i Dominican Republic - travelfilm.de

General information
In the heart of the Caribbean, washed
by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to
the north and the impetuous Caribbean
Sea in the south, nestles a placid and
beautiful country officially called The
Dominican Republic.
It is located between latitude 17 o 40’
and 19 o 56’ North and longitude 68 o
20’ and 72 01’ west of the Greenwich
meridian (GMT -4).
Christopher Columbus discovered the
island on December 5, 1492, during
his first voyage to the New World. It
occupies 18,704 sq. mi/48,442 sq. km
of the 76,192 sq. km it shares with the
neighboring Republic of Haiti. Its natural
beauty and rich history fascinate as well
excite those who get to know it.
By a 1508 royal edict, King Ferdinand
of Spain named it the Island of
Santo Domingo. Its aboriginal name,
Quisqueya, means “mother of all lands”
in the Taino language. At the time of its
“Discovery” by Christopher Columbus,
our island was populated by aborigines
that called themselves “Tainos”, a word
which translates as “the good”.
The Taino were a part of the Arawak
peoples of the tropical regions of the
South American continent, from where
it is believed they migrated by canoe
through the Lesser Antilles to the Greater
Antilles. They were physically well-built;
they had a rather tawny complexion
8
and dark eyes. Even though they were
generally peaceful and were practically
subjugated by an internal regime under
the dominion of a “cacique” or chieftain,
historical records do show instances
in which they bravely defended their
families, their land and their freedom
from the Conquistadors that enslave them.
Unfortunately, a population estimated
at around 600,000 was practically
exterminated in less than thirteen years.
Taíno sociopolitical structure was
organized under five polities or
cacicazgos: Marién, governed by
Guacanagarix; Maguá was dominated
by the cacique Guarionex; Caonabo
ruled in Maguána; in Higüey, Cayacoa;
and Jaragua fell under the might of
Bohechío. After Bohechio’s death,
his sister Anacaona, who was also
the widow of Caonabo, emerged as
his successor. She was reputedly the
cleverest, most beautiful and talented
woman in the island. Nevertheless, she
had to witness the merciless slaughter
of her people at the sword of Nicolas
de Ovando, the Spanish governor, in
Cradle of the Caribbean.