Introduction
The Dominican Republic is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean region. Culture parse is a set of values and codes that defines a people’s way of life. It consists of norms, traditions, social and cultural beliefs. Therefore, culture is the most comprehensive way of understanding a people’s way of life. This essay focuses on various aspects of the Dominican culture that helps in the understanding of how they live. This essay discusses various aspects of Dominican culture. In the end, we attempt to relate the relationship between each aspect and the developments in politics, economics and social lives of the Dominicans.
Social aspects of the Dominican Culture
The social aspect of the Dominican culture covers a wide range of factors set out by the community’s culture that encourages and condemns certain behaviours. Spanish is the most commonly used language. However, English is also common in the country’s tourism industry. Nonetheless, Taino words dominate the languages spoken. Such words influence even the naming systems of the other communities. In this culture, dressing and dress code goes with fashion. The Dominicans believe that clothes show the social status of a person in society. As such, clothing accentuates their status and adds confidence when it comes to their appearance. Therefore, most of the Dominicans prefer designer labels from the USA and put on cloths made from the best fabric they can afford. In addition, the Dominicans play a variety of music featuring Bachata, merengue, reggae and rock. The orchestra involves fast beats and singing that goes with the dancing (Brown 77)
The case system in the Dominican Republic
Racial and economic factors form the basis for social stratification engraved in their culture and history since time immemorial. In terms of race, the lighter-skinned European descendants dominate the top of the Dominicans hierarchy. On the other hand, the darker-skinned African descendants from the majority group of the lower class in the nation. On average, mulattoes (a mixture of African and European descendants) make up the country’s middle class. The middle class is the majority, followed by the lower class and then the upper class. The position of a person in the hierarchy determines his or her access to authority and their general influence on society. In most large cities such as Santo Domingo and San Francisco of Macons, however, the distinctions between the cases do not appear very clearly (Saunders 99).
Certainly, an individual‘s status in society does not necessarily follow from his or her size of wealth but the emphasis is on family history. Over the last two decades, very few demographic changes have occurred in the composition of the Dominican population structure. Consequently, the majority of middle-class citizens have little dominance in the country’s political and economic activities (Ember & Ember 59).
Family
In the Dominican Republic, the family makes the smallest unit of social organization; such independent families form the basis for stability in society. Traditionally, individual members of society obtain social support from the extended family in times of great need. For example, during funerals and weddings, a person derives assistance up to the third generation. In most rural settings, the extended family resides within the same location unlike in urban setup where settlements do not respect family ties (Pariser 72).
In most poor households, the parents tend to pay more attention to boys rather than girls in regards to education and travel privileges. Conversely, this often presents a struggle over the allocation and distribution of family funds.
Interestingly, the Dominican culture promotes nepotism otherwise considered a vice in other cultures. Since loyalty to the family overrides all other social and economic relations, the Dominicans consider it important to hire someone they know very well and can even trust. They also uphold hospitality in business and their homes; they accord their gusts the most comfortable welcome and lodge they can. The nation’s cuisine comprises Spanish and African foods; the most favorite is probably mangu and Soncocho. Etiquette and traditional customs embedded in the Dominican culture grooms the children right from the family. On an encounter with a person, a handshake is preferred in greetings accompanied by eye contact. The culture encourages exchanging of gifts during greetings especially during dinner parties, as a sign of etiquette. In the family, children learn dining etiquette and table manners from a very early age. When invited for a meal, one should wait for the invitee to issue directions about sitting arrangements and other welcome procedures. Similarly, the continental table manners serve across the nation because most of the families live together in one house, the elders and the younger generations alike (Ember & Ember 62).
Gender
Conventionally, the Dominican culture had well-defined roles for men and women in society. For example, building houses was the role of women as men went out to look for food. While men in cities and major towns work to save money going into family needs back home, women’s attention is far from remittances. Women save money to invest right where they stay. Socio-economic variables affect gender in many ways. The most important way is through resource allocation. Middle children, whether male or female, in most families, do not obtain secondary education and as such count very little on inheritance. Due to traditional privileges bestowed upon men by this culture, they show a greater propensity to return home from cities after migrating to look for work in major cities. On the other hand, women who migrate to big cities and the US spend their money on expensive long-term investments. Traditionally, they expend on expensive fashionable clothes and apartments because they never intend to return home. In this society, girls confide in older female relatives. In the past, the Dominican culture recommended for such maturing and young adults to be taught societal values by their aunts. However, modern civilization and socialization have meant that these young girls and adolescent boys confide in mentors of their own choice. Again, certain specific behaviours portray good morals in the society thereby forbidding other behaviours. For example, preparing meals remained a role of women. Besides, Women served the responsibility of tending after children and livestock. Oftentimes, women in the rural areas engage in making baskets and handbags. They practice palm weaving and precious jewelry from corals and blue gemstone endemic to the nation’s coastline only (Brown 69).
Education
Both formal and informal eductions serve in transferring knowledge and skills to the nation’s human resources. From an individual’s early years, formal learning includes compulsory six grades primary education, then secondary level. Upon completion of secondary education, a student attains a bachillerato certificate that leads the student to the university. Besides, certain secondary schools offer technical training and applied art subjects tailored towards teacher training and vocational studies. Secondary school teachers train in the universities while primary school teacher obtains their training from specialized high school grade institutions.
Regional education facilities reformation occurred during the Trujillo era in order to counter the shortage of teachers and to address the growing trend of under-enrolment in secondary schools in mid 20th century. Further establishment of universities besides the pioneer and domineering Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (University of Santo Domingo) in the last two decades of the 20th century led to more intakes of students in universities. Today, Dominican Republic boasts three premier independent universities serving more than forty students across the nation. Catholic University, Mother and Teacher (UCMM), Puedo Henriquez Urena National University (UNPHU), and the Autonoimous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) are furnished with modern facilities and their laboratories fitted with state of art technology equipment for suitable learning (Christopher & Mingasson 190).
Religion
The Dominican constitution allows for freedom of worship and provides for religious assembly. The vast majority of Dominicans comprise of Christians affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Although most people practice religion formally, the Dominicans bestow high moral and philosophical authority on their clergy in most social respects. Conversely, some people worship through the saints while others approach him through witches known as brujos and curanderos in Dominicans Spanish terms. In the past, saints played critical roles in determining the right cures for various illnesses depending on their herbal medicine prescriptions. The significance of such people in the country’s socialization process has not seized, they continue to help many Dominicans in intersessions and curing various illnesses. Generally, priests have devolved roles in society. Some involve themselves with community development activities while other focus on delivering the gospel to the congregation besides attending to the social needs of the people. The latter group of the clergy also offers counseling and relief support. In all respects, Dominicans limit the priest’s involvement with their lives to religious matters. Anything affecting their secular lives is out of bounds for the clergy. In their view, the priests have little knowledge of the secular world and therefore may not be in the best position to issue guidance on such matters (Saunders 101)
The close association between the Roman Catholic Church and the political class of the Dominican Republic during the Trujillo (former president of Dominican Republic) era undermined the mushrooming of days’ other mainstream churches. These churches were mainly Protestant’s and they include the modern Seventh Day Adventist and the Dominican Evangelical Church which grew in the 20th century. Church practices in the evangelical churches are typical of the processions and ceremonies of similar churches in the United States where they originated. Unlike in many other nations, the protestant church and the catholic in the Dominican Republic co-exist peacefully except in few circumstances. Both churches have representatives to the government.
Most Dominicans with African descendants and Haitians in the republic practice voodoo. This is a form of worship associated with the ritual sacrifice of animals to cast spells on other individuals. In the Dominican Republic, there exist a clash between voodoo and other legalized religions and forms of worship. In particular, Christianity and voodoo do not mix at all. Due to public prohibition of this form of kind of worship, those who practice voodoo worship in secret places usually in small groups. Social prejudice also limits voodoo to the black Dominicans and Haitians who have the strong influence of this practice in their sub-culture (Pariser 54).
Economic aspects of the Dominican culture
Dominican Island has many resources that form bases for its economic activities; fertile soils, high mountains covered with forests are some of its physical-economic potentials. As a society, they value farming activities and are engaged in trade. Due to farming and other related activities, the country experiences a gross domestic product of about 1.4 growth rate. An integration of traditional culture and modern practices emphasizing commercial production propels the nation’s economy (Ember and Ember 59).
Large-scale production of coffee for export and cultivation of various food crops protects the Dominicans against crises, particularly economic problems propagated by variability in weather conditions. Dominicans plow varieties of rice using flood irrigation methods and the proceedings go to domestic consumption alone. On the other hand, plantation sugarcane farming generates extra income for both the government and individuals sugarcane farmers. Besides, the Dominican cottage industry inspires the growth of a textile industry that accounts for about 1% of the gross domestic product. Dominican’s trade with other nations in the Greater Antilles such as Cuba, Cuba, Puerto Rica, and other overseas nations (Brown 71)
Sugar cane from the Canary island
Dominicans engage in large-scale sugarcane cultivation as a practice transferred to them through generations. The meaning of sugarcane farming in the lives of Dominicans is conveyed through songs and slogans that inspire ploughing and harvesting of sugarcane activities. For example, the song‘s which praise sugarcane associating it to their god of rains and fertility promotes the crop by informing the people like, “if not sugarcane then what”. They develop more interest and confidence in working on sugarcane farms. Given that the nation has fertile soils and a coastal climate that favours sugarcane growing, the culture of Dominicans only motivates the process as an effect of culture on their environment.
Political views of the Dominican Culture
A king and chiefs governed the original natives. The leadership and governance of the Dominican political system encouraged human labour on the nation’s resources. It began to tap on the human labour potential shortly before the abolition of the slave trade. Most of the regimes such as Trujillo and general Gregorio (former presidents of the Dominican Republic) have advanced both social and economic aspects of the nation. The sectors promoted the development of sectors such as health, education, housing and transport network. All of these factors enhanced the lives of Dominicans by promoting citizens’ culture. For example, the current research system carried out by high institutions integrates indigenous technology. Furthermore, the central government never fails to recognize local governments formed by chiefdoms and community representatives (Christopher and Mingasson 190).
Conclusion
The rich cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic had its naturally appealing methods of transmitting it to the young and growing generation. The natural hospitality of the Dominicans spurs tourism as the leading economic activity of the nation as indicated by the gross domestic product. The purchasing power parity of persons employed in the sector also confirms such observations. In another sense, the Dominican culture promotes development through hard work by claiming laziness as abhorrent. This has led to an improved transport network and ever-increasing productivity that explores other markets.
Works Cited
Brown, Isabel, Culture and customs of the Dominican Republic Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. pp. 69-79. Print.
Christopher, Baker, & Mingasson,Gilles, Dominican Republic. National Geographic Books. 2008 p. 190. Print
Ember, Carol and Ember, Melvin, Cross-Cultural Research Methods. Plymouth: AltraMira, 2009. pp. 59-68.Print
Pariser, Harry, Explore the Dominican Republic. Ontario: Hunter, 1998. pp.54-61. Print.
Saunders, Nicholas, The peoples of the Caribbean: an encyclopedia of archeology and traditional and Traditional Culture.Califonia: ABC-CLIO, 2005. pp.99-106. Print.