Cristóbal Colon and the DR history

Caonabo

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I wonder how the Dominican population feels about Christopher Columbus being that so much atrocities were committed against the Tainos. It would not surprise me if the Dominicans do not feel resentment against Columbus because of their “Spanish” heritage.

Thoughts?

Dominicans currently feel more resentment towards the PLD, than Cristóbal Colón.
 

Caonabo

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Ambivalent. It is supposedly bad luck to say his name.

In which region?
Same could be said for Trujillo. It tends to be region and generational specific.
Keep in mind today's generation revises everything to fit their particular narrative.
 

NALs

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Thank you for the history lesson, but I think you missed my point.
He drew the first partial shoreline of Hispaniola from looking at the shore from a boat. Most people today probably are challenged in drawing part of the shoreline of Hispaniola even looking at satellite images.
 
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Chirimoya

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In which region?
Same could be said for Trujillo. It tends to be region and generational specific.
Keep in mind today's generation revises everything to fit their particular narrative.
It's not a regional thing but a cultural attitude towards Columbus, as described in this article. To paraphrase for those who don't read Spanish, his name is synonymous with bad luck or a curse ("fucú"). Some people touch wood at the mention of his name to stave off bad luck. Others don't write down his name or say it out loud but call him "the Admiral" or "the Discoverer."
El sólo nombre de este personaje de la Historia que no se sabe dónde nació y cuyo lugar de reposo eterno es puesto en duda, es tenido por muchos como sinónimo de mala suerte o fucú, como popularmente se dice. Cuando se menciona la palabra Colón no son pocos los que dan tres toques en madera o cruzan los dedos para espantar la mala suerte. Otros no escriben ni pronuncian por nada del mundo ese nombre y se refieren a su dueño como el Almirante o el Descubridor.
 
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Fulano2

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I would totally agree with this statement BUT try telling that to present day protestors that wish to tear down "history" to the bone. As you well know I'm sure, the history book, monuments, speeches. essays, regarding just one part of the "south" in the US (just to use as an example to the DR post) are shredded and torn down everyday. I do think this will carry forward to all parts of the world. WHY (?) because there are many agendas that wish to destroy the stability , or lack of it, of a country. Why not DR? Their "fruit" is perfectly ripe right now.
I wonder what they really want in the countries outside the USA. Apologies? OK , done in a
second. And then? Racism is not allowed in most countries (well in South Africa it is no problem at the moment, not mentioned by the way) so what else can be done.
“Back to work please!”, oh wait.....
 
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Chirimoya

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Is that translation real, or a joke? I don't see it on Google translate. If it's real though, it's extremely appropriate!
It's not a translation. I paraphrased the extract and referenced the local word which is not likely to be understood by Google translate as it's not a mainstream Spanish word for curse. That would be maldición. However, if you search on the terms fucu (or fuku) Christopher Columbus you'll find it mentioned in articles like this one, from 1992, which examines the complicated legacy of Colombus in the DR in the context of the Faro and the quincentennial celebrations of the time.

To many supporters and opponents of the lighthouse alike, that Mr. Balaguer's long-cherished project should be so bitterly opposed is not surprising given a longstanding and widely held belief, known as a fucu, or curse, that anything bearing the name Columbus will bring enduring trouble.

Trujillo is said to have awarded the Order of Columbus to over-ambitious rivals soon to be pushed aside. The superstition was reinforced by an accident at the ground-breaking of the lighthouse site in 1948 when a boulder fell on the car of the presiding officials, though no one was hurt.

"The fucu is part of our folklore much like merengue," said Mr. Morales, head of the Fifth Centennial celebrations. "It is something to do, something to talk about, but I don't believe it. This lighthouse is the symbol of the man who has revolutionized history more than anyone since Jesus Christ, and once they get over their orgy of criticisms, everyone will love it."

The same search yielded several other mentions in history books about the DR, articles, and even a thread on the DR1 Forums. Junot Díaz famously wrote that he searched for the term fucú on the DR1 forums when writing The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
"A couple weeks ago, while I was finishing this book, I posted the thread fuku on the DR1 forum, just out of curiosity. These days I'm nerdy like that. The talkback blew the **** up. You should see how many responses I've gotten. They just keep coming in. And not just from Domos. The Puertorocks want to talk about fukus, and the Haitians have some **** just like it. There are a zillion of these fuku stories. Even my Mother, who almost never talks about Santo Domingo, has started sharing hers with me".
 

MarJD

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I love our Dominican history and everything that has shaped it. The first thing we learned in history class was the voyage of Christopher Columbus and the beginnings of the country since his arrival, as well as the Tainos life and history. What Americans are doing with his statues in the US will not happen in DR.
 

mobrouser

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.........The same search yielded several other mentions in history books about the DR, articles, and even a thread on the DR1 Forums. Junot Díaz famously wrote that he searched for the term fucú on the DR1 forums when writing The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

"A couple weeks ago, while I was finishing this book, I posted the thread fuku on the DR1 forum, just out of curiosity. These days I'm nerdy like that. The talkback blew the **** up. You should see how many responses I've gotten. They just keep coming in. And not just from Domos. The Puertorocks want to talk about fukus, and the Haitians have some **** just like it. There are a zillion of these fuku stories. Even my Mother, who almost never talks about Santo Domingo, has started sharing hers with me".

This is not the first time I've seen that quote here on DR1, but for the life of me I haven't been able to find the thread any time I search, even using the different spellings. Do you have a link?

While searching again today I did find this:

Zafa!

Because the name, Christopher Columbus, is considered by many to be like a curse word, there is a counter to it, which is to say "Zafa". Indeed his coming has seemed a curse to many, while to many others it has been fortunate. It did, in any case, change the whole world forever, and introduce Christianity to the Western Hemisphere. The very first church is the one in Santo Domingo.
 

Chirimoya

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This is not the first time I've seen that quote here on DR1, but for the life of me I haven't been able to find the thread any time I search, even using the different spellings. Do you have a link?
When the book came out we wondered about that too. There are threads that mention fucu/fuku but none appear to have been started by JD.
 
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DR celebrates Independence from Haiti, not Spain.
The DR reverted to being a Spanish colony during the Restauración, which was from March 1861 to March 1865. It also became independent from the US in Oct 1922 after the US landed in May 1916
The US invaded again in 1965 and left the following year.
 
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Despite the aversion to Colón, the DR built the world's least photogenic ,landmark to him, the Faro a Colón in Sto. Domingo Este.
If you want a picturesque photo if it, you will need a drone. It was an obsession by JUan Balaguer.
 

KyleMackey

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The DR reverted to being a Spanish colony during the Restauración, which was from March 1861 to March 1865. It also became independent from the US in Oct 1922 after the US landed in May 1916
The US invaded again in 1965 and left the following year.
True, the Americans taught the Dominicans how to play beisboll. And DR celebrates Independence from.........
 

Chellow

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One reason DR celebrates Independence from Haiti, is due to the genocide committed in 1805 and after 1822 by Haiti.
 

Mr Deal HD

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Despite the aversion to Colón, the DR built the world's least photogenic ,landmark to him, the Faro a Colón in Sto. Domingo Este.
If you want a picturesque photo if it, you will need a drone. It was an obsession by JUan Balaguer.

It was designed by a Scott (Scotland) and built with funds from several Latin American countries. It’s only located in the DR, it’s not Dominican. 😉
 

pgolivares

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DR celebrates Independence from Haiti, not Spain.

Random historical notes....

I just found out that had the Gran Colombia agreed to annex the DR on 1821-22 when Sto Dgo requested it, the DR would not had been taken over by Haiti in 1822.


While doing some reach on the Restoration war (1863-1864) I read how underhanded were the DR revels forces (17k) compared to the Spaniards (62k) and they still won. Spain did give up on trying to keep the DR due in part to the possibility that the US might help the DR now that the US civil war had ended.

 

Caonabo

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I truly hope that while you do your "reach" (research?), you utilize resources other than Wikipedia. There are many works which cover the events from different perspectives and will be helpful for you. Try to avoid revisionist history. Contrasting viewpoints are helpful in gaining a broader view of a topic. Simply changing the facts to fit popular current narratives do not.
 

pgolivares

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Apr 9, 2010
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DR celebrates Independence from Haiti, not Spain.

I just found out that had the Gran Colombia agreed to annex the DR on 1821-22 when Sto Dgo requested it, the DR would not had been taken over by Haiti in 1822.



While doing some reach on the Restoration war I read how underhanded were the DR revels/forces (17k) compared to the Spaniards (62k).