La Vega Featured in the Final Dominican Get-together of 2012

The School of Visual Arts in New York City came alive with color, dancing and the lively sounds of the Dominican Carnival in La Vega on Friday night, December 7th during Global Foundation for Democracy and Development’s final Dominican Get-together in the Big Apple of 2012.

The night began with a screening of Centro Cuesta Nacional’s film Discover La Vega: Pride of my Land, which takes readers on a journey through
the rich cultural, historical, agricultural and musical heritage of the province of La Vega, in the central region of the Dominican Republic.  It is the first of a series of films to be produced by CNN highlighting the unique features of each of the provinces of the country.

“GFDD supports and promotes the work that Centro Cuesta Nacional does,” said GFDD Executive Director Natasha Despotovic in her opening remarks, “and we hope to continue to work with them to
bring more cultural products to the Dominican people in New York.”

Dominicans and non-Dominicans, including many from La Vega, filled the auditorium to be transported to the island and to learn about the characteristics that make the municipalities of La Vega, Jarabacoa, Constanza and Jima Abajo of the La Vega province unique.

“I loved the movie, principally because it was La Vega, it is my home, and I connected immediately with
everything that I saw,” said Yoseli Castillo Fuertes, a high school teacher in the Bronx who hails from La Vega.  “I also learned some new things… I see educational value in the fact that it shows an image of the Dominican Republic which goes beyond tourism… it is a vision of the country that is very conscious of the environment, which is important to me as an educator.”

Following the screening, audience members were surprised with a
special performance from a group of diablos cojuelos (limping devils), legendary characters of the La Vega Carnival who dress in vibrant, colorful costumes adorned with mirrors and bells and who wear large horned masks.  Their traditional Carnival dance set the stage for  former Dominican Consul in New York, Máximo Corcin,  born and raised in La Vega and an expert in “vegano” culture, to answer questions from the
audience about La Vega’s history and what the province is like today.  Members of the Association of Veganos in New York were also in attendance to contribute to the conversation and form more extensive networks in the Dominican Diaspora.

The activity was the last of four Dominican Get-togethers in the Big Apple this year.  The initiative is part of GFDD’s mission to promote understanding and appreciation of Dominican culture, values
and heritage, and to create opportunities for discussions on contemporary issues relevant to Dominican society in the homeland and abroad.  GFDD reaches out to the Dominican community living the New York Metro Area and to all those interested in the Dominican culture by organizing ongoing events.

Related Links
www.dominicangettogethers.org
http://www.centrocuestanacional.com