Dominican Republic Culture and Traditions

Customs and traditions

According to Abbreviationfinder, “Si Dios quiere” – if God wills – is a common expression that can be said to reflect a certain fate among the Dominicans. Courtesy is considered important. You are greeted properly with a buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches, depending on the time of day.

Men in between usually apply a real handshake. Eye contact is important and shows that you are interested in your interlocutor. Women can be kissed on both cheeks. Older people are happy to be addressed with don and doña, often followed by the first name. If you want to wave someone to you, do so with your palm down and wave your fingers at it.

• Countryaah: Overview of the capital city of Dominican Republic, including information about its population, economy, geography, history and map.

Family and family are the foundation of social life, family ties mean loyalty and one is expected to stand up for each other. Social status is governed to at least as much by family ties as by assets. Older relatives are treated with reverence.

Hospitality is highly valued and a visitor is usually well cared for. Anyone who is invited as a guest is welcome to bring a gift, such as chocolate or other sweets. Gifts in black or purple should be avoided, as the colors are associated with grief. Anyone who receives a gift should open it immediately.

Punctuality is considered important but it is perfectly in order to get up to half an hour after the deadline. At the dinner table, you are happy to wait until the host has said b uen provecho (tasty meal) before you start eating. The table layout is much like in Sweden, but you can leave some food on the plate when you have finished eating. The cutlery is then placed with the handle to the right and the fork facing down.

What you wear

It is considered important to dress neatly and to stay clean and clean. Fashion and designer clothing are important to many Dominicans. Men wear long pants if they are not on the beach or doing physical work. Businessmen dress in suit or chacabana, a traditional white shirt for black pants. In the countryside, women wear skirts or dresses, but in the cities there are both jeans and short skirts. In public buildings and churches, however, shorts and linen should be avoided.

Eating habits

The main meal is eaten in the middle of the day and can take a couple of hours to enjoy. La bandera (the flag) is a national dish and consists of rice, beans and meat – the white rice and the red beans resemble colors in the flag. For that you like to eat fried food bananas, tostones – a favorite that you can also buy in street stalls. Mashed cooked food bananas are called mangú and pasteles a hoja s are banana leaves with fillings of various kinds. Sancocho is a casserole with meat, bananas and vegetables. At the coasts you eat a lot of seafood, often flavored with coconut. Sweet potatoes, yams, cassava and potatoes are staple items, but most meals also contain meat or poultry. The food is not very spicy.

Holidays

According to Countryaah, major holidays that are celebrated include the patron saint of Santa Maria de Altagracia on January 21 and the hero of independence Juan Pablo Duarte’s birthday on January 26. The independence from Haiti is celebrated on January 27, with parades and celebrations. At the beginning of November, the Constitutional Day falls. In addition, New Year’s Day, May 1 and a number of Christian holidays are celebrated.