Moreno(masculine) means brown skinned and is interchangeable with black/negro. But the usage of the word negro is only used descriptive or in positive manner more often then not. Moreno can be from Big Papi who is obviously black to Alex Rodriguez types.
Thats why you’ll hear “negra bella” (beautiful black) or “negro guapo” (handsome black) in common language. The discrepancy in the usage of the word black is historically problematic in Dominican society. You’ve seen or heard those phrases and they are prefacing the word “black” with a positive description. That’s not happenstance.
The use of moreno started pre and post slavery (slavery was significantly different in DR versus Haiti). Majority of black Dominicans in Dominican Republic are descended from free people in the Dominican Republic, so that’s where a large misunderstanding comes from. Before you read further read that sentence again.
Example: Al Horford who’s grandfather is from the Bahamas. It’s almost a guarantee that side was enslaved at some point in Bahamas, but were free upon arrival in the late 1800’s to the DR to work in sugar plantations (bateys) in San Pedro Macoris, but I guarantee if you asked Al Horford he would struggle with answering whether he is or black or not or whether he descends from slaves because his history in the DR weren’t enslaved. This is consistent with every census report and just the overall history of the DR that is lost in translation.
“Approximately 9,648 slaves remain in Santo Domingo. With decline of sugar production, some slaves are sold elsewhere, while others escape into the interior of the island or die of epidemic diseases”
https://socialjusticebooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ccdr_timeline.pdf
Moreno was used to describe “freemen” as well as to make a distinction between the newly arrival and larger black slave population of Haiti. They arrived directly from Africa a whole 150-175 years after what we know as “Dominicans” today who not only had a decimated population but had a significant mixed raced population by this point.
So “black” will always garner a
in the manner it is used because historically it’s associated with “enslaved” within this society. And more recently “African American”. You’ll also hear “rubia” (blonde) in reference to a fair skinned women. It also could mean describing a blonde haired woman obviously, and “indio” (Indian) describing someone who has Indigenous Taino blood, which is pretty much 75 percent of the population. The only subject in school here that is required in Spanish is history. And that’s why a lot of what is interpreted as “self hate” is really a lack of understanding of history here. Of course “one boat, different stops” is how we contextualize histories but it’s just not going to work here. While some parts intertwine a large part diverges.
You add in the identity of Dominican, everyone is just Dominican. If you have Dominican blood. Whether poor, rich, white, black, etc the culture is Dominican. There is no black Dominican culture, white Dominican culture, might be “Tigre” (street savvy) versus “Popis” (posh, preppy, American) but it’s still Dominican. Whereas we as black Americans are saying “we feel more American outside of America”.
That’s the difference. If you don’t understand that fundamental difference then yeh ideologically things will appear self hating or anti black to you, and I’m not saying that shyt don’t exist because it can. But it’s not in the manner you think.
