Life and Times of the Dominican Gringa » carnivalLife and Times of the Dominican Gringa

Janette not Jamette

rdgringa — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 15:04:48 +0000

I was checking my web sites (http://www.colonialzone-dr.com) stats this morning like I do every morning. I saw people were visiting my web site while doing a search for “JAMETTE CARNIVAL”. Since I have many posts about Carnival here in Dominican Republic and my name is Janette seems that they came to my blog.

So I decided to check and see what this Jamette was being so close to my name.

Here is a quote from a web site www.2nails.gov.tt in Trinidad Tobago where they celebrate this Carnival.

“The “Jamettes” occupied the barrack yards of East Port of Spain. They were the stickfighters, prostitutes, chantuelles, matadors and dustmen. They lived in appalling conditions in areas which were rife with all the conditions for social instability: crime, vagrancy, disease, prostitution, unemployment, sexual permissiveness and dysfunctional families.”

All I can say is thank you sooo much mom and dad for not naming me Jamette! Wiping the sweat off my brow saying a big sscheewww. lol.

Carnival 2012 Is Over

rdgringa — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:33:24 +0000

I love the Carnival but from afar. I am amazed at the creativity of the humans that design costumes and floats. Some of the masks are so intricate and imaginative.

I was nervous about going down to the Malecon in Santo Domingo to watch and take pictures. A few years ago my camera was stolen right out of my hand. I cannot afford this to happen each year. I had asked a friend to come and be my Guachiman but he could not make it. He said his daughter was visiting and in their barrio, near to Zona Colonial, they were having big problems with thieves and tigres coming in from other areas hoping to take advantage of and rob non-suspecting spectators. He said there were even gun shots. So he did not make it to be the guarding of my camera.

When I got to the spot where I wanted to take pictures I scoped the area for the police and there was a man inside the fence. I asked him how I could get inside and explained to him about my fears. He let me come in to the press area and take pictures. I was so grateful. He kept laughing at me at first when I lifted the camera to take a picture. I would check around me, making sure it was safe. He kept telling me it was not necessary and that I was safe inside the fence.

I stayed and took pictures and videos until close to dusk. I wanted to be back home in my own area before dark hit. I was so glad I left when I did. It took me forever to go 2 blocks. The people were jammed in tight. There was no sneaking through the crowds. I just pushed forward trying not to bump into too many people. I really am not into crowds.

One masked man stopped me and told me not to go down one street as there was trouble happening there. I asked what was happening but he was talking so fast in Spanish I could not keep up with his words.

I got home and all was safe. I only got hit on the butt once by a little boy with his rubber ball called a vejiga. I did come close a few times to being whipped with one of the latigo snapping masked creatures. I took Teli, The Dominican Dog, out for her evening walkabout. Came home and went to work uploading all the pictures and videos to share with the world.

Enjoy all the pictures of Carnaval 2012.

This video is one of my favorite troupes. They made me laugh they looked so silly.
Carnaval Dominicano 2012 Africanas on Stilts

Here are lins to all the videos I took on You Tube. Please be cautious, some of these videos are very LOUD so take care with the speakers. ENJOY!
*Carnival 2012 Gaga Esperanza and Los Liones del Diablo
*Carnival Dominicano 2012 – Ucave Carnaval Vegano
*Carnival Dominicano 2012 – Haiti
*Carnaval Republica Dominicana 2012 – Sparkle Men
*Dominican Republic Carnival 2012 – The Group From Samana
*Carnaval Dominicano 2012 – Los Brujos
*Carnaval Dominican Republic 2012 – Lechones and Facebook
*Carnival Dominicano 2012 – Ali Baba and Other Groups
*Carnival 2012 Los Pintao Barahona
*Carnaval Dominicano 2012 Africanas on Stilts
*Roba la Gallina, Dominican Republic Carnival 2012
*Republica Dominicana Carnaval 2012 Los Indios and Fire Blower
*Carnaval Dominicano 2012 Dragon, Devil and Cavemen
*Gaga de Boca Chica Carnaval Dominicano 2012
*Dominican Republic Carnival 2012 Diablo Cojuelos

Carnival Dominicano 2011

rdgringa — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0000

The grand finale Carnival was Sunday March 6th in Santo Domingo on the Malecon. I didn’t go to the main part of carnival. I just wasn’t up for all the crowds, noise and people all mashing up against each other and also the need to watch all around you for those nasty thieves. So I just hung out with my neighbors in the park near to my home. Maybe I’m just getting to old…but I sure hope not. I didn’t take many pictures but I did take 2 good videos. Enjoy!
If you want to read about the Carnival Tradition check out the link

Carnaval Santo Domingo 2010

rdgringa — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:16:00 +0000

>Well, made it through the carnival grand finale in Santo Domingo this year with my camera so I have pics and videos to share.

The carnaval was great! Lots of amazing costumed humans and non humans too. The crowd was well behaved in general except for the occasional thief doing what they do best, taking advantage of people enjoying.

Enjoy the videos and pictures and try and visit us for the carnival next year. It will be an experience you will never forget.

For more information and the history of Carnaval Dominicano check out my web site.

This is a link to the picture slide show of Carvaval 2010

Carnvial 2009 – Another Camera Stolen

rdgringa — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:20:00 +0000

>I headed to the street about 1:00 so I could get a good spot to take pictures and videos. I stuffed my camera in my pants like always (many people think it’s a gun so that’s a good thing). I headed toward the oblisk because there were police stationed every few yards so I figured I’d be safe there. When the carnival started I made sure I was in front of a policeman and started taking pictures and videos. I had some great shots and was really excited to share them all.

It started getting really crowded after a while. I hate being in big crowds where everyone is squishing in and it gets all hot and sweaty. I decided to leave my good spot and go a little closer to home before it got dark. I headed back to my neighborhood to the park where I thought it was going to be safe with my neighbors. Well, I was wrong.

I was holding tight to my camera a little above my head taking a video. Some of the neighbors were around and all was good. But out of nowhere a man jumped up and grabbed my camera! I couldn’t believe it! He tore the strap from my wrist (thank goodness it broke) and left me with a little brush burn. I didn’t think and went after the man down the middle of the street. The street was full of Carnival paraders. I ran down the middle of the street after the guy between all the people in costume. I’m getting old and I don’t run anymore but I ran. I was pretty impressed with myself and the running. But, of course, the guy was faster and crazier. I kept bumping into people and yelling sorry as I passed.

The guy stopped and I was getting really close but he turned and saw me gaining so he started off again. My neighbor girl was behind me running. She didn’t know why I was running but she came after me.

Finally I stopped. I ran from 27 de Marzo, past the statue of Monticino, almost to the next street before I stopped. Another camera gone. Four cameras in eight years! Wonder if that’s a record?

Brenda took me to talk to the police who were all standing in the park. There were about 15 of them all standing together. One would think that they would have been in the street watching for crime instead of being all huddled together. But then this is Dominican Republic and one can never quite understand things here. But I was talking to the police explaining what happened (one of the police did speak english) when a man came up from the street with a towel wrapped around his head. His wife and small child were with him. He had blood pouring from his head. It seems that someone hit him with a bottle while robbing him. So the police went off with him as his situation was a bit more of an emergency.

I went back to the original scene of the crime. By this time all the neighbors heard what happened and were all coming around to see if I was OK. I just went into the Colmado Arca and they gave me a beer. I was upset about the camera but more upset about losing all the great pictures I was going to share with all my web site visitors.

About this time, maybe about 6 or 7 PM a bunch of people were running an yelling coming up from the Malecon. There was a gunshot and people all about. The police came running. The owner of the Colmado shut the door and locked it with many of us neighbors inside. We all watched the happenings from inside. The people that wanted to buy stuff form the Colmado had to hand their money through the gate and we handed them their purchases.

About 10 minutes later another group of people were screaming and running again from the Malecon along the parade route. Again the police came running. I just stayed in the Colmado hiding. The thieves and tigres were out in full force by this time so I stayed inside.

Finally after a few hours the streets cleared out. It was the normal neighborhood people in the park again. All was quiet. I don’t know what happened to the man that was shot. Noone knows who shot him, the police or a person from the street. Noone knows if he lived or died after he was taken to the hospital.

One thing I know is that I will never go to the Carnival on the Malecon in Santo Domingo again, with or without a camera. It is getting way too dangerous to go to any crowed event here in the city. It’s a shame. I try to help this country by showing events and happenings here but it seems that this is impossible. I can’t afford to keep buying new cameras. Maybe next time I’ll have to hire a group of bodyguards to go with.

So again, there won’t be any new pictures for a while. Until I can save up enough money to buy a new camera. Sorry, but this is the life in the big city.

So here are the non-existent pictures:
Me wearing a Carnival mask. The guys covered in black oil. The kids watching carnival. The Indios. Some whip crackers. Drumming palos. Roba la Gallina. The paper people. And many more…. Too bad you can’t enjoy these pictures. Sorry again.

Santo Domingo Carnival 2008

rdgringa — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:30:00 +0000

>Carnival season is past and ended with another great “Best of the Best” Carnival/ Carnaval on the Malecon (Ave. George Washington) in Santo Domingo.
The place was packed full of all sorts of people. Young and old alike. People dresses in elaborate costumes, some with painted faces, others maybe only sucking on a pacifier maybe trying to regress back to childhood and others just observing the antics of all the above mentioned.
There was no room to move as I entered the throbbing crowd. making it fun and a bit frightening at the same time.
Most were enjoying all the activity while others were there to take advantage of the festivities and rob or hurt others.
But, all in all, it was very enjoyable for the short time I was amongst the crowd.
The most frightening mask for me was this pink clown-devil man. The mask had huge flat teeth inside a gaping mouth. The bulging eyes and evil look of the face was made worse by the clown costume this devil wore. I’m not a real big clown fan myself. Clowns are just evil in disguise. It seemed that everywhere I happened to go that diabolical evil pink mask was there looking at me through its blood shot eyes. I even saw that face in my dreams that night!
After being bumped and shoved by the crowd all the while enjoying, I finally gave up the fight. I headed back to the safety of my friend Pepe’s Pasteles en Hoja shop on Palo Hincado street and watched the people in the street from the doorway. It was much safer there for sure. The roads were congested with people coming and going while cars were still trying to go wherever in the street. There was food and all sorts of items being sold in every direction I looked. there were children walking sort of dumb founded being dragged along by their adult guide. It was just as much fun watching the people in the street leaving Carnival as watching the parade itself.
Here are a few videos I took of the parade to give you never-saw-Carnival-in-DR people an idea of what it’s like.
Make sure to check out the Carnival pages and slide shows on the web site also.

“Los Lechones marching down the Malecon”

“Los Alibaba Drummers”

The 2008 Slide Shows Are Ready!

rdgringa — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:01:00 +0000

>Carnival in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic 2008 Slide show is Ready!
The Independence Day Military Parade in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic 2008 is done also!

Enjoy!

My First Carnival

rdgringa — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 16:56:00 +0000

>Colonial Zone Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Carnival in Santo Domingo
My friend Tony and his gang invited me to go to the carnival in La Vega. I really had no idea what to expect but I went anyhow. I really didn’t want to leave Sniffy alone the whole day but I did it, worrying about her the entire day. This was my first time to leave her alone for a long time since she turned blind. She was getting around better so I went.
They came and got me and we took a public car to get a Guagua. There were so many cars and people everywhere. I had no idea where I was. Of course we went to the Colmado on the corner and got a few beers. I also got a little bag of some snack (can’t remember exactly what it was). The bag had a little plastic toy to put together. I couldn’t figure out how to get it together but I’m sure a kid could have done it immediately. I played with this toy while we sat around drinking. I entertained myself a lot, especially when I couldn’t understand what anyone was talking about. I’d just go into my own little world until I understood something or until someone spoke directly to me slowly.
I had no idea why we were just sitting around. We got up early. It was about 10AM and we were just sitting. I found out that we were waiting for others of the group to show up. As usual people were late.
Finally it seemed that people were there. They were getting up and returning. Giving me the hand signal to sit and stay. Just like a dog. I sat and stayed and kept my little plastic glass full of beer waiting for the call to move somewhere else.
Finally I was called to get on the bus. We got a few beers for the road and all loaded onto the Guagua. It was a nice Guagua, it even had air conditioning.
We were on our way. I had no idea how far we were going but I was enjoying the music and everyone laughing and talking. It was for sure a party even thought I really didn’t understand much. I knew this for sure.
We stopped at some road stop place. There was a lot of people everywhere. I remember stopping there before when some friends took me to Jarabacoa once when I was on vacation. We got a sandwich and more beer then we were off again.
We pulled into the town of La Vega. There were people and busses everywhere. I had no idea what was going on. I just followed the leader to another Colmado. We all sat down. Got more beer. Some of the group disappeared and some stayed. Some came back and others left. We were there for a few hours. I finally got someone to listen to me and I asked when the Carnival was to start. Tony told me it started a long time ago but it was in the other street. Why didn’t anyone tell me!? I came to see the Carnival, I could sit around and drink at home.
I finally got Tony to take me to the next street to see what was going on. He said he didn’t like the Carnival. So why was he there? I never did understand that one. But he did take me to the next street.
I couldn’t believe the change. Where we were sitting there were many people but this was unreal. There were people everywhere. All mashed in. It was difficult to even move. There was so much excitement in the air. Everyone was loud and moving around like they were frantic.
then I saw it. I was in shock.
There were monster faces. Big ugly masks. Really they were beautifully done but were of the most viscous and toothy demons one could imagine. All larger than life. They were painted brightly and the clothes were all shiny and bright. They were in the center of the street with people running in every direction seeming to want to get away from them.
Then I saw it. Well, I didn’t see it until it was too late. One of those masked demons hit me! They hit me hard! I didn’t expect it. I heard about getting hit but I had no idea it was like this. The demon had a balloon type thingy in his hand (later I found out it was a dried animal bladder or rubber made into a ball) and he was swinging it around and hitting people on the butt! That thing hurt too. I turned around shocked and saw Tony close behind me laughing. I guess the look of shock on my face was pretty funny told me to stay out of the street. Now why didn’t he tell me this before? One can only guess. He liked to see me get my first whack!
Now I understood. You had to watch all around you. Stay off the street and away from the dressed up people. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed. With all the humans sandwiched in escape wasn’t always easy. There was loud music. Humans everywhere. People yelling. Humans everywhere. Bladders butt-wapping. Humans everywhere. Everyone having a good time. And did I mention humans EVERYWHERE!!??
After about a half hour I gave up fighting the crowd and just let them move me along until I came out the other side and was free. All the while holding on to Tony for dear life and laughing hard. It was great fun. Good thing I wasn’t claustrophobic and that I had had a few beers to relax me. I made it our of the crowd and we went back to the Colmado to our seats and another bien fria(beer)to cool off with. This is when they explained to me what this Carnival was about, in English. They must have waited to see my reaction and to get a good laugh (which I did to my family a year later when they got their first Carnival experience also).
It was time to get back onto the Guagua. I had no idea how they knew where ours was but we got there. Got on and situated. The ride home was a little quieter because everyone was tired and maybe a bit sore. All in all I had a great time.
Another new experience to add to my many here in Dominican Republic. I love this country!