Dominican Republic facts for kids: history, culture and music

History and Santo Domingo

The Taíno people lived on the island of Hispaniola before Europeans arrived. Christopher Columbus reached the island in 1492.^[2] In 1498 the Spanish founded the town of Santo Domingo, today the capital of the Dominican Republic.^[2]

Santo Domingo was laid out in a grid of straight streets, a plan that later became a model for towns across the Americas.^[2] It was home to the first cathedral, the first hospital, the first customs house and the first university in the Americas.^[2] Its Colonial City is a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[2]

Over the following centuries the island was ruled by Spain and France, and in the 1800s the Dominican Republic became an independent country. Today students can walk the old streets of the Colonial City and see buildings that are more than 500 years old.^[2]

Merengue, the national music

Merengue is the music and dance most linked to Dominican identity. UNESCO says it is considered part of the national identity of the Dominican community.^[3] It joined UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2016.^[3]

Merengue is played with instruments such as the accordion, the drum and the saxophone.^[3] It is danced by couples who move in circles with playful gestures.^[3] You can hear it at family parties, festivals and on the radio, in the Dominican Republic and in Dominican communities in the United States.

Merengue is often one of the first dances people learn at family celebrations. Its fast, cheerful rhythm makes it a great example of how music brings people together.

Bachata

Bachata is another famous Dominican music and dance. UNESCO describes it as a blend of romantic bolero with Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as son, cha-cha-cha and merengue.^[4]

It is traditionally played by a small group led by one or two guitars, now often electric, together with bongos, maracas, a güira or guiro scraper and a bass.^[4] The word "bachata" first meant a lively gathering or party.^[4] Bachata joined UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in 2019.^[4]

Today bachata is popular all over the world, and dance schools from New York to Madrid teach it. For students, comparing merengue and bachata is a fun way to hear how rhythm and instruments change the feel of a song.^[3][4]

Food: cassava bread and more

Cassava bread, called casabe, is one of the oldest foods of the Caribbean. UNESCO lists the knowledge and practices for making and eating cassava bread as shared heritage of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela.^[5]

To make it, people peel, wash and grate the cassava root, dry the pulp, sift the flour with a handmade sieve and cook the dough, usually over a wood fire on clay or iron plates.^[5] UNESCO explains that the bread connects communities with their Indigenous and African heritage.^[5]

Other favorite Dominican foods include rice, beans and meat, a lunch often called "la bandera" (the flag), and mangú, mashed green plantains. Food, like music, shows the Taíno, African and Spanish roots of Dominican culture.

Island geography and people

The Dominican Republic covers the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, and Haiti covers the western part. The country has mountains, valleys, beaches and coral reefs. Its warm climate and beaches attract many visitors every year.

About 11.5 million people live in the Dominican Republic.^[1] Spanish is the main language. Many Dominican families also live in the United States, especially in New York, so Dominican music and food are part of life in many U.S. neighborhoods.

African roots are strong in Dominican traditions. In Villa Mella, the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos was founded in the 1500s by enslaved Africans and people of mixed origin.^[7] Its musicians play hand drums called congos.^[7] Their biggest celebration is the Festival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, with prayers, singing, dancing and a procession carrying a dove that stands for the Holy Spirit.^[7] The Brotherhood also keeps old rites to say farewell to family members who have died, so that they are remembered as ancestors.^[7] Today anyone can join, and its cultural space has been on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list since 2008.^[7]

The Dominican Republic has UNESCO World Heritage sites and many traditions on UNESCO’s intangible heritage lists.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} Students can compare it with its neighbors in the Caribbean on our North America page.