The Dominican Carnival

"Dancing, having fun and chasing the Devil"

Dominican Republic carnivals are a unique experience, with an origin that is a mix of European carnivals and African rites.

First written references date back from 1520, when Fray Bartolome de las Casas visited the island. At that time, the inhabitants of La Vega Vieja, dressed as Moors and Christians and celebrated some festivities that evolved into current day festivals.



As of today, they are held with most intensity the last weekend of February, when the streets are full of joy and dances. Depending of the region, in some places carnival is celebrated every weekend during February or even the beginning of March. Very often they go well beyond what is usual in other countries, and end up overlapping Easter and lasting until the Independence (February 27th) and Restoration (August 16th) Days, with which they are often associated, rather than with medieval carnestolendas. Other, different dates exist in some cities that celebrate their own carnival, but always with the same creativity and enthusiasm that can be seen in February all across the nation. These "different" carnivals often have a stronger african origin, and are called Cimarrón carnivals.

Cities with a reputation of having the best Carnivals are:

La Vega

For years and years the La Vega carnival kept distinctly Spanish features, with a lot of theatrality, dances of Spanish origin and the colorful costumes of the Diablos Cojuelos (Limping Devils) which are a medieval representation of the devil.

Every Sunday during the month of February, the Limping Devils come to the streets, armed with dried cow bladders and hitting everyone who dares come down to the street, but always respecting those who stay in the walkway.

This picturesque colonial heritage has been transformed by the African presence, where strong Cuban migration, and the presence of people from La Vega's poorer neighborhoods have played an important role.

Montecristi

Montecristi has a beautiful carnival tradition, peculiar and extraordinarily symbolic, mainly expressed in Los Toros (The Bulls) as central characters, and their fights with the Civiles. This is a true combat with whips, where the fighters try to make their opponents fall to the ground.

Toros (Bulls) wear a mask and colorful padded costumes, which protect them from their opponent's whips. Civiles, on the other hands must wear shorts and T-shirts. The winner is the one who best resist their enemies's hits or manages to take them to the ground.

San Pedro de Macorís

Declared Cultural Heritage of the World by the Unesco, the Macoris carnival features the Guloyas, devils wearing colorful disguises decorates with small mirrors. With their whips and cow bladders, they dance to the rithm of flutes, drums and cowbells.
Thedance itself comes from the British Antilles, from where many of the city's inhabitants are originary.

Santiago de los Caballeros


In working class neighborhoods, particularly La Joya and Los Pepines, is where one of the most authentic carnivals of the country are originated. Joyeros and Pepineros colorfully dressed fight each other, following a long-dated tradition of rivality.