The native inhabitants of the Dominican Republic are the Taino people. The Taíno people are said to originate from the Arawak tribe and the word "Taíno means "good". Their settlement is believed to have begun around 400 B.C. They were a gentle people. So gentle in fact that they chose to settle disputes amongst themselves by playing a game similar to what we call soccer. They did not have a written language to speak of but rather used a variety of symbols which can now be seen on various cave tours in the Dominican. The Taíno's are known for their beautiful pottery as well as artifacts designed out of wood, stone, shell and bone. They were hunters and gathers with their main crops consisting of yuca, sweet potatoes, maize and beans.
In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed on their island which he named Hispaniola. Shortly thereafter, in 1494, Columbus established the first American colony at La Isabela. It wasn't long before trouble became the Taíno people. The Spaniards forced the Taíno men to work on plantations and in gold mines. In turn, the Taíno's were not able to plant their own crops and began to starve, eventually falling victim to the European diseases that had been brought in by the Spaniards (smallpox, measels, etc). Many Taíno people fled. Of those that remained, many women married Spaniards thus creating a mestizo population of people. By the early 1500's over 85% of the Taíno population was destroyed with only small elements of their culture remaining. The island of Hispaniola remained under Spanish control until 1697 when what is now known as Haiti was given to France.
In 1797 the entire island was transferred to French control under the treaty of Basle. A few short years later, in 1804, the slaves revolted and gained independence of Haiti. However, the Dominican remained under French control until 1809 when Juan Sanchez Ramirez brought control back to Spain. In 1821 the Dominican was no longer under the control of Spain but now fell under the control of Haiti where it remained for 20 years. Finally, in 1844, the Dominican gained its independence from Haiti during a battle led by Juan Pablo Duarte.
The rich history of the Dominican has shaped it into the beautiful country it is today. You will enjoy surrounding yourself with their culture.