There are many traditions in the Dominican Republic (D.R.), but there is one in particular that everyone really likes because of the symbols, colors, and festivities. It is called Carnaval Dominicano which means “Dominican Carnival.” This fantastic event brings tourists from all over the world. People start getting ready for it months ahead of time because it requires a lot of time and preparation.
In different parts of the Dominican Republic the carnival is celebrated at different times throughout the year. The carnival has different meanings depending on the month that it is celebrated. For instance, in the month of March the celebration is known as the month of purification. In the months of February and August the celebration represents liberty for the Dominican Republic.
The origin of the carnival is closely entwined with its history. Beginning in the year 1844 the Dominican Republic began to win its independence from years of control by other countries. These countries included Spain and Haiti. The independence gave such a sense of patriotism to the people that to remember it the celebration of Carnaval Dominicano which means Dominican Carnival evolved.
Over the years the celebration has added characters to the carnival. For instance, today’s character called Roba la Gallina originated in the early Haitian’s occupation of the country. As the story goes, a woman of the village complained to the governor that a soldier had stolen one of her hens. The governor ordered the thief caught and then the man was covered with feathers. Then he was beaten with a stick as he was paraded to the street of LaVega. This Roba la Gallina (robber of the chicken) today is represented by a man dressed as a woman with feathers and jewelry. He is paraded down the street to begin the carnival at 9 am in the morning. He generally asks store owners for contributions such as money or candy and then shares the items given him with children that follow him.
Other characters became part of the carnival from other folklore stories. For example, the Diablo Cojuelo legend says that he is a demon that was banished to earth because he was such a prankster. When he was banished, he landed awkwardly on his leg and fell. The term Cojuelo in Spanish means to walk with a limp. When this character walks in the parade, he generally does so with a limp. He walks beside the figure known as La Muerte (death) who wears the classical skull and bones attire and holds a scythe.
The devils are called Diablo Cojuelos and are so amazing in their colorful costumes. The costume consists of a mask, suit, and balloons (begigas). The pants suit is very colorful with touches of red, yellow, green, white, and other colors. In addition to the bright colors, the suit is covered with mirrors and embellished with beads. Some of the suits have little tiny balloons around the pant legs to add detail and fun for the little children who walk around to hit them.
The Dominican celebrators share their mixed cultural heritage which imparts its own unique style. Some of the cultures originated from the Negro slave era, the Spanish, the French, as well as other European cultures. Each region or community adds its own touch of color and flavor. At the carnival time the Dominican people share their joyous warmth, humility, and passion for friendship. Many characters enrich the popular celebrations with unlimited color; however, the most popular and the most appreciated are the devils.
The characters during the carnival wear masks. The masks can be shaped in various ways. There are some that look like a scary creature with horns. Others have beautiful flowers on the horns and therefore are loaded with a lot of details. Masks that are professionally made are related to the cattle farming culture in the Dominican Republic. Animal parts that are leftovers from the slaughterhouse in Santiago are used. These parts can be the horns, teeth, and hides. They play a large role in the materials that go into the making of the masks in preparation for the carnival.
To make the masks requires certain steps. First of all, clay is taken from a river near the slaughterhouse in Santiago in the Dominican Republic. This clay is used to form a mold which is then baked and dried in the sun. The mold for the horns is formed around the leftover horns from the slaughterhouse. These molds can then be used over and over again. Inside the mold are placed several layers of paper which are usually brown paper bags to form the masks. Generally, yucca starch is cooked into a paste and then preserved with lime juice which is used to prevent the mix from spoiling in the heat.
After the mask has been polished, it is ready to be painted. This is usually done using household oil paint. The paint is applied to the masks with brush strokes. Pieces of foam are then attached to the inside of the masks to accommodate the faces of those who wear them and to make them more comfortable. After that plastic bands are attached to the sides to support the head. Then the mask is ready for the carnival and to be sold to the buyers.
This great tradition of celebrating Carnaval Dominicano in the Dominican Republic brings tourists, color, food, and festivities to the D.R. The masks play a very important role in the carnival as well as the suits. The hard work that is put into the masks is well worth the effort for the Dominican people. The masks are a perfect symbol of the varied heritage for the cultural celebration of the independence of the Dominican Republic. One of the coolest things about the carnival is how every region can add their touch of color and flavor that makes the celebration so unique to each region.
