Tiano Indians Influence On Latin American Culture

The Dominican Republic has a population of over 10,478,756 people, with a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds: African, European, Asian, Jewish, and Arabic ( Britannica Online for Kids, "Dominican Republic"). The lands of Hispaniola (current name), was first inhabited by the Tiano Indians; a group, native to the Caribbean islands. During his 1472 voyage, Christopher Columbus claimed the lands for Spain, causing the Dominican Republic to be the “oldest European settlement in the Western Hemisphere” (Fact Monster, "Dominican Republic"). The Dominican Republic's climate is mostly tropical, with an average of seventy-seven all year round. Along with the high tropical temperatures, rain is also common in the Dominican Republic with the months between

There is one Archdiocese in the Dominican Republic, and five hundred clergy, the priest to people ratio is 1 to 10,000 the fourth largest ratio in Latin America (Dominican Republic Culture, "Dominican Republic Culture and Religion"). Protestant is lowly growing in the Dominican Republic, and the influences of Haitian Voodoo is also influencing the Dominican people ("Dominican Republic Culture and Religion"). The Architecture in the Dominican Republic can be described as a mixed pt of many different styles and influences. The Architecture goes back way before Columbus' era, but to the Tiano Indians. The Tiano Indians utilized their surroundings to create not only houses, but their furniture, and crafts as well. They relied heavily on the county's abundance of mahogany, guano(dried palm leaves), and mud creating a natural design. During Columbus' time, the simplistic style of the Tiano Indians were lost; he brought over the baroque influence of Europe, as the Dominican Republic develop, the Spanish colonist added more of the “Spanish” look, which included stucco exteriors, arched doors and windows, and red tiled roofs. The Architecture of the Dominican Republic today can be described as modern. Rather than the Spanish influence be the building, it is only a mere decoration, a statement piece to connect old Dominican Republic to the newer and more improved Dominican Republic. The newer architecture designed is more cut-edge, and clean, it emphasizes the luxury of the Dominican Republic rather than it's culture. Valentine 4 Though it loses the Spanish influence, in a twist the architecture draws back to the Tiano Indians, the newer building designs are made to look simpler, and bring the outdoors, indoors ("Architecture in the Dominican Republic - Select Caribbean Properties"). The food of the Dominican Republic can be thought of as typical Hispanic