What does it mean to be Dominican?

[Tom F.]

Just got back from the first night of the conference I posted about earlier on Bravenet. The focus was on the diversity, immigration and emmigration of the Dominicans. First panel had a person talk about the cocolos, chinos, arabics, Dominican women who grew up in Holland, and women. Not comprehensive being each person had only 15-20 to present. Than Silvio Torres and Ramona Hernandez (founded the Dominican Studies Institute at City College) took turns MC'ing and had many interesting comments.

Silvio started the conference asking "What does it mean to be Dominican". He feels the conference will be successful if this
question is harder to answer afterwards. The second group included a Dominican women living in Puerto Rico who presented a series of pictures of poor Dominican women in their everyday lives. Than a group from NYC played 4 songs of traditional African type music (tocando los palos).

The third group included the Vice Chancellor of City College, and State Assemblyman Espaillat (spoke about education mostly), the Rector from INTEC and they saved the best for last, Frank Moya Pons. Pons went through a 30 minute history of all the different groups of people who came and went, returned and left again. This stretched from pre-columbian times until today. He is an excellent speaker and I could of stayed all night and kept listening to him. He really shows how dynamic the Dominican Republic has been over the years. He ended his presentation by pointing out how big a influence Dominicans you have lived in other countries and returned are having on the country today and the impact of tourism and the recent flood of Europeans and Canadians who live and work in the DR. None of it was said with a negative tone but done to enlighten. He also mentioned that there are 150,000 Dominican women who live abroad who work in the sex trade.

Sorry for the mistakes, was in a hurry.

 

[SCARAMOOCH]

Tom F, This is news to me about Dominican women raised in Holland. If they would have been raised in Poland, they would have been called Poles, but since they were raised in Holland, are they calLed "HOLES??????????

 

[Tom F.]

She is an anthropoligists from the U of Amersterdam and has started her professional career researching issues around Dominican migration and self perception. Her presentation was very good and talked about her personal experiences and the difference her migration experience was to that of Dominicans who come to NYC.

 

[Tom F.]

I may be wrong.

As pointed out on Bravenet, my statement about Moya Pons presentation and 150,000 women working in the sex trade may have been misunderstood. After thinking about it, it does seem too high and since Spanish is my second language, I may have made a mistake. I will ask today and do not want to put words into anyone's mouth.

 

[Bobs]

No, they are called Dutch, and therefore under the protection of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
See, scarawhatever, your lack of intelligence and respect (for your Dominican sisters) is what got you thrown off this forum before.
I am familiar with the work Tom is refering to. Anthropologist, University of Amsterdam, Caribbean Studies, Dominican mother, Father born Netherlands Antilles. Her work greatly dedicated to the migration of Dominicans (especially women) to Antilles and later to Europe. Of importance to a.o. streetcorner workers handling (second generation) youth in Holland.
Sorry, have to switch on the TV now to watch the Latino program on saturday with Dominican Raffy D., Dominican club El Platanal,Bachata videoclips etc. etc.

 

[Tom F.]

I was right.

Got verification today that the number was correct.

 

[SCARAMOOCH]

NOT MUCH TO BE SAID

Tom, there is not much to be said about Dominicans as a whole if its true that there is that number of hookers abroad. I just spoke to my brother that is there visiting, and he told me that the whole Dominican mentality is to live (aran~ando). If you add in equal part the drug dealers, scammer, thieves,bums etc. and is estimated that there are 1 million Dominican here in the US,that mean that 1 out of 2 Dominicans fall in that category and also its an indicator of what type of people Dominicans are as a whole, that half of the population there can not be trusted.

 

[SCARAMOOCH]

DOMINICAN SISTER??????

Head Bob, first of all I don't have any Dominican sister hooking abroad, second of all sycophant people like you and kiss asses that egged it on got me kicked out, but I notice I was a choir boy compare to what's now on the forum. Yes I know they are called Dutch. But I was simple alluring to the diminutive, for example if you are from Finnland , you are called a Finn, if you are from Sweden , you are called a Swede, if you are from Poland you are called a Pole. Now would it not be obvious that if you were from Holland you be called a "hole" If you don't find the humor in this take a laugh pill or smoke a joint.

 

[Tom F.]

Re: NOT MUCH TO BE SAID

Officially there are about 1 million Dominicans living in the US. I heard mentioned numbers like 10,000 in Puerto Rico and 40,000 in Spain this weekend, but I'm not sure of the numbers in other countries. The children of these people born outside the country are not counted.

I think, around 650,000 live in NYC and 150,000 live in Dade Country, Miami. The majority of the remainder of Dominicans live in various cities and towns in NJ, Lawerence and other towns in Mass., Tampa, and Providence, RI. When these numbers are reported concerning local politics in NYC, people who have Dominican ethnicity are included and the numbers appear higher. I would argue that few Domincan women are prostitutes in the US. The ones that are, are serving the Dominican population in bajus managed by Dominicans.

Out of lets say 10 million Dominicans born on the island worldwide. 1.5% of the population working abroad in this capacity. You will find that many of these women are not bad at heart, but have made a decision for economic reasons.

My experience has been very positive with 99% of the Dominicans I have met in my lifetime. The system in the DR, with a feudalistic and dictitorial history, is a difficult place to survive for some. That doesn't make 50% of the population bad.

Tom F.

 

[mkohn]

To me, the Dominican people are generous, humble, warm and uncomplicated.