Dominicans and racism

[NALs]

You know what? I didn't say that I spent a lot of time checking out politicians. I made of point of saying I don't know much about the subject. I simply made a statement as to what pique'd my interest. (and we know you all keep wondering why anyone would be interested in the subject) A short trip. an observation about billboards I happened to see. (many of which I'm sure are advertising campaigns used throughout Latin America). seems people are always looking to pick an argument on this forum . . . Really, get over yourselves.

I'm also sure most advertisements you see in the DR are advertising goods and services that are completely out of range for most people.

I mean, how dare American Airlines advertise their services on billboard on Sadhal? Avenue in Santiago when they know most people can't afford to buy a one way ticket, let alone round trip to anywhere.

How about the billboards on Jim?nez Moy? avenue in SD advertising a beach resort? Most people can't afford to spend a weekend in such places, what are they thinking!!!

How dare Burger King advertises their burgers when many people can't afford that.

And advertising McMuffins? Hello!!!! Most people eat mang? for breakfast!

Oh oh oh, and don't get me started with that Carrefour billboard next to Unicentro Plaza.

And why does Ocean World advertises in English only, even when the billboard is in places where mostly Spanish speaking people will see it?

And what is wrong with Orange putting Mulatto and Blacks on their advertisements? Isn't the DR suppose to have white people only on those things?

And why is the government putting Black kids with braids with the Dominican flag painted on their face on many billboards?

Oh, and Mercedes Benz advertising their stuff also? Ugh!

Hmmm.... maybe because the advertising is directed towards a particular market segment and not to everyone that sees such advertising is the target.

Duh!

-NALs :cheeky:

 

[Frank the Tank]

We are one step closer to having a closed thread. This seems to be headed nowhere.

 

[Chirimoya]

The OP wanted to know about attitudes towards the Cocolos, the immigrants from the British West Indies who settled in the south eastern DR in the late 19th/early 20th century. This has not been discussed ad nauseam like the Dominican-Haitian question.

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist". It can be found in a book called 'Voices of the Diaspora - stories and testimonies of Dominican immigrant women'. The article, about growing up in San Pedro de Macor?s is called The Goliaths, by Ana Ofelia Rodr?guez. Interesting also to learn the origin of the word Guloya.

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

The OP wanted to know about attitudes towards the Cocolos, the immigrants from the British West Indies who settled in the south eastern DR in the late 19th/early 20th century. This has not been discussed ad nauseam like the Dominican-Haitian question.

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist". It can be found in a book called 'Voices of the Diaspora - stories and testimonies of Dominican immigrant women'. The article, about growing up in San Pedro de Macor?s is called The Goliaths, by Ana Ofelia Rodr?guez. Interesting also to learn the origin of the word Guloya.

Thank you sooooo much Chirimoya. I need to check that out. I tried to Google both but got nothing. Do you have any links or info on where I can find it?

By the way, thank you for recognizing that. I tried to repeat it that I am not really concerned about the Haitian-Dominican strife. I know about that. I want to know more about the history between the native Dominicans and those from the eastern Caribbean where my own family came from.

Frank, it CAN go somewhere. Have faith, man. lol

 

[Thandie]

By the way, thank you for recognizing that. I tried to repeat it that I am not really concerned about the Haitian-Dominican strife. I know about that. I want to know more about the history between the native Dominicans and those from the eastern Caribbean where my own family came from.

Frank, it CAN go somewhere. Have faith, man. lol

Yes some will recognize what you actually and CLEARLY said like Chir and myself, without turning your quest into a HaitianDominicn strife which it obviously isnt.
If you use the search button you will see that some people have their own issues about the subject so they will only see what they want to see.
Dont let them bother you and as you said they can just ignore the thread if they are soooo tired of the subject.

 

[Chirimoya]

It's Complied (sic - they could have done with a proofreader) by Mary Ely Pe?a Gratereaux, Cayena Publications, 2008

voces

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

Thank you both.

Chi, is that book about immigrants from other places TO the Dominican Republic or immigrants FROM the Dominican Republic to other places OR immigrants from the Dominican Republic who are themselves descendants of people from other islands.

 

[Chirimoya]

It's a collection of essays by female Dominican immigrants in the US, and one who lives in Panama.

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

It's a collection of essays by female Dominican immigrants in the US, and one who lives in Panama.

Gotcha! Thanks again.

 

[Chirimoya]

The OP wanted to know about attitudes towards the Cocolos, the immigrants from the British West Indies who settled in the south eastern DR in the late 19th/early 20th century. This has not been discussed ad nauseam like the Dominican-Haitian question.

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist". It can be found in a book called 'Voices of the Diaspora - stories and testimonies of Dominican immigrant women'. The article, about growing up in San Pedro de Macor?s is called The Goliaths, by Ana Ofelia Rodr?guez. Interesting also to learn the origin of the word Guloya.

Apologies for quoting my own post but I just wanted to clarify that in the second paragraph I was talking about the use of the term Cocolo. What I meant to write was:

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use the term Cocolo in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist".​

That's what I get for making catty remarks about proofreaders.:cheeky:

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

Apologies for quoting my own post but I just wanted to clarify that in the second paragraph I was talking about the use of the term Cocolo. What I meant to write was:

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use the term Cocolo in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist".​

That's what I get for making catty remarks about proofreaders.:cheeky:

No prob. Come to think of it, my posts on here are so far and few between, I think a few posts on that term came up in another thread I started here before.
My apologies if I either repeated myself or caused folks to repeat themselves.

I'm going to see if I find it.

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

Ok Chi, I found that thread but I also realize you responded in it.

THREAD

 

[NALs]

Apologies for quoting my own post but I just wanted to clarify that in the second paragraph I was talking about the use of the term Cocolo. What I meant to write was:

One observation: although in my experience Dominicans generally use the term Cocolo in a neutral manner, I recently read an article by a Dominican-American woman who considered it "pejorative and racist".​

That's what I get for making catty remarks about proofreaders.:cheeky:

Not just Dominicans, the entire Spanish speaking Caribbean (fancy way to include Puerto Rico and Cuba) uses the term with no malice to identify descendants of British West Indians. Heck, the Cocolos themselves use it with pride. All three islands have a history with the Cocolos tied to surprise surprise, sugar!

-NALs

 

[Chirimoya]

Ok Chi, I found that thread but I also realize you responded in it.

THREAD

Yes, but on that occasion my contributions were food-related.

Yaniqueques and dompl?nes are the best known Dominican cocolo foods - are there any others?

 

[Mujermaravilla]

I think you will find that many people are in your situation

I had a client who had Dominican cousins. They had the same last name as their fathers were brothers but they could not communicate because the cousins didn?t speak any English and my client couldn?t speak any Spanish. I think he was from Jamaica.

While in college I had a friend who was from the Virgin Islands. He often traveled to DR because he had cousins there. This guy looked exactly like my friend Raul, whose father is a descendant of cocolos.

My husband?s grandfather was also from an English speaking Caribbean island. He doesn?t know which one but they are from. We are going to try and go to La Romana this summer to meet some of his extended family.

From my experience when someone uses the term cocolo in general terms is not used in a derogatory way. When used for an individual then they maybe they are just trying to say the person is really dark, and that could be neutral or negative, depends.

As a dark skin Dominican it does bother me to see most advertisement featuring light skinned people. Also I don?t like to see mostly light skinned people on television shows.
But I will say that day to day interaction with people I have never experienced racism in Dominican Republic.

I hate it when people try to generalize it?s a type of pigeon holding and stereo typing. To say that Dominicans as a people are raicist, or have a problem with color is too great of a generalization but to say there is no issues with color is also erroneous.

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

Yes, but on that occasion my contributions were food-related.

Yaniqueques and dompl?nes are the best known Dominican cocolo foods - are there any others?

Food, huh? LOL

Do you guys do Johnny cakes? That's a big thing over in the eastern Caribbean. Wait, I just Googled it and realized thatis what you guys call Yaniqueques. Interesting. Do you guys know about "sugar cake?" It's often brown and when it just made, it is gooey, sweet and has brown sugar and coconut pieces in it. What about "mutton" or goat meat? How about the bitter, fermented drink they call Maube (mah-bee) and Ginger Beer?

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

I think you will find that many people are in your situation

I had a client who had Dominican cousins. They had the same last name as their fathers were brothers but they could not communicate because the cousins didn?t speak any English and my client couldn?t speak any Spanish. I think he was from Jamaica.

While in college I had a friend who was from the Virgin Islands. He often traveled to DR because he had cousins there. This guy looked exactly like my friend Raul, whose father is a descendant of cocolos.

My husband?s grandfather was also from an English speaking Caribbean island. He doesn?t know which one but they are from. We are going to try and go to La Romana this summer to meet some of his extended family.

From my experience when someone uses the term cocolo in general terms is not used in a derogatory way. When used for an individual then they maybe they are just trying to say the person is really dark, and that could be neutral or negative, depends.

As a dark skin Dominican it does bother me to see most advertisement featuring light skinned people. Also I don?t like to see mostly light skinned people on television shows.
But I will say that day to day interaction with people I have never experienced racism in Dominican Republic.

I hate it when people try to generalize it?s a type of pigeon holding and stereo typing. To say that Dominicans as a people are raicist, or have a problem with color is too great of a generalization but to say there is no issues with color is also erroneous.

Thanks for your contribution. I love your last paragraph. By the way, can I travel in your luggage for that summer trip?

 

[Chirimoya]

Food, huh? LOL

Do you guys do Johnny cakes? That's a big thing over in the eastern Caribbean. Wait, I just Googled it and realized thatis what you guys call Yaniqueques. Interesting. Do you guys know about "sugar cake?" It's often brown and when it just made, it is gooey, sweet and has brown sugar and coconut pieces in it. What about "mutton" or goat meat? How about the bitter, fermented drink they call Maube (mah-bee) and Ginger Beer?

Sugar cake may be similar to Dominican dulce de coco. For a list of Dominican sweets see
Desserts - Beverages - Dominican Cooking

Mauby is called mab? (mab? seibano o mab? de bejuco indio) in the DR, but as both have indigenous origins this is probably a common link rather than it having been brought over by immigrants from the BWIs.

Stewed, spicy goat is also a typical Dominican dish eaten all over the country, especially the NW.
Chivo picante (Spicy goat meat) - Dominican Cooking

 

[bob saunders]

Johnny cakes, with baked beans(boston style) were very popular in the Maritime provinces in Canada as well as New England states like Maine. Long Johns too.

 

[TwentyFourSeven]

From race to food? LOL You guys are making me hungry.