Go Barahona

Barahona is a queen who knowing no modesty shows off her beauty, aware that she is the owner of the southern cadences of half an island, and knew this part of the island was non-conformist and hides a whole continent in her skirt folds.

During colonial times Barahona and a large part of the southwest region was known as the Jaragua"cacicazgo" [or chiefdom]", one of the five regions in which the island was divided. Governed by the Chief Bohechio, Jaragua bore witness to the first social protest in the recently discovered America, when a Taino of Spanish descent rose up against Spanish exploitation. Twenty-one years later, the Southwest region experienced another rising in the Sierra de Bahoruco [Bahoruco Mountain Range]. The Chief, Enriquillo, fought against Spanish absolutism together with large groups of native Indians until a peace agreement was reached with the colonizing government in 1533.

The inhabitants in the Southwest are people with faith, who believe in God, in the Church and its teachings.

Just like in the rest of the country, the majority is Catholic, or at least born Catholic. There are other doctrines that have settled in the area and are gaining considerable followers. These are: the Evangelical Church, the Assembly of God, the Pentecostal Church, Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, and the Jehova's Witnesses

The greatest cultural wealth that a town can rely on is the most valuable resource that sets it aside from other towns: its people. Barahonians are friendly, very attached to their beliefs and values; very nice, they will always greet you; very giving, simple people; happy people from the coast who enjoy tobacco, rum and a nice piece of fried fish. Southerners are an example of the rich and colorful ethnic mixtures that have come together in Barahona and the rest of the region, taking Taino, African and Spanish elements, as well as some Franco-African cultural influences mainly on the other side of the border.

Southern artisans have the advantage of living in a region rich in cultural mixtures. Here, there are numerous findings from articles about the Taino people and elements of African and Spanish culture, that, together with the Haitian people nearby and their Franco-African origins, have been a source of inspiration to the unique crafts in this area.

The music in this area is an amalgamation of a variety of instruments, a product of the multicultural origins in Barahona.

One of the greatest events dedicated to folk music is the Atabales Festival or Palos, which takes place in July and is a way of preserving one of the most popular typical rhythms in the region with a view to fomenting and educating people about the different dances, songs and sounds of this area.

Barahona, with a surface area of 1,739.38 square kilometers, is entrenched in a plain on the Caribbean Sea coast, 204 Kms. From Santo Domingo. Its neighboring provinces are North Bahoruco, South Pedernales, West Independencia and Northeast Azua.

There is a wealth of all kinds of artistic expression in the southwest. The city of Barahona has produced distinguished personalities of international talent and fame in cinema, literature, theatre and comedy.

Gastronomy in Barahona and in most of the southwest where there are little fishing villages on the coast, regard"the fruit of the sea" as the main ingredients in the cuisine here. Fish like sea bass, conch, and small shrimp found in rivers and other sea foods are cooked and served with yucca or fried plantains. In some communities they use their imagination in recipes with ingredients like grated coconut, which adds an exotic flavor to their dishes.

The climate in Barahona and its surrounding areas is very varied, from wet tropical to dry steppe in areas near the border. You can enjoy the heat of the Caribbean coasts or shelter in the mountains with lower, cooler temperatures, just a few kilometers away. Temperatures range between 14 and 32 degrees centigrade although in specific areas lower temperatures have been recorded; for example, in the Pelempito Hole and in the upper Enriquillo Lake area.

The geography is rich in accidents of nature, the flora, fauna, endemic species, beaches, lakes, lagoons, and mountains. Plus, it has the largest lake in the Antilles, the Enriquillo Lake. The Southwest Region has definitely been blessed by Mother Nature.