Santo Domingo: carnevale dominicano

How important the origins and history of this people’s unity are is well known, which is why after the dances, parades, masks, and music, the Dominican Carnival naturally culminates in events to remember the independence of the Dominican Republic.
The carnival is an event that is worked on hard but always in a spirit of joy and vitality, starting from Santo Domingo, to San Cristobal, Samaná, La Vega: practically in every city there is a celebration that, from Sunday to Sunday, warms the hearts of Dominicans throughout the month of February. Legend has it that the Dominican Carnival is the oldest in history worldwide: the first edition apparently dates back to 1520 and, since then, it has been characterized by the creation of the two main masks: the diablo cojuelo and the Robalagallina.
The diablo cojuelo (that is, the lame devil) roams the streets with his vejiga, a cow bladder inflated and tied to a string, with which he mercilessly strikes passersby. His mask with long horns, halfway between the frightening and the burlesque, is a clear echo of the ancient medieval tradition that represented the Evil in a grotesque way to exorcise fear.
The origin of the Robalagallina is instead more recent, dating back to the early decades of the nineteenth century. Born in La Vega from the fact that a soldier, as punishment for having stolen a hen, was covered with feathers and symbolically beaten, this mask has become an increasingly elaborate costume that, however, has preserved its playful spirit, so much so that it is followed on the street by groups of kids shouting: “Roba la gallina! Palo con el!” (= “Steal the hen! Beat him!”), in memory of the event which is said to be the origin of the mask.
Also for this reason, the most famous Dominican carnival is undoubtedly that of La Vega, a manifestation so important for participation and economic impact as to have been declared a national folkloric heritage by the Dominican Parliament. But throughout the country, Carnival is a much-felt event: there are as many as 13 official Carnivals, each with its own characteristics, and it is truly impossible to remain indifferent to this playful celebration full of joy. Adults and children get involved and swept away in this whirlwind of events where art, culture, religion, and popular traditions mix to create an absolutely unique atmosphere in which every Dominican recognizes their origins and finds the sense of belonging to their people. The final parade of the Carnival takes place on the last Sunday of February when, by convention, national independence is commemorated, the official date of celebration being fixed on February 27, 1863. For this great and important event, all city delegations and many people from the cities of the official Carnivals come to Santo Domingo. One great festival halfway between the most playful and merry tradition and the historical memory.