ABSTRACT
DOMINICAN COMMUNITIES The Dominican Republic homeland lies on the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti. It is situated west of Puerto Rico, with which it shares a common language of Spanish of the Andalusian-influenced dialect of the Caribbean. It was first claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and gained independence in 1844, although it has been marked in its history with unsettled, non-representative rule. With the death of dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1961 and the lifting of travel restrictions, Dominicans began arriving in the United States, particularly in New York City, in increasing numbers, largely in search of economic opportunity. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, immigrant remittances to the Dominican Republic were estimated at more than 1 billion dollars annually, far exceeding the national revenues from tourism or sugar. In its folklife, the Dominican Republic is known for its strong Catholic religious traditions and a cultural mix drawn from Spanish, Caribbean, Native, and African sources. Dominicans are also known as avid baseball participants and fans, and associated with the music and dance of merengue.
