Afro-Dominicans

“The majority of the population (around 70 per cent) are of mixed African and European (Spanish) descent. While members of this minority have historically faced profound exclusion and racism, both from state institutions and from other Dominicans, their situation became markedly worse in 2013 when Constitutional Court Judgement TC/0168/13 retroactively (from 1929) stripped thousands of people of their Dominican nationality. As a result, the 2013 ruling rendered this population stateless, as set out in Article 1(1) of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, leaving them unable to access higher education, health care, formal employment or justice.” (Minority Report)

The First African was brought in 1502 and slavery was abolished in 1822. The afro-descendants make up 12.4% mix-ethnicity, 15.8% black totaling 7,9 million in population. They concentrate around San Pedro de Macoris, la Romana and Samana. The African influences are: FOOD- hoja, name, mangu;  MUSIC AND DANCE- palo, gaga, congo, salves, sarandunga; RELIGIÓN- Las 21 Divisiones/Los Misterios (Dominican Vodou).