Ministry of Culture Celebrates International Folklore Day with “Third Annual Encounter of Traditional Brotherhoods”

Santo Domingo, August 22, 2019 – The Dominican Republic´s Ministry of Culture sponsored a full weekend of national folklore, to mark International Folklore Day held every year on August 22.

This year the Ministry began its special program with the “Third Annual Encounter of Traditional Brotherhoods,” held this past weekend in Santo Domingo´s Spanish Plaza, situated in the city´s Colonial Zone.

The activity was organized by the Vice Ministry for Identity and Citizenship, coordinated by the General Folklore Directorate. The activity launched a special program organized by the Ministry of Culture on Dominican Folklore during 2019.

For this first activity, the Brotherhood “Dolorita de los Morenos,” from the community of Villa Mella Santo Domingo´s, situated on the northern edge of the capital city. The two other Brotherhoods that participated were the “San Juan Bautista” Brotherhood, from Peravia Province (from the country´s southwest region), as well as the Brotherhood of “Zarandunga de la Vereda” and the Brotherhood of the “Virgen del Carmen,” from San Cristóbal Province, situated on the southwest edge of Santo Domingo.

The details of the activities were presented by the director of the National Folklore Directorate, Reyes Moore, who also explained that the program will also include the International Areíto Folklore Festival with the participation of delegations from Colombia, Panama, Paraguay Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

The Brotherhoods are religious festivities that bring together those who worship saints from the Roman Catholic faith. It is one of the most important elements of Dominican culture.

Director Reyes Moore expressed his appreciation for the support received by the country´s Minister of Culture, Eduardo Selman. The celebration highlights the folklore of the Dominican Republic in its various manifestations. He also highlighted the support received by the Ministry of Tourism.

The term “folklore” appeared for the first time on August 22, 1846, contributed by British archaeologist William John Thomson. In 1960, UNESCO formally institutionalized International Folklore Day.

In the Dominican Republic, through Executive Decree 173-01 issued in 2001, February 10 was chosen to commemorate the country´s folkloric traditions.

For more information, please watch the following video: