I actually asked some family members their thoughts on this recently and some are under this impression of the North Coast being "El Cibao" as well. When prodded for examples of how, they could not come up with any and relied solely on it being within what I call "Greater Cibao region".

When you prodded for examples of how, no one told you that in the North Coast (again, with the exception of Samana) they talk "con la i", they have the mannerisms/customs, apart from looking like they actually are from El Cibao? Although some folks from Puerto Plata, or as they really say, "Pueito Plata" like to call themselves "Noiteños" (Norteños), that does not mean they are any less Cibaeño because they are not from the Cibao valley, their accent alone catches up to them. Same thing for the folks who want to call themselves "Linieros" (Montecristi, Dajabon, Loma de Cabrera) they can't escape their Cibaeño accent even if they wanted to. The way I see it, the Cibaeños from the North Coast have an added bonus of also having access to beaches, but all I'm saying is that I don't think not being "from the mountains/valley" should be the only parameter to "qualify" someone as being Cibaeño.

The only thing I can say is response that I'm certain that were I'm from is the cibao, without a shadow of a doubt (Baitoa, Santiago province). Just the fact that it CAN be debated if the people on the north coast and near the frontier are cibaeños is revealing in of itself.

you can add Sosua to Haiti

Look, some of you have said that Puerto Plateños and people from the North "tambien hablan con la "i". However, that has not been my experience. I have an uncle that left Santiago and moved to Pto. Pta while barely a pre-teen, never went back to the Cibao. He lived in PP all of his life; there he married a local girl and raised his family. I visit him from time-to-time and to me he just no longer has characteristics which I am familiar or would consider to be "Cibaeño." He speaks "proper" and fully pronounces all syllables and vowels and the same goes for the rest of his immediate family. And not that it necessarily makes any difference, but they did not attend college or have higher educational levels.

You also must take into consideration that Pto Plata is a coastal city and traditionally has been used as a dock for freight/cargo ships and not too long ago, also a cruise ship port of call. What this means is that PP has continually been a location for the influx of foreigners and refugees from all over the world. It is not uncommon to find Puerto Plateños to have foreign non-Dominican last names. So if it was ever considered a Cibaeño town, it really can no longer claim it as part of their cultural identity because of the continuous flow of mariners entering and intermixing with the locals and diluting the culture.

To and on the contrary Dominicans in and around the Cibao valley, were isolated from the rest of the country and a result were able to preserve, keep intact those cultural features and characteristics which clearly, undeniably identify them distinctively and uniquely Cibaeños. And don't you let anyone tell you otherwise, though I sadly realize and accept that the Cibao is also going through a slow but gradual process of change.

Do you consider Valverde to be part of the Cibao? Cuz' I consider it so judging by my experience with my father, who is from that place, and that no matter the many years that he has living here on the capital, hasn't stopped from speaking with the "i's", nor from being a furious aguilucho fan or enjoying a Perico Ripiao, the same applying to my paternal grandparents.

I certainly do. I've seen it left off some listings of the provinces that make up "El Cibao" on here before. I included because my mother's side is from there and they are culturally similar to my father's side in Sajoma aside from my father's side being true campesinos in the mountains.

No, they just said it is in the North so it's "El Cibao". Others in my family, like some hear, stated the fact that it's coastal and has had many migrants and foreign influences discounts any claim to being part of "El Cibao".

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[QUOTE=ElTorodeCibao]
[QUOTE=Lautaro]
[QUOTE=cibaeño75]

The only thing I can say is response that I'm certain that were I'm from is the cibao, without a shadow of a doubt (Baitoa, Santiago province). Just the fact that it CAN be debated if the people on the north coast and near the frontier are cibaeños is revealing in of itself.


Do you consider Valverde to be part of the Cibao? Cuz' I consider it so judging by my experience with my father, who is from that place, and that no matter the many years that he has living here on the capital, hasn't stopped from speaking with the "i's", nor from being a furious aguilucho fan or enjoying a Perico Ripiao, the same applying to my paternal grandparents.


I certainly do. I've seen it left off some listings of the provinces that make up "El Cibao" on here before. I included because my mother's side is from there and they are culturally similar to my father's side in Sajoma aside from my father's side being true campesinos in the mountains.


I second the motion-absolutely and positively, yes !!!! As well as la vega, Bonao, Moca, San Fco. etc.

The other more pure, hardcore of the Cibaeños areas are any of the towns and municipalities in and around Santiago: Of course the already mentioned San Jose de Las Matas aka Sajoma and

Janico, Sabana Iglesias (one of the first pioneers to NY), Bella Vista, Diego de Ocampo, Licey, Puñal, Tamboril, Villa Bisono, Villa Gonzalez, Palmar abajo y Arriba, Pedro García, Baitoa, La Canela, Jacagua y Hato del Yaque.

This is what we mean and talk about when we make references to "el verdadero Cibao. "

We are not just simply making reference to and only about a geografic location or regional demarcations created for political purposes by polititians with a hidden agenda.