![]() The most popular Carnival devils and groups from the thirty-one provinces descend on the Malecón (the city’s seafront boulevard) and compete for national prizes. No two parades will be the same, allowing you to hop around the entire month across the DR’s thirty-one provinces to see the range in roots and traditions.Ĭarnival ends the first Sunday in March with the grand Desfile Nacional, or National Parade in Santo Domingo-on the heels of Independence Day celebrations. In addition, parades include Dominican folklore personalities and comparsas groups in varying costumes, with specific messages that range from the comical to the political. If you don’t see some form of devil at Carnival, you’re not in the Dominican Republic. Why is it limping? The legend says that this devil was so mischievous that it was banished and pushed down to Earth, and left with an injured leg turned lame. Although former dictator Rafael Trujillo prioritized the “social carnivals” for the elite and created separation of the classes with private club performances, the Dominican people rose above and turned it into a celebration for all.Įach city or province has its main Carnival character: a limping devil or diablo cojuelo with respective masks. The cities with the oldest Carnival traditions in the country are Santo Domingo, La Vega, Santiago, Montecristi, and Cabral. From the more Taíno influenced north coast costumes to the African influenced southwest, it’s a vibrantly cheerful part of the Dominican Republic’s history, culture, and people. Diversity is indeed the cornerstone of Carnival in the DR. Over the years, it turned into a Dominican version comprised of characters that tell the history, and folklore of the country’s various provinces, and reflect Dominicans’ mixed heritage. It metamorphosed after contact with indigenous and African influences, as residents used it to make fun of the colonial masters in their elaborate costumes. Photo © Lebawit Lily Girma.Ī tradition that dates back to the Spaniards, who brought it to the island in the 15th century, Carnaval Dominicano is the oldest carnival in the Caribbean region. ![]() ![]() Carnival celebrations unite Dominicans from all walks of life and of all ages. They continue every Sunday of the month, culminating with Independence Day festivities on February 27. Parades kick off in the country’s main regions and cities pre-Lent on the first Sunday of February. Carnival celebrations unite Dominicans from all walks of life and of all ages as everyone takes to the streets as participant or spectator. The single biggest celebration of culture in the Dominican Republic takes place during the month of February.
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