Friday, October 30, 2009
Dominica (pronounced dom-ah-NEE-ka) not to be confused with The Dominican Republic
By Thomson Fontaine
“In an editorial today you speak about Dominica meaning Santo Domingo. Dominica is a small West Indian island belonging to Great Britain and it is a gross error to call the large Spanish speaking island Dominica.
It seems to me that the American people display a wonderful ignorance of the chain of islands that lie at the door of the United States. Even the school geographies make gross statements regarding these. I know there are many American textbooks which term Santo Domingo Dominica, but that does not go to show that it is its proper name.”
This eloquent and unsigned letter pointing to the confusion in a New York Times editorial over Dominica and the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo), was delivered to the papers and subsequently reprinted in the editorial pages on January 15, 1905.
Unfortunately, this eloquent writer did not sign his name but indicated that he was a resident of Brooklyn, New York. The fact that he refers to “the American people” displaying a “wonderful ignorance of the chain of islands” have led me to believe that he very well may have been a Dominican from Dominica.
Who else would so passionately and carefully bring to the attention of the editorial staff of the vaunted New York Times and readers around the globe that they keep confusing the two countries.
More than a hundred years after this letter was written, Dominicans today find themselves having to tell the world that they should stop confusing Santo Domingo (The Dominican Republic) with its smaller less known neighbor, Dominica.
The confusion over the name should not have been a big deal if not for the problems that it have created. For years mail to Dominica was routinely diverted to the Dominican Republic. Some of it eventually found its way to Dominica, others were forever lost. Sadly the confusion continues even to this day although to a lesser extent.
On a personal basis, some years ago I noticed that I was listed as a citizen of the Dominican Republic on a visa that I had received from the United States Embassy in Barbados
Where it becomes really interesting is when the press refers to residents of the country and not the country per se. So for instance, a Dominican from the Dominican Republic appearing before a court in New York is confused for a Dominican, from Dominica.
In my own research of articles from the New York Times, I found countless instances where confusion reigned supreme. No wonder the Brooklyn resident was so irate. Try doing a Google search for Dominican Newspapers. You would be searching all night for something from Dominica.
Most Dominicans can relate the experience of introducing themselves in a foreign country and having to say something like “my name is John or Jane and I am from the island of Dominica, NOT the Dominican Republic.”
Others can relate to doing a personal introduction and the person that they are being introduced to saying something like “so you are from Dominica, I see, the Dominican Republic.”, and you having to politely respond, “no , not the Dominican Republic, Dominica. You see, Dominica is English speaking, we even speak Creole and the Dominican Republic is Spanish, right next to Haiti.:
As for me, I have grown tired of correcting people. I travel all the time and all the time I would find myself after having made the introduction to clarify just where I come from, and even then they don’t get it.
Well, some time ago I just stopped altogether. When I say Dominica and they say “oh Dominican Republic” I just smile and move on. Why, you might ask. Well, it’s not because I think that everyone should know the difference, and that the fact I speak English without an accent (at least I think so), would be enough for them to know the difference.
It was for something far less benign. On one of my many overseas trips, I was attending a meeting with one of my colleagues. Someone who has been to my office, whom I’ve known for sometime and who I’ve even invited to visit Dominica. “You know that small island of 70 000 people wedged in between Guadeloupe and Martinique.”
So we are at this meeting and he is doing the introductions. After introducing himself, he turns to me and says, “and Thomson here is from the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic.” I vowed there and then to just let it go, give up. Clearly, no amount of making that distinction will make a difference for the millions around the globe who know of Dominica, the Dominican Republic.
I suspect many other Dominicans like me have started doing the same thing. Others though are taking proactive action. One of the more popular Face book groups where Dominicans visit is called ‘I Am From Dominica – No Not the Dominican Republic’. The caption reads “Dominicans.... don't you hate it when people always get us mixed up with Dominican Republic? lol just had to set the record straight!
Not content to just back down, many in Dominica have called for a change in the name of the island. The most popular suggestion is to revert to the name given by its oldest inhabitants, whose descendants still live among us: Waitikubuli – Tall is her body.
Others have suggested using the French version of the island’s name, Dominique. Yet others suggest Nature Isle and Land of Many Rivers. However, there appears to be neither the political will nor any strong grassroots support for changing the name. Not many countries have changed their names in modern times, and even when this is done it creates even more confusion.
Zaire changed its name to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), only problem is there was already the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). Burma changed its name to Myanmar, very few people remember that. Kampuchea became Cambodia. A name change would put us among a unique group of countries worldwide.
Interestingly, the confusion is not limited to people outside of the two islands. Despite a very English looking website, The Dominican.net routinely gets queries in Spanish, which of course are immediately discarded. In spite of the Spanish name, my four years of high school Spanish still did not prepare me for understanding the language.
So here we are some five hundred years after Christopher Columbus called one country Dominica and the other Santo Domingo, still trying to differentiate the two.
Notwithstanding the great technological and information breakthroughs of the past hundred years, we continue to struggle with that issue and I suspect will continue to do so until the end of time or until one country changes its name, whichever comes first.
“In an editorial today you speak about Dominica meaning Santo Domingo. Dominica is a small West Indian island belonging to Great Britain and it is a gross error to call the large Spanish speaking island Dominica.
It seems to me that the American people display a wonderful ignorance of the chain of islands that lie at the door of the United States. Even the school geographies make gross statements regarding these. I know there are many American textbooks which term Santo Domingo Dominica, but that does not go to show that it is its proper name.”
 Dominica is often confused with its larger neighbor to the North the Dominican Republic. |
This eloquent and unsigned letter pointing to the confusion in a New York Times editorial over Dominica and the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo), was delivered to the papers and subsequently reprinted in the editorial pages on January 15, 1905.
Unfortunately, this eloquent writer did not sign his name but indicated that he was a resident of Brooklyn, New York. The fact that he refers to “the American people” displaying a “wonderful ignorance of the chain of islands” have led me to believe that he very well may have been a Dominican from Dominica.
Who else would so passionately and carefully bring to the attention of the editorial staff of the vaunted New York Times and readers around the globe that they keep confusing the two countries.
More than a hundred years after this letter was written, Dominicans today find themselves having to tell the world that they should stop confusing Santo Domingo (The Dominican Republic) with its smaller less known neighbor, Dominica.
The confusion over the name should not have been a big deal if not for the problems that it have created. For years mail to Dominica was routinely diverted to the Dominican Republic. Some of it eventually found its way to Dominica, others were forever lost. Sadly the confusion continues even to this day although to a lesser extent.
On a personal basis, some years ago I noticed that I was listed as a citizen of the Dominican Republic on a visa that I had received from the United States Embassy in Barbados
Where it becomes really interesting is when the press refers to residents of the country and not the country per se. So for instance, a Dominican from the Dominican Republic appearing before a court in New York is confused for a Dominican, from Dominica.
In my own research of articles from the New York Times, I found countless instances where confusion reigned supreme. No wonder the Brooklyn resident was so irate. Try doing a Google search for Dominican Newspapers. You would be searching all night for something from Dominica.
Most Dominicans can relate the experience of introducing themselves in a foreign country and having to say something like “my name is John or Jane and I am from the island of Dominica, NOT the Dominican Republic.”
Others can relate to doing a personal introduction and the person that they are being introduced to saying something like “so you are from Dominica, I see, the Dominican Republic.”, and you having to politely respond, “no , not the Dominican Republic, Dominica. You see, Dominica is English speaking, we even speak Creole and the Dominican Republic is Spanish, right next to Haiti.:
As for me, I have grown tired of correcting people. I travel all the time and all the time I would find myself after having made the introduction to clarify just where I come from, and even then they don’t get it.
Well, some time ago I just stopped altogether. When I say Dominica and they say “oh Dominican Republic” I just smile and move on. Why, you might ask. Well, it’s not because I think that everyone should know the difference, and that the fact I speak English without an accent (at least I think so), would be enough for them to know the difference.
It was for something far less benign. On one of my many overseas trips, I was attending a meeting with one of my colleagues. Someone who has been to my office, whom I’ve known for sometime and who I’ve even invited to visit Dominica. “You know that small island of 70 000 people wedged in between Guadeloupe and Martinique.”
So we are at this meeting and he is doing the introductions. After introducing himself, he turns to me and says, “and Thomson here is from the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic.” I vowed there and then to just let it go, give up. Clearly, no amount of making that distinction will make a difference for the millions around the globe who know of Dominica, the Dominican Republic.
I suspect many other Dominicans like me have started doing the same thing. Others though are taking proactive action. One of the more popular Face book groups where Dominicans visit is called ‘I Am From Dominica – No Not the Dominican Republic’. The caption reads “Dominicans.... don't you hate it when people always get us mixed up with Dominican Republic? lol just had to set the record straight!
Not content to just back down, many in Dominica have called for a change in the name of the island. The most popular suggestion is to revert to the name given by its oldest inhabitants, whose descendants still live among us: Waitikubuli – Tall is her body.
Others have suggested using the French version of the island’s name, Dominique. Yet others suggest Nature Isle and Land of Many Rivers. However, there appears to be neither the political will nor any strong grassroots support for changing the name. Not many countries have changed their names in modern times, and even when this is done it creates even more confusion.
Zaire changed its name to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), only problem is there was already the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). Burma changed its name to Myanmar, very few people remember that. Kampuchea became Cambodia. A name change would put us among a unique group of countries worldwide.
Interestingly, the confusion is not limited to people outside of the two islands. Despite a very English looking website, The Dominican.net routinely gets queries in Spanish, which of course are immediately discarded. In spite of the Spanish name, my four years of high school Spanish still did not prepare me for understanding the language.
So here we are some five hundred years after Christopher Columbus called one country Dominica and the other Santo Domingo, still trying to differentiate the two.
Notwithstanding the great technological and information breakthroughs of the past hundred years, we continue to struggle with that issue and I suspect will continue to do so until the end of time or until one country changes its name, whichever comes first.
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// posted by TheDominican.net @ 11:40 PM
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Christopher Columbus would not have made the mistake of labelling two of his "discoveries" with identical monikers. His name for the island, of which the Republic now forms part was Hispaniola (little Spain), in honour of this principals, the king and queen of Spain. Whereas the name Dominica has been bestowed upon us since 1493, the "Dominican Republic" did not come into being till 1844, after shaking off the yoke of twenty two years of occupation by neigbouring Haiti and more than 350 years after the arrival of Columbus to our shores! Without a shadow of doubt, we therefore have first claim to the name "Dominica" and I have always felt strongly that if anyone has to change it should be the Republic, which "usurped" our name at our expense causing us headaches ever since! It is not so easy, and very costly, for a nation to change its name and why should we be forced to carry a burden that is not of our own making? One of the options I have suggested would be to refer to ourselves as "Real Dominica", alluding to the obvious fact that we have undisputed ownership of this name and at the same time giving us "one up" over the Republic as "Real" in Spanish translates into the English "Royal". The publicity such a move would generate would be priceless!
Let's celebrate the fact that next we will have been
known as the "Real Dominica" for 516 years without interruption.
Jan Bors
Let's celebrate the fact that next we will have been
known as the "Real Dominica" for 516 years without interruption.
Jan Bors
# posted by 
: October 31, 2009 5:17 AM
: October 31, 2009 5:17 AM
Dominica belongs to Great Britain? I though Dominica belonged to the Dominican people and that Britain is no longer Great - but UK
# posted by : October 31, 2009 2:04 PM
: October 31, 2009 2:04 PM
Anonymous did you read the article? The quote was a 1905 quote when Dominica was still a Crown Colony of Great Britain.....
# posted by : October 31, 2009 3:58 PM
: October 31, 2009 3:58 PM
I often see misleading and sometimes potentially damaging articles that headline "Dominica" but are in fact referring to the Dominican Republic.
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6799706.html
http://www.petroleumworld.com/story09103003.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/13/content_10813312.htm
etc
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6799706.html
http://www.petroleumworld.com/story09103003.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/13/content_10813312.htm
etc
# posted by : November 1, 2009 12:07 AM
: November 1, 2009 12:07 AM
I totally agree, Thomson. Excellent, excellent article. I think you touched a nerve. The confusion with the Dominican Republic may not only be annoying, but may be costing us serious tourist dollars.
At independence, we chose the formal designation of the COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA. Nice-sounding, but that was too long and obviously failed to create sufficient separation between us and the Dominican Republic. The same can be said for DOMINIQUE. The healthy debate about a possible name change has gone on for some time, but without great interest or final consensus.
Deep down, I like the name WAITIKUBULI for all the right historical reasons. But let's be honest; people are going to screw up the pronunciation and ask just as many questions (which may not necessarily be a bad thing). However, that would again fail to accomplish our stated objective. Some have argued we had the name first and they, the Dominican Republic, should change. Don't hold your breath - they're the ones benefiting. Others have offered to just call the country Roseau and the capital, Roseau City. I think people with roots outside the city limits would take exception to that.
Thanks to the consistent work by our cultural and tourism movers and shakers, we can lay reasonable and permanent claim to the name Nature Island. We are already halfway there since, for ages, we have been promoting "Dominica, Nature Island of the Caribbean." All we have to do now is just formalize that in parliament. I have researched the matter and the closest island states and territories that I could identify were the Marshall Islands, Falkland Islands, Sandwich Islands and Easter Island (and we all know what Easter island is famous for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Island ). Just like selecting an e-mail address, isn't it nice to know that this name is not already taken? This is a fantastic opportunity. It's like a ripe grafted mango waiting just for you to pick it!
Listen: the pilot announces that we will be landing on Nature Island in 20 minutes. You are a first-time visitor. Which name creates the greatest buzz of anticipation?
We can name our country anything we want to, just as a parent is free to name their children whatever they want. An African-American football player officially changed his name to Ocho Cinco, Spanish for his jersey # 85. He is not that great a player, but you can bet he has made a lot of mileage with his new name. A lot of people don't like change, at least when it comes to the name of their country. Zaire, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Czechoslovakia and others have all done it. However, for many Dominicans, "So it is. Leave it so." Then again, it was Robert Kennedy who said "Some men see things as they are and ask, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and ask, "Why not?"
Nature Island, capital city, Roseau. Home of the Kalinago people (Caribs) after which the Caribbean was named... Boiling Lake, whale watching, scuba paradise and much more! Can you see what I'm seeing?
Let's be proactive. Let's not quibble about the past, rather let's embrace the future. Let's choose the option that will bring us the most good for generations to come. That being so, let's go for it!
At independence, we chose the formal designation of the COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA. Nice-sounding, but that was too long and obviously failed to create sufficient separation between us and the Dominican Republic. The same can be said for DOMINIQUE. The healthy debate about a possible name change has gone on for some time, but without great interest or final consensus.
Deep down, I like the name WAITIKUBULI for all the right historical reasons. But let's be honest; people are going to screw up the pronunciation and ask just as many questions (which may not necessarily be a bad thing). However, that would again fail to accomplish our stated objective. Some have argued we had the name first and they, the Dominican Republic, should change. Don't hold your breath - they're the ones benefiting. Others have offered to just call the country Roseau and the capital, Roseau City. I think people with roots outside the city limits would take exception to that.
Thanks to the consistent work by our cultural and tourism movers and shakers, we can lay reasonable and permanent claim to the name Nature Island. We are already halfway there since, for ages, we have been promoting "Dominica, Nature Island of the Caribbean." All we have to do now is just formalize that in parliament. I have researched the matter and the closest island states and territories that I could identify were the Marshall Islands, Falkland Islands, Sandwich Islands and Easter Island (and we all know what Easter island is famous for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Island ). Just like selecting an e-mail address, isn't it nice to know that this name is not already taken? This is a fantastic opportunity. It's like a ripe grafted mango waiting just for you to pick it!
Listen: the pilot announces that we will be landing on Nature Island in 20 minutes. You are a first-time visitor. Which name creates the greatest buzz of anticipation?
We can name our country anything we want to, just as a parent is free to name their children whatever they want. An African-American football player officially changed his name to Ocho Cinco, Spanish for his jersey # 85. He is not that great a player, but you can bet he has made a lot of mileage with his new name. A lot of people don't like change, at least when it comes to the name of their country. Zaire, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Czechoslovakia and others have all done it. However, for many Dominicans, "So it is. Leave it so." Then again, it was Robert Kennedy who said "Some men see things as they are and ask, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and ask, "Why not?"
Nature Island, capital city, Roseau. Home of the Kalinago people (Caribs) after which the Caribbean was named... Boiling Lake, whale watching, scuba paradise and much more! Can you see what I'm seeing?
Let's be proactive. Let's not quibble about the past, rather let's embrace the future. Let's choose the option that will bring us the most good for generations to come. That being so, let's go for it!
Dear Editor
I found your articles about Dominica extremely interesting.
I am planning a cruise and I am researching the various island stops and was very surprised to learn that the Dominican Republic and Dominica are not the same place, so thank you for writing the interesting information. I have certainly learned interesting facts this evening thanks to your publication.
I am a South African citizen.
Many thanks
I found your articles about Dominica extremely interesting.
I am planning a cruise and I am researching the various island stops and was very surprised to learn that the Dominican Republic and Dominica are not the same place, so thank you for writing the interesting information. I have certainly learned interesting facts this evening thanks to your publication.
I am a South African citizen.
Many thanks
# posted by : November 2, 2009 1:49 AM
: November 2, 2009 1:49 AM
Very well written article. Interesting how some things just never change. Dominica continues to get the wrong end of the stick on this one.
# posted by : November 2, 2009 6:14 PM
: November 2, 2009 6:14 PM
I was born on Dominica and get tired of people asking me if i am from Louisiana because of my Domnican accent. It is amazing how many people in the united states do not know that there are two islands in the carribean called Dominica, absolutely amazing among people who are supposed to be educated. Even people at the banks are ignorant of this fact.I have personal experience of mail i sent there getting sent to the Dominican republic instead even letters from the US Department of Veterans affairs to one of my relatives living there. A letter from the US department of Veterans took two months to reach Dominica because it was sent to the wrong Dominica, shows even the US Veterans affairs office do not know that there are two islands called Dominica in the carribean.Amazing!Even if you do put Commonwealth of Dominica on your mail it still may wind up in the Dominican Republic then get sent back to the point of origin and re-mailed.
# posted by : November 3, 2009 5:48 PM
: November 3, 2009 5:48 PM
Dr. Sam, I am in tune with your sentiments and I too have toyed with the moniker "Nature Island" but ultimately rejected it because as as a consequence we would be officially be referred to as "Nature Islanders", a somewhat dubious distinctinction that could easily be misinterpreted and attract ridicule. Hence my alternative suggestion "Real Dominica", which would make all of us "Real Dominicans". It is only one of, possibly alternative ideas. Best wishes.
Jan Bors
Jan Bors
# posted by : November 4, 2009 8:51 AM
: November 4, 2009 8:51 AM
This is a very interested article, well done Nr Fontaine, Our fellow Dominica do not know how frustrated it is out there when being in a conference, workshop, educational institute add you have to introduce your self,, need to say something about your country and your culture. Man the minute you mention my name is so and so from Dominica, and to be in the present of Spanish individuals and to reply to you in Spanish, and you have to reply no Spanish, then you have to describe Our Dominica to these people this is very frustration, people out there do not know nothing what so ever bout our Dominica, some of my replies are Dominica is located between two French countries which you have to name, you have to find a world map and show to audience where Dominica is located, I have people coming up to me saying oh, you country is on the new this is what happened there only to know that it is DA, but the Dominican republic, even sending money or whatever to your people back home is frustrating, one time i send some money down to my family through Western Union only to find out that it went to the Dominica Republic, when i completed the form and indicated that it is the Commonwealth of Dominica, something need to be done, I think that some thing need to be done with the name of Dominica, one of my suggestions is to change the name. i meet people who visited the Islands, they would say to you straight up they know of St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent, some other countries is the Caribbean but they never heard of and Island Name Dominica, yes they know of the Republic, sometimes when you would mention to someone that you are a West Indian, they would ask what part of India and again you have to market the islands, i keep saying that the British did not do a good job with the Islands and why did Santa Domingo changed to The Dominica Republic and the British knowing that our Dominica is already named, we need to do a lot to market and and promote Dominica to the rest of the world. what i normally do is asked them to check everything on the web, then however it is would get back to me and say (Oh this island is very beautiful and green , hearing this is an accomplishment for me
Home is where my heart is, it's been over ten years, missing DA
Home is where my heart is, it's been over ten years, missing DA
# posted by : November 6, 2009 6:55 PM
: November 6, 2009 6:55 PM
Thompsom
Great article!
We all share in this dilema. Why not drop the "o" in Dominica and change the name to Dminica. That would solve all the problem.
Great article!
We all share in this dilema. Why not drop the "o" in Dominica and change the name to Dminica. That would solve all the problem.
# posted by : November 30, 2009 6:07 PM
: November 30, 2009 6:07 PM Links to this post:
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