Last week on Tuesday the 27th of February, Dominicans far and wide celebrated the anniversary of their nation’s Independence. For 174 years Dominicans have blessed the world with amazing music, mouth-watering food and extremely attractive people. For those who are not familiar with it, here is a brief history of la Republica Dominicana.
The Dominican Republic was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first attempt to reach India when he stumbled upon the island of Hispaniola (currently Dominican Republic and Haiti). The Spanish came and settled in Santo Domingo which would become the capital of the Dominican Republic and is the oldest European settlement in the Americas. The Spanish and the French ruled their respective sides of the island (the French had what would become the Republic of Haiti and the Spanish had what would become the Dominican Republic). After the Haitians established themselves as an independent nation in 1801, they seized the other side of the island from the Spanish twice in 1808 then again in 1822. The Haitians had total control of the entire island for 22 years (1822-1844). On February 27, 1844, a violent war with Haiti ended with the Dominican Republic gaining its independence.
The Dominican flag was designed by Juan Pablo Duarte (one of the founding fathers) in 1844. The colors are red, white and blue. The blue stands for liberty, the white stands for salvation, and the red stands for the blood shed by the heroes who fought for their freedom. The flag is quite unique because it is the only national flag with a bible on it (located on the coat of arms in the middle of the flag). Many say that the bible is included on the flag because the national motto is “Dios, Patria, Libertad” which translates to “God, Fatherland, Liberty.” Others have their own theory:
All day long on all forms of social media, people were posting pictures and videos expressing their Dominican pride:
The country is a very popular tourist spot with beautiful beaches and wonderful resorts. Whenever I have the pleasure of spending the summer there, I always stay with family and I prefer the gorgeous, flowing rivers over the sandy beaches.
I’m very proud to say I come from such a gorgeous place and I get so excited whenever I meet a fellow Dominican. They are all so proud of where they come from. They’re unapologetically patriotic and, for the most part, quite friendly whenever they meet someone that hails from the same country as them. Fellow Dominicans are automatically christened “primo” (cousin).
Here are a few notable Dominicans that you might be familiar with:
1. Zoe Saldana (Actress)
Known for playing Lt. Uhura in the Star Trek reboot, as well as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy
2. Robinson Canó (Baseball Player)
Formerly of the New York Yankees, currently playing for the Seatlle Mariners
3. Oscar de la Renta (Fashion Designer)
Became world-renowned in the 60s for being one of the designers to dress Jacqueline Kennedy
4. Aventura (Bachata Band)
Originated in the Bronx, NY. The band consisted of Anthony (Romeo) Santos, Henry Santos, Lenny Santos, and Max Santos. If you’re Dominican, there’s a good chance you know all the words to every Aventura song ever (because I sure do). And if you’ve ever been to a party where any Latin music was playing, you’ve definitely heard at least one Aventura/Romeo Santos song before. Romeo Santos, who sang lead vocals for the band, began a very successful solo career after the band’s split in 2011. Romeo is the only half Puerto Rican member of the group.
Next time you jam out to lively merengue or enjoy some delicious Mangu con Salami y queso frito (please excuse me as I try to stop drooling), thank a Dominican.
Que viva la Republica Dominicana! (Long live the Dominican Republic!)