The Dominican Carnival
The Characters
.jpg)
Los Diablos Cojuelos
Limping Devil
Lo diablos cojuelos is the most popular character in the carnival The diablo cojuelos means the limping devil. It is said to believe that the devil was banished to earth because of his childish pranks. When the devil landed on earth he had injured his leg.
The Dominican citizens represent this character by wearing a colorful suit which consist of:
Small bells on the suit
Vejigas *made with animal bladder filled with air*
Devil horns
Devil Mask
La Muerte En Jeep
The Death In Jeep
La muerte en jeep which means death in jeep. This carnival character is the death. The Death escorts the diablo cojuelos (limping devil) in the carnival.
The Dominican citizens represent this character by wearing a skull mask. This costume consists of:
Skull mask
Suit with images of bones
Scythe
Roba La Gallina
Steal The Chicken
Roba la gallina is the funniest character in the carnival.
Roba la gallina means steal the chicken. For this character the carnival purpose is to show an upside-down world. Roba la gallina is the man dressed as a woman. This woman go around stealing the chicken from farms to farms to wear them as boobs and butts. For the Carnival man don’t actually wear the chicken.
The Dominican man represents this character by wearing exaggerated breast, booty, and tons of make up. This costume consist of:
Plenty of patting for the boobs *pillow recommended*
Plenty of patting for the butt
Tons of make up
A man *not a woman*
Calife
Calife is one of the dramatic characters in the carnival.
Calife purpose in the carnival is to walk around in the streets yelling poems about the critical economic conditions that is happening in the country.
The Dominican citizens represent this character by wearing black tuxedo, this character consist of:
Black paint *for the face*
White paint *for the eyes and the lips*
Black suit
Cane
Tall hat
White gloves
Los Indios
The Indians
Se Me Muere Rebeca
Los Indians which means the Indians. This characters portrays the island first inhabitants. When Columbus first settle in the Dominican Republic. Columbus mistreated the Indians. His partners and him raped the woman, while the man was being treated as slaves. In 1844 February 27th the Indians also known as the Native Tainos gain their independence.
The Dominican citizens represent this characters by dressing as the native tainos. This costume consists of:
Body paint
Feathers
Cross bows
Lances
Rebeca Is Dying
Se me muere Rebeca is the second dramatic character in the carnival.
Se me muere Rebeca means Rebeca is dying. The purpose of this character Is a mother who has a daughter name Rebeca, who is really sick and almost dying. The mother goes around screaming desperately for help to save her child Rebeca.
The Dominican citizens represent this character by getting dresses as a peasant mother. This character consists of:
Baby toy
Peasant clothing
Sign that says “se me muere Rebeca”
Los Africanos O Tiznaos
The Africans Or The BlackFaces
Los Africanos o Tiznaos meaning the Africans or the blackfaces. Years ago in the Dominican republic African slaves were brought into the country.
The Dominican citizens represent this character as African slaves. This costume consist of:
Black paint
Burned oil
Skirts made of pal tree leaf
Los Alibabas
The Alibabas
Los ali babas is the most entertaining part of the carnival. The ali babas are citizens who perform every traditional Dominican dance in the streets.
The Dominican citizens represent this by wearing colorful costume, and creating a dance routine. This consist of:
Any type of costume *colorful*
Creative routine