Samaná's Afro-American memory has contributed to the province's culture.
A journey to Samaná Bay, where the echoes of a migration that occurred more than two centuries ago continue to mark the cultural pulse of an entire community .
An episode of the seasonal program Migrantes , by journalist Millizen Uribe , showed how the African Americans who arrived from the United States in 1824 left a legacy of faith , gastronomy, architecture and art that still defines the identity of this province in the northeast of the Dominican Republic.
Samaná , with its African-American heritage , is further proof that Dominican history cannot be told without recognizing the migrations that have shaped it.
African Americans who settled in the northeast of the country came from Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, the Carolinas, and Florida, driven by the promise of freedom and a dignified future.
They settled in the area with their customs , language and beliefs, building churches, forming farming communities and leaving surnames that still resonate: Johnson, Kelly, King, Sheppard, Hamilton, Wilmore.
More than 200 years have passed, and yet its imprint remains as vivid as the first day.
Among the most recognized symbols of this heritage is the San Peter church , known as “ La Chorcha ”, a prefabricated structure brought from England in 1901 and assembled in Santa Bárbara de Samaná .
It survived intact the 1946 fire that devastated the city, becoming an emblem of resistance and a cultural heritage of the community .
Alongside it, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Bethel Church , founded in 1899 under the inspiration of Bishop Richard Allen, remembers the spiritual strength of those who came seeking freedom .
Gastronomy with a coconut flavorBut Samaná 's African-American heritage is also evident.
The memory of Albertina de Peña, “ Old Pan ,” lives on in every loaf of bread baked by her descendants , while local cuisine pays homage to the coconut in breads, sweets, rice dishes, and fish.
On the artistic side, Bamboula , a dance with African roots celebrated every October 24 in honor of San Rafael, remains alive thanks to the efforts of families like the Peña and cultural guardians like Professor Mártires Mercedes.
Testimonies of descendantsThe episode included heartfelt testimonies from descendants such as Francisca Carrasco, Richard Barret, María Mercedes Jackson, Wilfredo Benjamín Kelly, Nelly Mercedes, Justino Rodríguez Jones, David Michel Severino, Ester Wilmore Phipps and Virgilio Mercado de Peña, who, along with the new generation, proudly claim their origins .
In addition, it featured the participation of sociologist and director of Museums , Carlos Andujar .
Their stories confirmed that being from Samaná is also being an heir to a migration that brought with it dreams , flavors, rhythms and a deep sense of community .
“The African-American heritage remains alive , latent, a legacy that time has not been able to erase,” Uribe said.
And in that heartbeat, Samaná remembers all those who one day crossed seas in search of freedom , leaving as a gift a culture that today enriches the entire Dominican Republic .
Migrantes is a program hosted and co-produced by journalist Millizen Uribe and produced by Gelen Gil . It airs on Telesistema, Channel 11, every Saturday at 9:00 p.m.
The series, conceived as a true country branding project, seeks to highlight the influence and impact of the various migrant communities in the Dominican Republic .
Over 13 episodes, we will present testimonies showing how groups from Spain, Haiti, Venezuela, Japan, the United States, Colombia, and others have left their mark on Dominican culture , economy, history, and gastronomy.
The program was filmed in locations such as Samaná , Constanza, Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Santiago, and the border region, with a sensitive and human approach. José Luis Alcántara is the Director of Photography and Director, and Orlando Almonte serves as editor.
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