Introduction
Every country, tribe or ethnic group has cultures that define and differentiate them from others. In the Dominican Republic, people’s customs have predominately origins of culture that consisted of African and Taino influences. The Dominican Republic was founded in 1493, the first site of the European settlement named Santo Domingo in the new world. African people were imported to the island as slaves to provide labor shortly after the arrival of Europeans. The fusion of native Taino, African and European customs contributed to the growth of current Dominican culture. Indians also have cultural diversity between religious traditions, geographic regions, and social stratifications. They are usually proud because of the diversity and uniqueness of their culture. The paper focuses on comparing the family and culture of the Dominican Republic to the Indian culture basing on relationship and marriage, cuisine, etiquette, religion, and family.
Religion
Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, 68.9% of the people are Roman Catholic, 106% are atheists and 2.3% are of other religions. However, it is important to recognize that there has always been freedom of religion. Approximately 95% of the Dominicans are Roman Catholic, although not all attend church often. Spanish and Columbus missionaries introduce Catholicism and are a fundamental force shaping society even today (Roy, McDaniel, Samovar & Porter, 2017). Although numerous Dominicans are relatively secular, children are mostly taught to request a blessing from their parents and other relatives when greeting them. For instance, a child might say, “Bless me, mother,” and in response, the mother would say, “May God bless you, my child.” Because of a shortage of priests, a lack of social programs for the people, and a decrease in funding, the dominance of the Catholic Church was decreasing at the end of the 20th century.
The Protestant are becoming popular even though some Protestants are descendants of non-Spanish immigrants who came in the early 1800s. The worship style is much more informal compared to that of Catholics and emphasizes economic independence, biblical teaching and family rejuvenation. There is little conflict among religious groups despite differences in opinion and belief (Eller, 2017). The small town of Sosusa was built during World War II (1939-1945) by a group of European Jews who escaped persecution and remains the center for the tiny Jewish population of the island. On the other hand, voodoo originated with the African slaves and is practiced secretly mainly along the Haiti border, mainly those from the Dahornry region.
Practitioners trust in one God and many lesser spirits. They believe that every individual has a protector spirit that punishes them with illness and rewards them with wealth. They believe on ancestral spirits being their dead ancestors’ souls, and if appropriately remember with memorials and funerals, they protect the living while nature spirits oversee the external world (Eller, 2017). They became aware of disguising spirits as the saints of the Roman Catholic because the early colonists forbade the voodoo practice. For instance, Erzulie is the Madonna representing love, sex, beauty and motherhood. Voodoo is unpopular with most Dominicans, even though most voodoo products are for sale in markets.
India
History has influenced the society of India on an economic, cultural and political level. As the traditions of Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism all originated out of India, the Indians are proud of their rich religious history. Additionally, as 79.8% of Indian people identify as Hindu, the medley of religions within the country persistently influence contemporary society (Sastri, 2021). Religion is more publicly visible in Indian compared to most English-speaking western countries, which makes it evident when considering the many spaces that are believed to be holy and sacred. Examples include temples (mandir), shrines, ashrams (congregation or monasteries sites) comprising of large communities of monastics or scholars and particular landscapes like the Ganges river. There is a rich history in religion visible in architecture. It is obvious to find several places of worship such as Muslim mosques, Christian churches, and Hindu temples all next to each other.
Hinduism is a widely followed religion in India that can be interpreted broadly. It is difficult to determine which constitutes Hinduism, with some suggesting it is an umbrella term that incorporates few traditions and religions. Nevertheless, Hinduism has been particularly influential in Indian society in all of its forms. In modern-day India, Hinduism continues to flourish as it affects people’s social interaction and everyday lives through the numerous artistic works, temples, and Hindu-inspired festivities (Sastri, 2021). Through television and film, there is a continuing revival of the Mahabharata (The Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty) and the classical ‘epic’ narratives of the Ramayana (Rama’s journey). Another popular tale among the villages is the Playful Activities of Krishna “Krishna Lila.”
It is obvious to find images of goddesses and gods in private and public areas throughout the year. The elephant-headed god, also known as Ganesh, is primarily popular because of his supposed ability to eliminate obstacles. Natural landscapes such as specific rivers or tress are also venerated. Because of the regional and localized incarnations of goddesses and gods, the Hindu pantheon of deities spreads into hundreds of thousands (Sastri, 2021). There are also numerous festivals celebrated all year throughout the country dedicated to numerous deities and narratives.
Relationships and Marriage
Dominican
There are several categories of marriages in the Dominican Republic, including civil marriages, common-law or consensual unions, and church marriages. Civil and church marriages are the most common among the upper classes, and the ceremonies are costly, while common-law unions are prevalent among the poor (Quinn, 2021). This difference between the two groups is traced to slave periods and Spanish colonial where the slaves practiced common law unions while their masters practiced civil and church marriages. The Spanish settlers introduced a strong ethic of family solidarity where the father was the dominant figure. Marriages were not mostly allowed among the slaves, and their families were broken up. The current range of skin tones and marriage practices reflects the colonial heritage as informal unions between African slave women and the Spanish settlers were encouraged.
India
In India, arranged marriages are common all over the country, as practices and expectations of marital arrangements differ with religion and region. The marriages are usually arranged through a matchmaker such as the couple’s parents or any other involved third party. Currently, it is a common theme for the couples to be engaged during the selection of their wedding partners than in the past, where individuals were not informed about their future partner (Mallik, Chaudhury, Chandru & Srinivasan, 2017). Caste considerations mainly influenced arranged marriages; hence endogamous marriages continue to be common practice limited to members of the same religion or caste. This may be because arranging marriages is a family activity that happens through pre-existing networks of a wider community.
Families try to avoid marriage within the same sub-caste even though people marry within the same caste. Parents can influence their children’s futures and sustain social and local structures through the institutions of arranged marriage and caste endogamy. Inter-caste marriages are practically never arranged since they are known as love marriages and are becoming common. The family is almost always consulted in the marriage process regardless of obtaining a spouse. Weddings are usually carried out in the families’ villages irrespective of whether the family resides in a major city or the village (Sastri, 2021). It is common for families to retain their village home for weddings or other significant family events. Weddings may last over several days, and particular practices differ with the religion and region of the families.
Cuisine
Dominican
The cuisine of the Dominicans mainly consists of a combination of African, indigenous Taino and Spanish influences. Numerous Middle-Eastern dishes such as the Quipe have been added or adopted into the Dominican cuisine. At times, a traditional breakfast meal would comprise fried eggs, fried cheese, fried salami, sautéed onions, mangu, and avocado. Meals tend to favor starches and meat over vegetables and dairy products. Foods such as Casabe, patelitos (empanadas), yam, batata, chicharron, yuca, maiz con dulce, chimichirris and tostones are among the favourite Dominican foods (Quinn, 2021). Some treats that Dominicans enjoy include, habichuelas con dulce, arroz con leche (or arroz con dulce), flan, bizcocho dominicano (lit. Dominican cake), cana (sugar cane), dulce de leche, and frio (snow cones). The Dominicans usually drink beverages such as beer, rum, Mama Juana, Morir Soñando, coffee, mabi, jugos naturales (freshly squeezed fruit juices), and batida (smoothie).
Indian
The herbs and spices used by the Indians in their food is typically challenging for visitors. Indian spices are legendary for their food-preserving powers, flavor kicks and medicinal purposes. Spices like cardamom, turmeric, and cumin have been utilized over thousands of years to make bland yet nutritional dishes taste better. Wheat, pulses, and rice are Indian staple food, although it differs from region to region. Some religious groups have certain restrictions on what meat they can take or are vegetarian, but chicken and lamb are the most common for those who do not consume meat (Mallik, Chaudhury, Chandru & Srinivasan, 2017). Cows have sacred religious connotations for many Hindus, and therefore they avoid the consumption of beef. Numerous Indians refrain from taking alcohol because of their upbringing or religious reasons such as Buddhism and only serve alcohol if it is certain that the Indian counterpart takes it.
Etiquette
Dominican Republic
An individual has to bring a gift such as pastries or chocolates when invited to dinner at a Dominican’s home. In addition, Purple or black gifts should always be avoided as they are considered mourning colors, and gifts are opened when received (Mayes, 2018). When invited to the Dominican home, guests are not expected to arrive on time for social occasions as much as punctuality is considered good. The invited party has to dress decently as Dominicans judge others on their clothing and take pride in their appearance.
Guests have to wait for the hostess or host to show them where to sit and are usually served first where meals are served buffet or family-style. Before starting to eat, the host has to say “Buen provecho” which means enjoy. One must never rest their elbows on the table but always keep their hands visible while eating (Ponce-Vázquez, 2016). Additionally, one must place their fork and knife across the plate with the handles facing to the right and prongs facing down.
India
Green, red, and yellow are taken as lucky colors and are mainly used to wrap gifts. Men are advised to say that a gift is from both himself and their mother, wife, sister or any other female relative when offering it to a woman to avoid the gift-giving being taken as flirtations. One must be aware of certain flowers’ connotations if given as gifts since connotations differ with flowers (Mallik, Chaudhury, Chandru & Srinivasan, 2017). One needs to avoid white flowers or frangipanis because they are primarily used in mourning and funerals.
There are various forms of eating etiquette associated with using the hand, as Indian food does not require utensils to eat. Individuals have to clean or wash their hands before serving and eating food. Everyone usually uses their right hand to serve themselves, with a spoon or scoop with their fingers (Sastri, 2021). They also discourage using the left hand while eating, which is considered unclean because people generally use it to wash. An Indian may expect you to serve your plate or fill the plate for you.
Family
Dominican
The extended family is more common among the Dominican elite, composed of three or more generations. The oldest male is responsible for the family’s welfare as he holds authority and makes public decisions. On the other hand, the oldest female nurtures the family, delivers more private decisions and commands her household (Quinn, 2021). Married brothers, wives, and children have a solid allegiance to their father and are part of the extended family. At times, responsibilities fall to the mother since consensual unions create a more loosely structured family. For instance, some men may have more than one family and are mostly absent from the household hence the mother has to resume responsibility.
India
In most Indians, the family is the most important institution that plays a crucial role in their lives. Indians often emphasize independence and loyalty as a collectivistic society. The interests of the family reputation always come first over an individual, and decisions influencing an individual such as career path and marriage decisions have to be are taken in consultation with one’s family (Sastri, 2021). In India, the family concept goes beyond the typical nuclear unit and comprises the broader family circle. It is common to find 3 to 4 generations living together, and people are often encouraged to have strong relationships with their uncles and aunts, similar to parental relationships. In the absence of a father, the eldest son is usually the patriarch, whereas his wife may supervise any daughters–in–law or daughters. However, the inequality between the status of women and men is very pronounced.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dominican Republic and India are rich cultures and traditions that differ from place to place. Indian culture is unique and has contributed to modern western culture and historical traditions. They both have preferences in choosing a marriage companion, different family structures, religions, cuisines, and etiquette that solely depend on their cultural values. For instance, they both prefer specific colors to others when gifting others. Indians prefer green, red, and yellow to signify luck, while Dominicans discourage purple and black since they are associated with funerals. Additionally, most Indians of the Hindu religion and most Dominicans are Roman Catholic. All these instances show how different both the Dominican and Indian cultures are.
References
Eller, A. (2017). The Dominican Republic Reader: History, culture, politics. Hispanic American Historical Review, 97(1), 150-151. Web.
Mallik, A., Chaudhury, S., Chandru, V., & Srinivasan, S. (2017). Digital Hampi: Preserving Indian Cultural Heritage (1st ed.). Springer Singapore.
Mayes, A. (2018). The Dominican Republic Reader. History, culture, politics – by Roorda, Eric P., Derby, Lauren and González, Raymundo. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 37(2), 232-234. Web.
Ponce-Vázquez, J. (2016). The Dominican Republic Reader: History, culture, politics, edited by Eric Paul Roorda, Lauren Derby, and Raymundo González. The Black Scholar, 46(3), 72-74. Web.
Quinn, R. (2021). Being la Dominicana (1st ed.). University of Illinois Press.
Roy, C., McDaniel, E., Samovar, L., & Porter, R. (2017). Communication between Cultures (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Sastri, S. (2021). Indian Culture. Notion Press Media.
Appendix
Interview
Interviewer: Hello
Interviewee: Hello
Interviewer: I am conducting a study on how culture shapes ourselves and our family, and I would like to ask you some questions.
Interviewee: It is okay
Interviewer: What is your culture?
Interviewee: My culture is Indian
Interviewer: How many religions are in India?
Interviewee: There are several religions which include Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism
Interviewer: Which is the most common religion in India?
Interviewee: Hinduism
Interviewer: How are relationships and marriages formed in India?
Interviewee: Caste influences the arranged marriages
Interviewer: What is your staple food?
Interviewee: Wheat, pulses, and rice are the Indian staple food
Interviewer: Do you have any forbidden food products?
Interviewee: Beef is forbidden since cows are considered holy
Interviewer: What is the common etiquette in your culture?
Interviewee: One needs to avoid white flowers or frangipanis because they are primarily used in mourning and funerals. There are various forms of eating etiquette associated with using the hand, as Indian food does not require utensils to eat. It is discouraged to use the left hand while eating, which is considered unclean because people generally use it to wash.
Interviewer: What is the role of the family in your culture?
Interviewee: The family concept goes beyond the typical nuclear unit and comprises the broader family circle. In the absence of a father, the eldest son is usually the patriarch, whereas his wife may supervise any daughters–in–law or daughters.
Interviewer: Thank you for your response
Interviewee: You are welcome