Ministry of Culture Gives Conference on Dominican Carnival

Ministry of Culture Gives Conference on Dominican Carnival
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 2/8/2013

The Culture Ministry’s National Directorate of Folklore held a conference on “Popular Reading of the Ethnic Components of Dominican Carnival” under the direction of the anthropologist Lenin Paulino, who established that these celebrations,which have been going on since colonial days, systematically renew and reinvent on a regular basis while maintaining the basic carnival elements despite attempts to suppress them.

The conference was promoted as part of the activitiesrelated to the first carnival in Colonial City. Manuela Feliz, deputy director of Folklore, introduced Mr. Paulino.

The conference was promoted as part of the activitiesrelated to the first carnival in Colonial City. Manuela Feliz, deputy director of Folklore, introduced Mr. Paulino.

In his speech,Paulinosaid that despite the fact that the majority of cities around the country put on a colorful carnival display with the various characters, the February National Carnival Parade is the one that attracts the most attention among the population, given the large number of floats and dance troupes that participate.

He said that categories like “robalagallina” (chicken thief) and “califé” (caliph) are from the beginning of the 20th century, according to research carried out byDagobertoTejeda, the late FradiqueLizardo and Carlos Andújar, among others.

He stressed that carnivals have been an object of research as a sociological topic. There are also carnivals held on August 16th and others around Christmas time, such is the Los Guloyas de San Pedro de Macorís. Each of these celebrations have their own characteristics and peculiarities.

He said there is an endless amount of creativity in these activities as expressed in the large numbers of social groups that get involved with the creations, their outfits, costumes and masks, all of which form part of a vision that seeks to interpret the reality of the nation.

“The carnival provides an outlet for the many popular sectors to express themselves on various topics that include social change and aspirations which, at certain times, the Dominican people feel and express,” explained Paulino.

As such, he recommended that people continue to study dance, drama, music and creativity that all form part of the various disciplines so that people can continue multiplying the proposals and enrichment of the popular Dominican carnivals.


Lenin Paulino.


Lenin Paulino and Manuela Feliz