The Dominican Republic is more than just tourist attractions and resorts, the Dominican Republic is Culture. Culture is defined as “primary socialization”. Culture classifies the world around us, which has symbols and meanings in society (Sternquist, 2007). What makes the Dominican Republic’s culture unique is that its customs and beliefs are heavily influenced by the European, African, and Taíno traditions and values (Cabral, 2017). The culture promotes joy, ease of life, and family and they are very passionate about their history of music and dance (Guzman, 2022).
When it comes to meeting etiquette, Dominicans have various ways to present themselves. A handshake is expected, along with direct eye contact and a friendly grin using the appropriate greeting for the time of day. Another way is greeting an individual with a kiss on both cheeks, which is extremely common (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd.). In terms of space, or the distance between two people in conversation, Dominicans tend to stand very close to each other when it comes to one-on-one conversations, also with a lot of hand movements (Sternquist, 2007). But when it comes to group conversations, you will find them standing far from each other in their own spot, and probably speaking very loud. Now this in no way is meant to stereotype all Dominican people.
When it comes to promoting the ease of life, Dominicans work very hard to support themselves and their families, but they also get the freedom to have more time with them from jobs. Family loyalty is big within the culture. Dominicans do their best to keep their loyalty with one another and they put that priority first before anything. With this loyalty, it is also very common for people to have a specific nickname for each other, other than their legal name, without it having a negative connotation to it (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd.). La Siesta and Business hours are taken very seriously. As the clock strikes twelve o’clock, people can be seen rushing home from work or running errands to lunch with their loved ones. Small businesses tend to close their doors from 12:00pm to 2:00pm to eat and nap (Guzman, 2022). The main meal that is served midday is known as “La Bandera” which consists of red beans, white rice, and stewed meat. Usually this is served, and can not be forgotten, with fried plantains, salad, and avocado (Every Culture, 2006).
The majority of Dominicans are impoverished and live paycheck to paycheck. This does not prevent them from having fun and going out. When it comes to nightlife and music, Dominicans love to partake in dancing and singing. The nightlife in the Dominican Republic is their part of promoting joy and ease of life. The people of the Dominican Republic go out to dance to music like Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, and Dembow which is what represents the culture. Without the music, the culture would be nothing.
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Written by: Camila Vizcaino
