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Dominican identity, leaving out socially marginalized Dominicans from the narrative, and
leaving these Dominicans forgotten by history. Understanding these current dialogues
surrounding Dominican identity led me to the field, or back home, to study how palo, a music
associated with the socially marginalized, fills in the gaps left by previous scholars; bringing
back the Dominicans forgotten by history.
Arriving in the field
Arriving in the field, or my grandmother’s home in Villa Mella, I was expecting to
quickly begin my research, similar to the experiences I have read about in other scholars’
fieldwork. To my surprise, however, the process of accessing palo events and social spheres was
very slow. My impatience as a new researcher led me to overlook the many ways in which
Dominican society not associated with palo still offered a critical perspective on palo. While my
family and childhood friends did not practice, and in some cases actively separated themselves
from, Vodú, their opinions on Vodú culture reflected the historical persecution of
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Afro­Dominicanness.
I spent the first few weeks of September, 2014 transitioning into the field. This meant
spending time with students of the Universidad Acción Pro­Educación y Cultura (UNAPEC),
attending social gatherings, and touring prominent locations. Most of my time was spent in Villa
Mella, an urban municipality of the country’s capital, Santo Domingo. During this time, many
people were ecstatic to share their opinions on contemporary culture with me. One statement,
made by a local student, stood out and highlighted the negative perceptions on palo, perpetuated
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Given the sensitivity of Dominican identity, the names of non­Vodú practitioners are kept anonymous in this
ethnography. However, I use the names of Vodú practitioners and ​paleros​ because of their expressed pride in their
Afro­Dominican identity, and investment in my work.
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