When a wave of African immigrants came onto Hispaniola once the Spaniards settled inside of the land, they brought with them numerous traditions. These traditions were then woven into the culture of the Dominicans. Among the many groups of immigrants was the Cocolo tribe who originally came from the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.
These people are mostly referred to as English-speaking Caribbean people who brought with them a culture that has elements of both European and African cultures. As many have noted before, this represents the convergence of African slaves and European colonizers. Their political and social-economic authority is still strong. Years after they settled on Hispaniola, the Cocolo dance-drama tradition developed. The Cocolo dancing drama eventually became the most distinctive expression of the Dominican culture, which became established during the mid-19th century. The assimilation of the Cocolo descendants into the Dominican Republic in the last few decades has caused their culture to disintegrate. However, as you can still see in certain areas of the Dominican Republic, the Cocolo dancing drama tradition remains strong.
Traditionally, this dance drama was performed at Christmas and Carnivals. However, these days it's only performed once a year in San Pedro de Macoris, a province inside the Dominican Republic where the Cocos originally settled. A Cocolo Festival is held in January, featuring music, dances, and songs that are patterned after traditional Cocolo music. African and European influences have created these songs, making them unique in the Dominican Republic, as well as unique from other pieces of music throughout the planet. In their performances, ideas from many worlds are creatively united. African music and dance genres blend with plots, legends, and figures taken from biblical and medieval European literature. One of the many activities includes Christmas caroling, performers of string and scratch bands, the so-called Niega business, involving masquerades, and staging of theatrical scenes including “David and Goliath”, “Moko- Yombi”, and “Cowboys and Indians”. Only one troupe of performers remains today. Among the stories most often read during the Cocolo Festival are Mummes’ Play. This story tells the story of the fight between Saint George and his enemy. In summary, this reflects the theme of the Cocolo dance drama - the struggle between good and evil.
This fusion of African and British cultural themes, as well as the adaptation of these themes to a Spanish Catholic context, is a unique expression of creativity. Many older members of the Cocolo community still speak Caribbean English at home, but others are monolingual in Spanish. Today, the Cocolo community is dispersed throughout the Dominican Republic, and many have assimilated into broader Dominican society. It is because of this development that the older generations of Cocolo have had difficulty transmitting their knowledge to younger generations, preserving their specific institutions, and keeping alive the tradition of dancing drama.
References
[1] [2] [http://www.privinfo.com/members/dominican-republic-holidays/dominican_republic_holidays__the_cocolo_festival.php]