Strong Connection to Language
As a whole, many people in the Hispanic community have a close connection to their language and identify with other people through a shared native tongue. For some Afro-Latinos, they don’t consider people who don’t share their same native tongue to truly share their roots or rich heritage; causing them to ignore their African roots. This type of logic is also why many people of Haiti identify as Black but people in the Dominican Republic, which is nestled directly beside Haiti, don’t. People of Haiti speak Creole, and people in the Dominican Republic speak Spanish.
Black is a sleeping giant; be very afraid, when it wakes up.
Extremely bias and racist towards Dominicans.
Smh..
I was a loyal reader of your website and even encouraged many of my friends to read and follow your page, but as a person who is of Dominican heritage I'm really disappointed with the very misinformed opinion you have about people of the Dominican Republic. I am America, but moved to my parents home country and stayed there 6 years. I have read many articles in your page that really spread lies about the Dominican Republic, its history and culture. It seems that you base your misinformed opinions on the documentary Black in Latin America which is full of lies and misinformation.
First of all one of your articles labeled Dominican Republic one of the worst places for black people to live. Thats really untrue I have many African America friend who live and visit Dom.Rep. and they love it. In Dom.Rep. you will never be treated poorly because of your skin color. The issue with Haiti has nothing to do with color but with the history of the Island. Dom.Rep. had to fight numerous battles to be free from Haiti. Many people distrust Haitians because they feel they may be planning another invasion. Dom.Rep does a lot for Haiti, any time they have disasters Dom.Rep has been the country to provide the most aid to Haiti as well as even building a university for them and they even allow children in border towns to cross over and go to school in Dom.Rep. But the media choose to focus and spread lies instead of report the truth.
As far as Dominicans being in denial of their African roots, that's a lie. Dominican culture is closer to Africa culture than African American culture is. My fiance is Nigeria and Domincan food is very similar to west African food, plantains, yuca, batata even rice and the sofrito we use to cook. And even one of the religion, Santeria is based on the Yoruba Gods. Not only are we aware of our roots but I we can even narrow down our roots to a specific tribe because we have kept these traditions.
Is sad that instead of learning from different cultures and embracing them you choose to put them down. "Africa Americans" have a long way to go. You people need to break free from all the hate and start learn who your real enemy and stop labeling yourselves and other groups.
The problem is when you want to exchange ideas here….they don't want to educate themselves…Why not speak on racism towards Hispanics ?…Most Blacks are very welcoming toward s Dominicans and Hispanics…but some are very disrespectful
Nobody speaks of the racism we encounter from African American and European Americans
Interesting points indeed. I also think that our African brothers and sisters in the Spanish speaking countries of America are sort of like excluded from Africa because, Very little of Africa speaks Spanish. Two to three countries speak Portugeuse, from the rest about half understand and use French and half can understand and use English. Wendy Borbon here seems different, I gues it's because she got herself a Nigerian brother!
These articles are written from a purely African American perspective of what "black" should be defined of. How are latinos supposed to "recognize" their blackness? Just because the one drop rule defines race in the United States, this doesn't mean that people of African descent all over the world have to follow suit. Do African Americans recognize their white heritage? If anything, African American culture is less truthful in regards to this because the rule is no matter how mixed you may be, you are supposed to act like you are 100% black. People like Gates need to respect other people's cultures and understand that so called blackness does not have to be defined or recognized in just one way.
Rashid Allen Gates didn't disrespect anybody's culture. He just reported on how Dominicans do not identify with Black ancestry and why! It's a fact.
I lived in the Dominican Republic for a year and the author is spot on. I been all over the country and through lack of education, many Dominican people don't identify with African ancestry. Also, the government continues to systematically oppress dominicans of haitian ancestry or haitian people. The author didn't put anybody down and with the food, I'm pretty sure Dominicans don't know like you said the foods that are eaten in West Africa are same for DR. Also, you said DR does a lot for Haitians, well how about the government give documented "Dominicans of Haitian descent" national IDs, so they can have the same opportunities as so called Dominicans…
I assume the author is Black American and doesn't have the power to be a racist. They are stating what exist in DR which is true more than not. There are no Black or African heroes in DR, but DR honors Juan Pablo Duarte. I hope Trujillo not your hero….
The truth hurts.
David Diaz Racism is who controls the money, power, and resources and Blacks in America control lilttle to nothing. If you are experiencing some inequality or hate, I don't condone it from Black Americans or any other group.
yo soy de Mexico leo esta pagina con mucho interés y es verdad en america latina hay mucha sangre Afro pero en los ultimos años se esta aprendiendo mucho de la raiz africana con orgullo :3.
To Brandon Russell, stfu! You say reading is fundamental than maybe you should start doing it. You know nothing about Dominican culture or history yet have the nerve to be passing judgement and making ignorant comments. Juan Pablo Duarte was a Dominican and he lead the revolution that free Dominicans. If you actually read about Dominican history instead of just pull some names from Wiki to try to sound smart and spread your racist comments you would know why Dominican mulattos . I wish Trujillo was aroud to take out stupid fools like you!
Wendy Borbon I just told you I lived in Dominican Republic for a year. I just got back in the states! Free Dominicans, from who exactly? Lets talk about it because I know the history! Don't say Haitians. ..and again the author said some Latinos don't identify with with African ancestry and I've met plenty in DR that don't mention anything about African people. They have no African heroes.
I think some of you should get the dummy award.
Brandon Russell you are full of shit! You are lying about living it DR just to seem like you know something, EVERYTHING!!!! EVERYTHING you have stated above is FAULTS!! REALLY READ A BOOK!!! I could never debate with someone as igorant as you. The level of stupidity is unbelievable. I feel sorry for you.
People speaking on culture they know nonthing about.
Wendy Borbon Nope, wrong again. Just left Puerto Plata a few weeks ago… My girlfriend, Haitian, but Dominican-born has lived in DR all her life. So I'm very aware of the systematic oppression that goes on in DR and the lack of true history and Black education that's not being taught! I been to plenty of provinces in between Puerto Plata and Caberete…stayed buying groceries at La Sirenas Superercado in Puerto Plata! Also visited many times to Santiago, Las Terrenas, Semana, Santo Domingo over the course of a year from 2013 to 2014. Oh went to Haiti too. We don't play games this way….
Brandon Russell oh visiting a county a few times makes you a really expert!!! People always what to attack DR when the real systematic problem is in Haiti. Again READ A BOOK!!! Next time you go to DR visit a Museum, maybe you will learn something. Or if its so unpleasant stay the fuck out!!! And get a life cause you seem to spend a lot of time here.
Brandon Russell You are discussing!! People like you give black Americans a bad name. When I lived in DR I would see so many men like you go to Puerto Plata for sex tourism which is probably how you met your "girlfriend". That's what men go to Puerto Plata for!! I'm sure the local hookers taught you all about history!!! Slavery ended in DR before America was even a county, people started mixing races in DR more that 500 years ago. Again READ A BOOK!!! You are doing so much for your race and for racism in your own country by going to foreign countries and exploiting women. You are a racist and you seem to have Willie Lynch syndrome cause it sad that you feel the need to past judgement and make racist comments about a whole group of people without even knowing the history. Some Dominican hooker must have broken your heart :_( I'm not going to continue this with you,GET a life and since you just left Puerto Plata get an STD test!!
"Virgen de Altagracia"…"Dios Santo"…is Dominican slang"…which losely means "good lawd"…If anything mos of you are of Eurocentric mindset just like most WP…"poorly educated" (degrees is not real education)….The African culture is far stronger in the D.R. and Puerto Rico then in the U.S.A. Our music….culture…foods….our mood of speaking….the list goes on…Also, please explain to me which fools created the "paper brown test"…and Colorism is African America dirty little secret….All bcuz some of you read Dr. John Henrick Clarke books does not give you wisdom…
Wendy Borbon How old you are? It's the way you talk. You can't even have a decent conversation. My gf don't need to prostitute. I don't doubt that most men go to Sosua, to trick off , but what does that have to do with the conversation when I clearly stated I been all over DR. What are talking about exploiting women. That's a claim you made. I LIVED with my gf and her family for a year. NO AC, eating fcking arroz y pollo every damn day. Don't play me. I don't sit one place, if I got the money and time, I'll visit wherever my passport is accepted! Racism is who controls the power, money, and resources at the expense of another group. Black man has never systematically oppressed any one in history. You're calling me a racist because I said that Dominicans don't get the true history, but yet you told me that you hope Trujillo was alive???? It's pointless to even go back and forth with you. I research true history backed by facts! Since we're talking about book reading, Dr. David Imhotep's book titled "First Americans Were Africans: Documented Evidence"..youtube his 8min interview and listen to him discuss his findings backed by evidence. TITLE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF….I'll break it down, not only did human kind originate in Africa, these Black Africans sailed to the Americas before any other group! #Facts…that has nothing to do with racism or being a racist. The author said SOME people in latin speaking american countries don't identify with African ancestry and you're mad at that???? You unbelievable!
Lmao..you ever left your zip code ?
http://www.amazon.com/American-Holocaust-The-Conquest-World/dp/0195085574
Lots of misinformation here. First there is plenty of black (If you define black as anyone with African ancestry) heroes in our country honored with statues and our bills Francisco del Rosario Sanchez one of our funding fathers was black, also Salome Urena, Gregorio Luperon… but in the eyes of AA if they don't have obvious features that identify them as black they can think they are not recognized as such when in DR calling someone white, black, moreno has to do with outside traits not race. We assume everyone has relatives of various races since that is our historical reality. Mulatto/Mixed people had been the majority for centuries in our country so again you need to take that in account if you are going to count who are we honoring. Also the 1% having European blood is part of the same issue because all mulattos/mixed have European ancestry too. And this is not some sort of historical propaganda you can go to the average Dominican household and find that the darkest couple have a very white looking kid that took after a grandparent and the other way around the lighter couple with a very dark skinned kid that took after an aunt. We are black but also mixed with other races and at this point in time demanding that we define ourselves by international standards is not going to help unity.
The Haitian case is explained by a history of invasion and war http://www.blackpast.org/gah/haitian-invasions-and-occupation-santo-domingo-1801-1844.
Not to pick on Dominicans, but since many are commenting, there needs to be some major corrections. Firstly, slavery in DR didn't end 500 years ago, it officially ended during the Haitian "occupation"in DR some where between 1820-1840. At this time, slaves were freed, and the Haitian constitution banned slavery in DR, and many whites and "freed"mulattos'(boule) during this period owned slaves. The boule and whites weren't happy with this and ousted the Haitian's and prevented Haitians from "re-colonizing"DR by agreeing to be a protectorate of their former slavers (Spain, France, America, etc..). To this day, DR still aligns it self with it's former slavers and distances itself from those who ended it in DR. Shameful.
David Diaz Yeah, you don't know me, but I know your countries history.
The reality is, many people of afro latin descent tend to embrace their slave master because somehow it's easier to swallow the idea of your grandmother being raped by someone who isn't black makes the pain just a little easier to digest. Another joke is , when afro latinos believe their Spanish. I've been to Spain several times, they don't speak the same Spanish and honestly, many spaniards think it's an insult to claim that their related. They don't eat habichuelas negros, platano maduro, bisteak, pernil, toastones, acalpurria etc.. That's AFRICAN FOOD people! Not Spanish. Afro Latinos should learn their history instead of running from it. How can they love Salsa, but refuse to accept its African roots? And by the way, its original name is TIMBA. Salsa simply means the "sauce" the black sauce that is, that flavors the BORING spanish music. I know there will be some"ignorant" haters out there and it's all good. I lived in Puerto Rico, been all over Latin America, been to Spain 3 times and believe this my fellow Boriquas and Dominicanos, in Spain you ARE NOT SPANISH and they do NOT claim you. Now ask yourself one question, why would love someone who does not love you?
STFU! You don't even know the history of your own country! You have no country and the only culture you can claim as your own is hip hop! Not only did I live in DR for 6 year but I attended college there worked as a teacher so I know Dominican history from a real prospective not the garbage people learn about DR here.