutch, etc..

More late, the traffic black workers from the British West Indies in the first third of this century to work in the sugar plantations of the east of the island, and whose descendants are known today with the name of Cocolos. The abolition of the slavery was made in 1822, during the Haitian occupation of the Dominican territory.

Since 1824, began other wave of black migration to the Dominican Republic. These new settlers were African American freed people who emigrated to Puerto Plata Province and the Samaná Peninsula —then under Haitian administration—benefiting from the favorable pro-African immigration policy of president Jean Pierre Boyer. They were called Samaná Americans.

In 1844, two Afro Dominicans, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and Ramon Matias Mella, freed the country alongside to Juan Pablo Duarte, of Haitian domain.

After, many Haitian people began to settle in the Dominican Republic, a migration that has continued until today..

In 1955, the country's dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, promotes a migratory movement from Spain to his country in order to increase the white population over the black population, which he considered inferior.

Demography

According 2012 Census, the Dominican population is formed mainly by mulatto, which are the 73% of the population, followed by the White (16%) and the Black (11%). Although most of Afro-Dominicans are descendants of slaves imported in the country and they speak Spanish, there also two Afro communities that have English as their mother tongue: Samaná Americans and Cocolos. Samaná Americans, descendants, as already we said, of American rebel slaves who entered the country in 1824, constitute the most sizable group of native English speakers in the Dominican Republic and living in Puerto Plata Province and in the Samaná Peninsula. Aware of its distinctive heritage, the community, whose singular culture distinguishes them from the rest of Dominicans, refers to itself as Samaná Americans, and is referred to by fellow Dominicans as "los americanos de Samaná." Another Afro group is the called Cocolo, descendants of those who came to the island from the English-speaking Caribbean to work in the sugar plantations of the east of the island and living in San Pedro de Macoris. It is also important the community of Haitian origin, which is the largest immigrant community in the country and is formed, according to some estimates, by more than 2,000,000 people.

Haitian Immigration

Haitian immigration is the most important of the immigrations to the Dominican Republic.

Haiti is much poorer than the Dominican Republic. In 2003, 80% of all Haitians were poor (54% in extreme poverty) and 47.1% were illiterate s. The country of nine million people has a fast-growing population, but over two-thirds of the jobs lack the formal workforce. Haiti's GDP per capita was $ 1,300 in 2008, or less than one-sixth of the Dominican figure. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have migrated to the Dominican Republic, with some estimates of 800,000 Haitians in the country,

Children of illegal Haitian immigrants are often stateless s and they are denied services, as their parents are denied Dominican nationality, and therefore are considered transient residents, due to their illegal status and undocumented , and children often have to choose only Haitian nationality.

A large number of Haitian women, often arriving with several health problems, cross the border to Dominican soil during their last weeks of pregnancy to obtain necessary medical care for childbirth, since Dominican public hospitals are not refuse medical services based on nationality or legal status. Statistics from a hospital in Santo Domingo report that over 22% of births are to mothers.

In 1937, Trujillo, in an event known as the Slaughter Parsley, ordered the Army to kill Haitians living on the border because, according it is believed, to his rejection to Haitians due he believed they were of a "inferior race" and his desire to try to stop its massive emigration to his country (however, actually were other factors, both political and economic that led the tyrant to grant enforcement of genocide). The Army killed about 17,000 to 35,000 Haitians over six days, from the night of October 2, 1937 to October 8, 1937. To avoid leaving evidence of the Army's involvement, the soldiers used machete s instead of bullets. The soldiers of Trujillo interrogated anyone with dark skin, using the Shibboleth "parsley" to differentiate Haitians from Dominicans when necessary, the "r" of parsley was difficult pronunciation for Haitians. As a result of the slaughter, the Dominican Republic agreed pay to Haiti the amount of $ 750,000, later reduced to $ 525,000. The genocide sought to be justified on the pretext of fearing infiltration, but was actually also a retaliation, commented on both in national currencies, as well as having been informed by the Military Intelligence Service (the dreaded SIM), the government Haitian cooperating with a plan that sought to overthrow Dominican exiles.

In 2005 Dominican President Leonel Fernández criticized collective expulsions of Haitians were "improperly and inhumane." After a delegation from the UN issued a preliminary report stating that it found a profound problem of racism and discrimination against people of Haitian origin, the Chancellor Dominican Carlos Morales Troncoso gave a formal statement saying "Our border with Haiti has its problems, this is our reality, and this must be understood.'s important not to confuse national sovereignty with indifference, and not to confuse security with xenophobia "

After the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, the number of Haitians doubled to 2 million, most of them illegally crossed after the border opened for international aid. Human Rights Watch estimated in 70,000 Haitian immigrants legal and 1,930,000 illegal living in Dominican Republic.

Racial discrimination

The colonial and political events in the Dominican Republic, sometimes directed against Afro Dominicans, have left their mark on this country, causing a rejection of many Afro-Dominicans to the "blackness".

So, the reasons that are used to explain the why many Afro Dominicans reject their skin color are many: In the Spanish colonial period, the Spanish not only enslaved blacks, but also considered them inferior, in a a system of racial stratification, and so they did it know, as in other parts of the Spanish Empire. That idea of black inferiority compared to the white was assumed by the whites and, because of their proslavery and, sometimes aggressive behavior with blacks, eventually would also be assumed by them, into believing, also, that their culture was superior to the cultures them and subjeting them to same (although many Afro-Dominican remained his cultures). Also, during the rule of Haiti (1822-44), the government of this country developed a black centrism, centrism that Dominicans refused. Dictator Rafael Trujillo, who ruled between 1930 and 1961, tenaciously promoted the anti-Haitian sentiment and used racial persecution and nationalistic fervor against Haitians. He is considered blamed for creating the many racial categories that avoided the use of the word "black" and, in 1955, he promotes a emigration from Spain to his country for "whiten" the population, increasing the white population over the black population, which he considered inferior.

According to the Afro-Dominican poet Blas Jiménez: Under Trujillo, there was nothing worse than being black.

The practice continued under President Joaquín Balaguer, who often complained that Haitian immigration in the Dominican Republic was the country blackening (remember that most Haitians are black, while Dominicans are mulattos, are lighter skinned). In 1990, he was blamed for blocking the presidential aspirations of leading black candidate José Francisco Peña Gómez, spreading rumors that he was actually Haitian.

Due to these reasons many mulatto Afro-dominicans prefer to opt only for his Caucasians descent. Many Dominicans, including mulatto, tend to see black only to Haitians and other black immigrant groups in the country. However, the Dominicans consider all of them as Haitians, the largest black immigrant group in the country.

An envoy of the UN in October 2007 found that there was racism against blacks in general, and particularly against Haitians, which proliferate in every segment of Dominican society. According to a study conducted by the Dominican Studies Institute CUNY, about 90% of the contemporary Dominican population has ancestry West Africa in different degrees. However, most Dominicans do not identify themselves as black, in contrast to people of West or Central African descent of other countries. A variety of terms are used to represent a range of skin tones, such as moreno / a, canelo / a Indian / a white dark / a and swarthy / a.

Ramona Hernández, director of the Dominican Studies Institute at City College of New York asserts that the terms were originally a defense against racist: "During the Trujillo regime, people who had dark skin were rejected, so they created their own mechanism to fight against the rejection".

By most estimates, 90 percent of Dominicans are black or mulatto. However, census figures indicate that only 11 percent of the nine million inhabitants of the country is black. For many Dominicans, to be black is to be Haitian. So the most of Afro-Dominicans tend to describe themselves as any of a dozen racial categories that date back hundreds of years: Indian, burned Indian, dirty Indian or washed, black Indian, cinnamon, moreno or mulatto. But almost never black.

Cultural Contributions

African cultural remnants seen in Santo Domingo in many different aspects: music, dance, magic-religious beliefs, cuisine, economy, entertainment, motor habits, language, etc.

Music

Perhaps the greatest influence of African slave observe in music and dance. Such influence comes from the dances, which like calendars, practiced in Santo Domingo, as elsewhere in America, from the early years of slavery. We must Father Labat, who toured the West Indies in the eighteenth century, a fairly thorough calenda.

This dance derive, according to research by the folklorist Fradique Lizardo, several of our popular rhythms. One of the most widespread of all is the sticks, name that designates both the pace and the membranophones used. National Rhythms are obvious sarandunga African imprint, the Congos, the crab, the chenche enrolled, etc.. The salve, which in the words of the American ethnomusicologist Martha Davis, is the most typical of the traditional genres Dominicans, has two styles: one distinctly Spanish, amétrico and antiphonal, and another polyrhythmic, strongly hybridized between the Spanish and African. Among African instruments include bats, balsié, the gallumba, etc.

Dominican popular music is closely linked to the religious culture, and is interpreted particularly calls for holy festival, also known as the area of ​​the country, as revelations, candles or sleepless nights. Other popular rhythms are obvious Spanish origin, as mangulina and carabiné.

Religion

Although most of Afro-Dominican are catholics, magical-religious beliefs prevailing among peasant and popular Dominican layers reflect African Christian syncretism operated since colonial times. The Dominican voodoo is, of Haitian origin obvious, but his features and complex is degraded in Santo Domingo. At Creole Voodoo pantheon have incorporated many native deities or praise. The most characteristic feature is the Dominican voodoo that relates directly to the magical activity. The correspondences between the loa and Catholic saints are similar to the Haitian

The Dominican magic is also a smorgasbord of beliefs and rituals of African and European, especially Spanish latter. Mythical animals as the Baca and Barras from Haiti. The classic witches and characteristics that surround them are Spanish. From Europe comes the superstition of the evil eye, the alleged existence of lugarús (loup-garou) and numerous spells and charms, not to mention most of divination.

Funeral rites contain many features of African descent that are shared with other American countries. A typical example is the angel baquiní or wake.

Institutions and cuisine

In the economic field include various institutions of mutual aid, existing both in the fields and in the cities. In rural areas, these institutions are in the form of groups of farmers who come together to collaborate on certain agricultural tasks such as planting, clearing of forests, land preparation, etc. Are called joints or treats and have similar characteristics to combite Haitian dokpwe closely related to the fon of Dahomey. These tasks are accompanied by songs and musical instruments that serve as encouragement and coordination at work. All board members are required to reciprocate the assistance and collaboration in the work of others. After the day is a festival that is the responsibility of the landowner.

Another institution of mutual aid, of African origin, is revolving credit system that goes by the name of St. corresponding to esusu and Yoruba. As in other parts of Nigeria and Afroamérica, the San is composed preferably female. It consists, as is well known, in the establishment of a common fund to which each participant's San, contributes a monthly or weekly. Each partner receives, on a rotating basis, the total value of the box, starting with the organized.

Dominican cuisine and dishes containing products of African origin. Among the former are the pigeon peas, yams and melts. Typical African dishes seem to be the mofongo, prepared with green bananas and derivatives cocola kitchen, the fungi and okra. A common drink among black slaves was the "Guarapo" that is removed from sugar cane juice.

Amusements and Language

The Cocolos, descendants of black immigrants from the British West Indies, originated some amusement as practiced by Buloyas or Guloyas and Momis, both in the eastern town of San Pedro de Macoris. The first, according to general opinion, are masks depicting groups, although very degraded, scenes of biblical battle between David and Goliath. The other is a remnant of the English traditions of Mummer's Play, brought to the Caribbean islands by the British colonial rulers, plays that were staged at Christmas. The Momis, as Martha Davis, have a carnival aspect which warn African influences, especially in the costumes and the behavior of its members.

Certain playground practiced until recently have been reported by the investigator as Veloz Maggiolo of African origin. They are the fufu, made up of a large button and a thread that goes through two holes of the button, the castanets of sticks, the horn, made from a box of phosphorus and the "cajita" ("box").

The African influence in the Dominican language is not very significant, but it is still possible to trace many words imported black slave and have entered the popular lexicon. Many of these words are common to other West Indian countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. We cite, among others, the voices Bemba, bachata, banana, Quimbamba, añangotarse, etc.

See also

• Samaná Americans
• Afro-Latin American - Central and South America
• Black Hispanic and Latino Americans - the United States
• Emancipados