February 27th--- Dominican Independence Day

Here in the Dominican Republic, February 27th is kind of like July 4th in the United States.  The day celebrates independence from Haiti in 1844.   Here in Santo Domingo it’s a big deal with the closure of classes, businesses and people here in the capital hanging flags and all things red, white, and blue from windows, balconies, and even cars.

When I first arrived here and learned about the importance of February 27th, I assumed the day commemorated independence from Spain and freedom from colonization.  But that’s not the case.   February 27th celebrates independence from Haiti, not Spain.   Although in the mid-1800’s Haiti had a population 8-10 times the Dominican Republic and was much wealthier in large part due to the enslavement of almost a million Africans, the idea that independence from Haiti, a country that is now one of the poorest in the hemisphere, is so important may illuminate why the two countries, that share a small island, still have such a strained relationship.

Whatever the events that led to the celebration of February 27th as independence day, the celebration itself is a lot of fun.   Besides parades and decorations, one tradition at our school is the Comparsas.   When I first asked what Comparsas really was, my friend Anyel described it as a dance and music show-- but in the style of a carnival parade. Groups of people perform an elaborate dance routines with props and costumes.  These often act out scenes or make references to important themes in Dominican Culture.   At our school, one group celebrated coffee growers while another did an interpretation of battle for independence complete with a leaf blower confetti cannon.  Each group of classroom parents tries to out-do each other with props and costumes.  The final result is a show that would impress most Broadway producers.  Dance is important to Dominicans so this is a chance to really show-off what they can do.  The students move and swivel, march and jump in an orchestrated triumph of color, lights, feathers, choreography.  Our school used the spectacular new gymnasium to show off the dance skills of our community.  Each elementary classroom did a dance and the show ended with the teachers and a few guest administrators participating in a fake beauty contest.    The production itself featured lights, smoke machines and an actual film crew with several cameras.  The whole thing looked like it had the production value of an Oscar-like award show.

Living outside the United States for a few months has given me a different perspective on the country.  With the election this November, living in a place where dictatorship, tyranny, and corruption have deep and recent cultural roots, it’s easy to reflect about what we could become.  Still, watching the celebration of dance, pride, and spirit reminds us that the government is only a small part of a nation’s culture.   Dance on…. D.R.

Check out more Comparsas