My two Dominicans customs

Christmas Tradition
Normally, in December all the communities of Dominican Republic try
to get together to share because this month is to be in family. Some
activities the people do in this month are aguinaldos.
In the origins of this custom, the word Aguinaldo in English it was a kind
of bonus. The Aguinaldo is a gift that is delivered in different
celebrations, including Christmas. The bonus, in this sense, is a
remuneration that the worker receives beyond the twelve monthly
salaries he obtains per year.
There are several versions about its etymology. Among the most
widespread is that which ensures that it comes from "eguinad" or
"equinand", a term with which the Celts designated the gift of the end
of the year, while there is another that considers it derives from the
Latin phrase "noc in anno" , which means “in this year.” The origin of
the tradition of exchanging gifts is not clear either, but is usually
attributed to Tito Tacio, king who ruled Rome along with Romulus (one
of its founders).
Now the Aguinaldo meaning is to go and sing songs with the
community or with our families song of Christmas and drink hot
chocolate cups with ‘’galletas de ajo’’.
The Sancocho
This customs doesn’t have a specific season to be make it, because
Dominicans used to make sancocho every day, every hour, every time!
Because this is us. The sancocho has several ways of being prepared
because there’s not raised in Dominican Republic, it has many versions.
In the Dominican Republic there is a great variety of sancochos,
although they all start from the same base. Like the sancochos from
other Caribbean countries, it is a thick soup with all kinds of tubers,
legumes and meats available. In some parts of the country it is called
"salcocho". Here our Sancocho has 7 kind of meats.
For the Dominican, the sancocho is so culturally important that for
several decades, songs such as "The sancocho prieto" have been
dedicated, a popular theme that has been performed by Alberto
Beltrán, Vinicio Franco, Joseíto Mateo and Johnny Ventura.

Ricardo Araujo
2018-2363