Dominicans and identity.. why is there a double standard?

[Sikeliot]

Dominicans that I have met would be quick to describe people of similar mixture to themselves in non-Latin American countries as "black", but somehow because they speak Spanish, they feel that they do not have to identify themselves similarly. I've seen excuses for their appearance such as "I sat in the sun too much as a child" to "The sun dried out my hair", to "Maybe someone in the family was Haitian" as if they are ashamed to have African heritage and have to explain it away.

Has anyone else ever noticed this? How do the Dominicans you have met identify?

I don't know why so many of them tend to disown a part of their heritage that is significant and contributed so much to their culture, traditions, appearance, and even dialect.

[Stefan]

My uncle's late wife was Dominican. She was very dark, but not very African-featured. When I was about 8 years old, I asked her why she was black, because I thought all people who spoke Spanish were generally light, or at least much lighter than she was. They explained about the African history of the Dominican Republic, and she seemed quite proud of it. On the other hand, his new wife, a lighter Dominican, with obviously dyed blonde hair, pretends she is white. She's lived in the U.S for years, and can't (or couldn't 4 years ago, when I met her) even speak English. :rolleyes: I couldn't comprehend her at all. The Dominicans on ABF seem to like their African history very much. One Dominican in particular comes to mind, but I forget his name.

[Xolotl]

My uncle's late wife was Dominican. She was very dark, but not very African-featured. When I was about 8 years old, I asked her why she was black, because I thought all people who spoke Spanish were generally light, or at least much lighter than she was. They explained about the African history of the Dominican Republic, and she seemed quite proud of it. On the other hand, his new wife, a lighter Dominican, with obviously dyed blonde hair, pretends she is white. She's lived in the U.S for years, and can't (or couldn't 4 years ago, when I met her) even speak English. :rolleyes: I couldn't comprehend her at all. The Dominicans on ABF seem to like their African history very much. One Dominican in particular comes to mind, but I forget his name.

Lemba?

[Stefan]

Lemba?

Yep, he seemed quite proud of his African roots and culture.

[Sikeliot]

Lemba is proud of his African roots, but you have others that are the opposite..One of them thinks himself and his father look Greek.. and they look far from it to me!

But in real life I just notice that many Dominicans tend to deny their African roots but recognize them in similarly admixed people, like Cape Verdeans. Yet they look the same.

[Hassad]

I don't think very admixed Dominicans who are over 75% European (there were a few over ABF, if I recall correctly.), or even less visible percentage should identify as "Black". I for example don't identify as a Native American because I don't belong to their cultural sphere.

However, considering they have a nigger monster truck bordering them, and has already augmented the African admixture in DR and tried to assimilate and invade them many times, I think their rejection to "African" stuff is positive. If they embraced all of it they would end up merging with Haiti, and that would be bad. Even if they're the most Negroid country in Latin America I still think they don't deserve that.

[Stefan]

Maybe it has to do with their problems with Haitians? If Haiti was my neighbor, I'd certainly deny African-heritage as well, unless of course I looked quite obviously Black.

[Sikeliot]

I don't think very admixed Dominicans who are over 75% European (there were a few over ABF, if I recall correctly.), or even less visible percentage should identify as "Black".

Maybe not, but they shouldn't dismiss Cape Verdeans as "black" who are of the same exact mixture for the most part, and I saw this happen on various sites. 23andme also has them at the same percent European as Dominicans.

[Hassad]

Maybe not, but they shouldn't dismiss Cape Verdeans as "black" who are of the same exact mixture for the most part, and I saw this happen on various sites. 23andme also has them at the same percent European as Dominicans.

DR has some areas like El Cibao where people on average is almost undistinguishable from Puerto Ricans. I don't know cape verdeans but a lot of them look really Black for me, I would consider it so considering they're closer to Africa.

[Sikeliot]

I don't know cape verdeans but a lot of them look really Black for me, I would consider it so considering they're closer to Africa.

The ones in my area look between 1/4 and 1/2 black, and genetics puts them in this range. Dominicans as well.

I've seen whiter Dominicans from the north but none that can actually fit in Europe unless you count the Canary Islands.

[Xolotl]

The ones in my area look between 1/4 and 1/2 black, and genetics puts them in this range. Dominicans as well.

I've seen whiter Dominicans from the north but none that can actually fit in Europe unless you count the Canary Islands.

Yeah same here.

[Sikeliot]

I've never met a Dominican in person who looked less than 25% African, but I've also not met many who looked more than 50-60%.