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Dominican Republic

Inscribed in 2016 ( 11.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

© Ministerio de Cultura de República Dominicana

The merengue is considered part of the national identity of the Dominican community. It plays an active role in various aspects of people's daily lives - from their education to social gatherings and celebrations, even political campaigning. In 2005, the traditional practice was recognised by presidential decree with November 26 declared National Merengue Day. Merengue festivals are held in cities in the Dominican Republic like Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata every year. Danced in pairs, flirtatious gestures are used as participants move in circles to the rhythm of music played on instruments such as the accordion, drum and saxophone. It is a dance that is usually introduced to learners at an early age. Knowledge and skills on the practice are transmitted through observation, participation and imitation. The merengue attracts people of different social classes, which helps to promote respect and coexistence among individuals, groups and communities. The north of the country is considered to be the cradle of the practice with the area of influence extending to Puerto Rico, the United States of America and the Caribbean region. The merengue is also popular in other Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia where variations have emerged, and countries in Central America.

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UNESCO - Music and dance of the merengue in the Dominican Republic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Committee meets annually to evaluate nominations proposed by States Parties to the 2003 Convention and decide whether or not to inscribe those cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage on the Convention's Lists. By clicking on the inscribed elements listed below, you can discover the nominations, photos and videos, together with Committee decisions and evidence of commun...

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People dancing Merengue Rucaneao

History of Merengue

The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island.

There are two popular versions of the of the origin of the Dominican national dance, the Merengue. One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of drums.

The second story alleges that a great hero was wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic. A party of villagers welcomed him home with a victory celebration and, out of sympathy, everyone dancing felt obliged to limp and drag one foot.

Merengue has existed since the early years of the Dominican Republic (in Haiti, a similar dance is called the Meringue or Mereng). It is possible the dance took its name from the confection made of sugar and egg whites because of the light and frothy character of the dance or because of its short, precise rhythms.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Merengue was very popular in the Dominican Republic. Not only is it used on every dancing occasion in the Republic, but it is very popular throughout the Caribbean and South America, and is one of the standard Latin American dances.

There is a lot of variety in Merengue music. Tempos vary a great deal and the Dominicans enjoy a sharp quickening in pace towards the latter part of the dance. The most favored routine at the clubs and restaurants that run a dance floor is a slow Bolero, breaking into a Merengue, which becomes akin to a bright, fast Jive in its closing stages. The ballroom Merengue is slower and has a modified hip action.

The Merengue was introduced in the United States in the New York area. However, it did not become well known until several years later.

Ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and essentially a "fun" dance.

Origins of Merengue

by Carmen Vazquez

The origin of this dance, according to the Dominicans themselves, from a program shown on TV "SANTO DOMINGO INVITA".

Merengue is a combination of two dances, the African and the French Minuet, from the late 1700's - early 1800's. The black slaves saw the ballroom dances in the Big Houses and when they had their own festivities started mimicking the "masters' dances". But the Europeans dances were not fun, they were very boring and staid, so over time, the slaves added a special upbeat (provided by the drums), this was a slight skip or a hop.

The original Merengue was not danced by individual couples, but was a circle dance, each man and woman faced each other and holding hands - at arm's length. They did not hold each other closely and the original movements of this dance were only the shaking of the shoulders and swift movement of the feet.

There was no blatant movement of the hips like there is today, as native African dances do not move the hips. In fact, African dances, as well as other Indigenous dances throughout the world, consist of complicated steps and arm movements.

Tribal dancing does not have "primitive" sexual shaking of the hips, this is only done in Hollywood movies.

So, the origin of the Merengue is very similar to that of the "Cake Walk" dance of the American South.

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People dancing Merengue Rucaneao The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island. There are two popular versions of the of the origin of the Dominican national dance, the Merengue.

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Photo by Perico Ripiao

Hips sway. The rhythm is fast, the beat is steady and even. The partners whirl each other, never letting go, but winding up like pretzels before magically returning to their original dance position. The bass and percussion are impossible for the feet not to follow - unlike the sometimes difficult count of salsa for the uninitiated, for example - and a metallic scratching carries over the top, pushing everyone on with the rhythm of a galloping horse. It's not just the Caribbean heat that'll make you sweat in the Dominican Republic; the irresistible merengue draws everyone to the dance floor.

When describing Latin music of most genres, the word "sensual" is likely to come up, and so is the case with merengue. Merengue, the national music and dance of the Dominican Republic, offers much of the elegance and sensual movements as salsa does, but merengue also often brings a bit of speed and energy to it and a more direct 2/4 beat. And as for history, it hearkens much further back, into the 19th century.

While the Dominican Republic has put its name on merengue, it is unlikely that the music and dance originated there. Some believe Cuban marching bands brought a style called upa to Puerto Rico in 1842, and while a form of merengue rose and fell on that island - the upper class found it offensive and corrupting - it also took root in rural populations of Dominican Republic.

While the island nation's lower classes and villagers picked it up, it was also met with distaste by the Dominican upper class. The commonly vulgar nature of the song lyrics sometimes provoked social campaigns to outlaw it. In 1875, President Ulises Espaillat banned merengue from social halls and it soon disappeared from urban culture. But the music and dance survived and became so much part of life in the Cibao region, that today the area is known as "the Cradle of Merengue." Nico Lora, a popular turn-of-the-century folk musician - a button-accordion player - and songwriter who composed thousands of songs, may deserve much of the credit. A boost of nationalism and indignation brought on by the United States' occupation of the republic from 1916 to 1924 may have also helped.

The appeal of the music was well established thereafter. So much so that Rafael Trujillo, the republic's tyrannical leader from 1930 to 1961, used accordion players on his campaign trail as he tried to appeal to the masses. When he came to power, he decided to declare merengue the national music, and his brother, who operated state radio, helped spread its popularity.

The vulgar lyrics and the reedy "noise" of the accordion, however, were still a tough sell for society's elites. That changed in 1936. Composer and singer Luis Alberti adapted a previous melody to some new lyrics to create "Compadre Pedro Juan." The song grabbed the entire nation, regardless of social class, and merengue truly became the rhythm and dance of the Dominican people.

In the early days of merengue, the bands were simple with only about three performers. The central melodies were carried by the tres and cuatro guitars - Spanish-influenced instruments from Cuba and Puerto Rico, respectively, named for their string configurations. Percussion consisted of a tambora (a two-sided drum), and a güira. To this day the güira stands out. It is a percussion instrument fashioned from a metal tube with a screen-like surface to it. A homemade version might take a tin cylinder and pound nail holes into its sides. The player uses a type of metal brush across the surface to get a sound somewhere vaguely between a hi-hat and maracas, and plays with a caballito or "little horse" rhythm.

When Germans brought the accordion to the island in the late 19th century, it began to replace the guitars. The music in this simplest form has become known as merengue típico. The güira, of native Taino origin, the tambora, of African origin, and the European accordion were thus combined and now represent the roots of the modern people and culture.

But in the latter half of the mid-twentieth century, an alternative style of merengue evolved. Tatico Henríquez, considered the godfather of modern merengue típico, brought in the electric bass and a saxophone that would play harmonies to the accordion. Thanks to radio broadcasts, his music became widely known and a new generation of musicians emulated him. Before long there was merengue de orquesta or big band merengue. Moving beyond one sax player, bands took on whole horn sections. The bass guitar became the norm as did a modern bass drum and hi-hat. While típico can still be found, the recording industry has taken big band merengue to the larger international audience.

In its simplest form, merengue dancing isn't that hard to pick up. (To get good at it is, of course, another matter!) Partners face each other in a closed position. Typically the man leads, with his right hand on his partner's waist, while holding the partner's right hand with his left hand at about eye level. The dancers bend their knees slightly left and right as mirror images of each other, thus making the hips move sensually left and right. The dancers may step sideways or circle each other, and they may step back from each other to an open position to perform turns without letting go of each other's hands or releasing one hand. The speed and complexity of these turns can get rather dizzying. But throughout, the dancers keep their heads up and maintain a rather proper, upright posture through their torsos in counterpoint to the sensual movements at the hips. It's a joy to watch; an ever great joy to participate in.

Merengue has gone far beyond the Dominican Republic. Puerto Rico has an equal passion for it and has contributed many popular musicians to the genre. The United States - especially in places like New York City and Miami - also picked it up, as did Colombia, Venezuela, and many other nations.

Born in 1880, Francisco "Ñico" Lora made accordion playing popular. He was an excellent improviser, often composing songs on the spot. His songs are standards for típico musicians. Godfather of merengue Tatico Henríquez and Luis Alberti are legends of the early and mid-twentieth century. While less known in the larger world, merengue típico is alive and well. El Prodigio, a new generation accordion player, gets raves for his talents and makes forays into the pop scene with that traditional style.
Search for Merengue Music on Amazon.com
The towering - he's 6′ 7″ - Juan Luis Guerra is perhaps the most famous of all the modern Dominican merengue stars, and he has the acknowledgements to back up that claim with over 20 million records sold, 15 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards. Guerra, an accomplished musician and songwriter, has crossed into and fused a number of musical genres, but is best known for the national music of his homeland. His "Ojalá Que Llueva Café" ("I Wish It Would Rain Coffee") is a classic.

Women have also made their mark on the genre. Milly Quezada, a native of Santo Domingo who grew up in New York, is known as the Queen of Merengue, and has several Latin Grammy Awards to her name.

Hailing from Puerto Rico, Grupo Manía came on the scene in 1993. Founded by brothers Héctor and Oscar Serrano with Edwin Serrano and Alfred Cotto, the band's big success came a year later when Elvis Crespo stepped in as lead singer. Three years after that Crespo left to pursue his rising solo star.

Finally, one of the prides of Puerto Rico is the Woman of Fire or La Mujer de Fuego: Olga Tañon. Her career began with several popular merengue groups in the 1980s, but took to the stars when she went solo in the 1990s. Tañon has won 28 "Premio Lo Nuestro Awards," which is more than any other Latin musical artist in any genre.

Check out this Spotify playlist of great merengue songs

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Merengue: The Rhythm and Soul of Dominican Republic - The Mad Traveler

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Photo by Perico Ripiao Hips sway. The rhythm is fast, the beat is steady and even. The partners whirl each other, never letting go, but winding up like pretzels before magically returning to their original dance position.

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En términos generales, es fácil establecer a qué suena República Dominicana. No porque lo único que se realice allí en materia musical esté relacionado con el merengue, ni porque toda su cultura tenga que ver con el estilo cuyo nombre se asocia a un postre que puede ser tan azucarado y empalagoso como el pastel más grande del mundo. Lo que existe entre el merengue y República Dominicana va más allá de la música y supera cualquier frontera geográfica. (Vea tambié la galería: Algunas de las canciones más emblemáticas del merengue).

El merengue resume la historia de una de las Antillas Mayores y lo hace, incluso, a partir de su conformación instrumental. En su formato conviven tres de las culturas más significativas dentro del territorio de República Dominicana. Por una lado, la herencia europea se manifiesta inicialmente en las cuerdas y después el protagonismo fue asumido por el acordeón; por otra parte está el ancestro africano, que se encarga de marcar la parte rítmica con la tambora de dos parches, y por último aparece el componente autóctono con la güira, un instrumento propio de la tradición taína, indígena.

A partir de esta base rítmica y armónica, el género crece y sus objetivos se han multiplicado, tanto así que a partir del 30 de noviembre de 2016 la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (Unesco) declaró el merengue dominicano como Patrimonio Inmaterial y Cultural de la Humanidad.

La intención de incluir al merengue entre las tradiciones culturales, en las que por Colombia están ya el vallenato y las músicas de marimba del Pacífico, se traduce también en la urgencia por lanzar una alerta para preservar el género y conservar su esencia para las futuras generaciones del mundo.

"El merengue es un ritmo que nos identifica como país; es parte de nuestras raíces. Recibir esta distinción de la Unesco es una demostración de cómo nuestro ritmo ha trascendido fronteras, roto barreras de idiomas y logrado resonar en cada rincón del mundo", comentó recientemente Magaly Toribio, asesora del Ministerio de Turismo de República Dominicana.

El comité que tomó la decisión de declarar al merengue dominicano como un elemento patrimonial se reunió durante varias jornadas en Adis Abeba, la capital y al mismo tiempo la ciudad más poblada de Etiopía, y desde allí emitió declaraciones como la siguiente: "el género desempeña un papel activo en numerosos ámbitos de la vida diaria de la población: la educación, las reuniones sociales y amistosas, los acontecimientos festivos e incluso las campañas políticas". Y más adelante la Unesco manifiesta: "se transmite esencialmente mediante la participación y su práctica atrae a personas de clases sociales muy diferentes, y contribuye al fomento del respeto y de la convivencia entre las comunidades".

Otro de los aspectos que tuvieron en cuenta los integrantes del comité conformado por representantes de 24 estados es la condición del merengue como estilo que se baila en pareja. Al respecto, cuenta el acta: "el género tiene un acompañamiento de coqueteos y movimientos sensuales al compás de la música tocada con instrumentos como el acordeón, el tambor y el saxofón".

El merengue con o sin declaración es un sinónimo de alegría, porque suena y se baila en reuniones sociales, encuentros de amigos y acontecimientos multitudinarios. El género ha recorrido el mundo gracias a destacados exponentes como Joseíto Mateo, Juan Luis Guerra, Johnny Ventura, Milly Quezada, Wilfrido Vargas, Fernando Villalona, los Hermanos Rosario, Sergio Vargas y Eddy Herrera, entre muchos otros que han hecho suculento este postre bailable de América Latina.

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El merengue es Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad | ELESPECTADOR.COM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
En términos generales, es fácil establecer a qué suena República Dominicana. No porque lo único que se realice allí en materia musical esté relacionado con el merengue, ni porque toda su cultura tenga que ver con el estilo cuyo nombre se asocia a un postre que puede ser tan azucarado y empalagoso como el pastel más grande del mundo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dominican Republic

Inscribed in 2016 ( 11.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

© Ministerio de Cultura de República Dominicana

The merengue is considered part of the national identity of the Dominican community. It plays an active role in various aspects of people's daily lives - from their education to social gatherings and celebrations, even political campaigning. In 2005, the traditional practice was recognised by presidential decree with November 26 declared National Merengue Day. Merengue festivals are held in cities in the Dominican Republic like Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata every year. Danced in pairs, flirtatious gestures are used as participants move in circles to the rhythm of music played on instruments such as the accordion, drum and saxophone. It is a dance that is usually introduced to learners at an early age. Knowledge and skills on the practice are transmitted through observation, participation and imitation. The merengue attracts people of different social classes, which helps to promote respect and coexistence among individuals, groups and communities. The north of the country is considered to be the cradle of the practice with the area of influence extending to Puerto Rico, the United States of America and the Caribbean region. The merengue is also popular in other Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia where variations have emerged, and countries in Central America.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UNESCO - Music and dance of the merengue in the Dominican Republic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Committee meets annually to evaluate nominations proposed by States Parties to the 2003 Convention and decide whether or not to inscribe those cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage on the Convention's Lists. By clicking on the inscribed elements listed below, you can discover the nominations, photos and videos, together with Committee decisions and evidence of commun...

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https://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/merengue.htm

https://www.aboutespanol.com/el-merengue-298234

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Spanish:
https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/cultura/el-merengue-patrimonio-cultural-de-humanidad-articulo-671308

English:
https://themadtraveler.com/articles/merengue-the-rhythm-and-soul-of-dominican-republic/

# data[].attributes.body
Español -
https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/cultura/el-merengue-patrimonio-cultural-de-humanidad-articulo-671308

English -

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Photo by Perico Ripiao

Hips sway. The rhythm is fast, the beat is steady and even. The partners whirl each other, never letting go, but winding up like pretzels before magically returning to their original dance position. The bass and percussion are impossible for the feet not to follow - unlike the sometimes difficult count of salsa for the uninitiated, for example - and a metallic scratching carries over the top, pushing everyone on with the rhythm of a galloping horse. It's not just the Caribbean heat that'll make you sweat in the Dominican Republic; the irresistible merengue draws everyone to the dance floor.

When describing Latin music of most genres, the word "sensual" is likely to come up, and so is the case with merengue. Merengue, the national music and dance of the Dominican Republic, offers much of the elegance and sensual movements as salsa does, but merengue also often brings a bit of speed and energy to it and a more direct 2/4 beat. And as for history, it hearkens much further back, into the 19th century.

While the Dominican Republic has put its name on merengue, it is unlikely that the music and dance originated there. Some believe Cuban marching bands brought a style called upa to Puerto Rico in 1842, and while a form of merengue rose and fell on that island - the upper class found it offensive and corrupting - it also took root in rural populations of Dominican Republic.

While the island nation's lower classes and villagers picked it up, it was also met with distaste by the Dominican upper class. The commonly vulgar nature of the song lyrics sometimes provoked social campaigns to outlaw it. In 1875, President Ulises Espaillat banned merengue from social halls and it soon disappeared from urban culture. But the music and dance survived and became so much part of life in the Cibao region, that today the area is known as "the Cradle of Merengue." Nico Lora, a popular turn-of-the-century folk musician - a button-accordion player - and songwriter who composed thousands of songs, may deserve much of the credit. A boost of nationalism and indignation brought on by the United States' occupation of the republic from 1916 to 1924 may have also helped.

The appeal of the music was well established thereafter. So much so that Rafael Trujillo, the republic's tyrannical leader from 1930 to 1961, used accordion players on his campaign trail as he tried to appeal to the masses. When he came to power, he decided to declare merengue the national music, and his brother, who operated state radio, helped spread its popularity.

The vulgar lyrics and the reedy "noise" of the accordion, however, were still a tough sell for society's elites. That changed in 1936. Composer and singer Luis Alberti adapted a previous melody to some new lyrics to create "Compadre Pedro Juan." The song grabbed the entire nation, regardless of social class, and merengue truly became the rhythm and dance of the Dominican people.

In the early days of merengue, the bands were simple with only about three performers. The central melodies were carried by the tres and cuatro guitars - Spanish-influenced instruments from Cuba and Puerto Rico, respectively, named for their string configurations. Percussion consisted of a tambora (a two-sided drum), and a güira. To this day the güira stands out. It is a percussion instrument fashioned from a metal tube with a screen-like surface to it. A homemade version might take a tin cylinder and pound nail holes into its sides. The player uses a type of metal brush across the surface to get a sound somewhere vaguely between a hi-hat and maracas, and plays with a caballito or "little horse" rhythm.

When Germans brought the accordion to the island in the late 19th century, it began to replace the guitars. The music in this simplest form has become known as merengue típico. The güira, of native Taino origin, the tambora, of African origin, and the European accordion were thus combined and now represent the roots of the modern people and culture.

But in the latter half of the mid-twentieth century, an alternative style of merengue evolved. Tatico Henríquez, considered the godfather of modern merengue típico, brought in the electric bass and a saxophone that would play harmonies to the accordion. Thanks to radio broadcasts, his music became widely known and a new generation of musicians emulated him. Before long there was merengue de orquesta or big band merengue. Moving beyond one sax player, bands took on whole horn sections. The bass guitar became the norm as did a modern bass drum and hi-hat. While típico can still be found, the recording industry has taken big band merengue to the larger international audience.

In its simplest form, merengue dancing isn't that hard to pick up. (To get good at it is, of course, another matter!) Partners face each other in a closed position. Typically the man leads, with his right hand on his partner's waist, while holding the partner's right hand with his left hand at about eye level. The dancers bend their knees slightly left and right as mirror images of each other, thus making the hips move sensually left and right. The dancers may step sideways or circle each other, and they may step back from each other to an open position to perform turns without letting go of each other's hands or releasing one hand. The speed and complexity of these turns can get rather dizzying. But throughout, the dancers keep their heads up and maintain a rather proper, upright posture through their torsos in counterpoint to the sensual movements at the hips. It's a joy to watch; an ever great joy to participate in.

Merengue has gone far beyond the Dominican Republic. Puerto Rico has an equal passion for it and has contributed many popular musicians to the genre. The United States - especially in places like New York City and Miami - also picked it up, as did Colombia, Venezuela, and many other nations.

Born in 1880, Francisco "Ñico" Lora made accordion playing popular. He was an excellent improviser, often composing songs on the spot. His songs are standards for típico musicians. Godfather of merengue Tatico Henríquez and Luis Alberti are legends of the early and mid-twentieth century. While less known in the larger world, merengue típico is alive and well. El Prodigio, a new generation accordion player, gets raves for his talents and makes forays into the pop scene with that traditional style.
Search for Merengue Music on Amazon.com
The towering - he's 6′ 7″ - Juan Luis Guerra is perhaps the most famous of all the modern Dominican merengue stars, and he has the acknowledgements to back up that claim with over 20 million records sold, 15 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards. Guerra, an accomplished musician and songwriter, has crossed into and fused a number of musical genres, but is best known for the national music of his homeland. His "Ojalá Que Llueva Café" ("I Wish It Would Rain Coffee") is a classic.

Women have also made their mark on the genre. Milly Quezada, a native of Santo Domingo who grew up in New York, is known as the Queen of Merengue, and has several Latin Grammy Awards to her name.

Hailing from Puerto Rico, Grupo Manía came on the scene in 1993. Founded by brothers Héctor and Oscar Serrano with Edwin Serrano and Alfred Cotto, the band's big success came a year later when Elvis Crespo stepped in as lead singer. Three years after that Crespo left to pursue his rising solo star.

Finally, one of the prides of Puerto Rico is the Woman of Fire or La Mujer de Fuego: Olga Tañon. Her career began with several popular merengue groups in the 1980s, but took to the stars when she went solo in the 1990s. Tañon has won 28 "Premio Lo Nuestro Awards," which is more than any other Latin musical artist in any genre.

Check out this Spotify playlist of great merengue songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Merengue: The Rhythm and Soul of Dominican Republic - The Mad Traveler

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Photo by Perico Ripiao Hips sway. The rhythm is fast, the beat is steady and even. The partners whirl each other, never letting go, but winding up like pretzels before magically returning to their original dance position.

# data[].attributes.body
https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/music-and-dance-of-the-merengue-in-the-dominican-republic-01162
https://m.monografias.com/trabajos103/historia-origen-del-merengue/historia-origen-del-merengue.shtml

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merengue_music

http://www.educando.edu.do/articulos/docente/el-merengue-su-historia/

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.heritageinstitute.com/danceinfo/descriptions/merengue.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
República Dominicana

Inscrito en 2016 ( 11.COM) en la Lista Representativa del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad

© Ministerio de Cultura de República Dominicana

El merengue se considera parte integrante de la identidad nacional de la comunidad dominicana y, además, desempeña un papel activo en numerosos ámbitos de la vida diaria de la población: la educación, las reuniones sociales y amistosas, los acontecimientos festivos e incluso las campañas políticas electorales. El 26 de noviembre de 2005 esta práctica cultural tradicional obtuvo un reconocimiento público con la publicación de un decreto presidencial por el que se proclamó el Día Nacional del Merengue. En diversas ciudades de la República Dominicana tienen lugar festivales de merengue, entre los que destacan los celebrados cada año en Santo Domingo y Puerto Plata. El merengue se baila en pareja, acompañado de coqueteos y movimientos sensuales de los bailarines que giran al compás de la música interpretada con acordeones, tambores y saxofones, entre otros instrumentos. La iniciación a esta danza suele comenzar desde la más tierna infancia. Las prácticas y conocimientos vinculados al merengue se transmiten esencialmente mediante la observación, la participación y la imitación. La práctica de este elemento del patrimonio cultural inmaterial atrae a personas de medios socioeconómicos muy diversos, contribuyendo así a fomentar el respeto y la convivencia entre las comunidades. La cuna del merengue se sitúa en el norte de la República Dominicana y su zona de influencia abarca la región del Caribe, así como Puerto Rico y los Estados Unidos de América. También es muy popular en otros países de Centroamérica y América Latina, especialmente en Colombia y Venezuela, donde han surgido variantes de esta música y danza.

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UNESCO - La música y el baile del merengue en la República Dominicana

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
El merengue se considera parte integrante de la identidad nacional de la comunidad dominicana y, además, desempeña un papel activo en numerosos ámbitos de la vida diaria de la población: la educación, las reuniones sociales y amistosas, los acontecimientos festivos e incluso las campañas políticas electorales.