The Dominican Republic & Haiti: MYTHS, TRUTHS with Expert Iván Gatón

In this episode of the Tourism Lens Podcast, I sit down with the renowned Professor Ivan Gatón—Dominican academic and expert in geopolitics, history— to dive deep into the trajectory of Hispaniola island, the evolution of both Haiti and DR, and misconceptions about the Dominican Republic when it comes to Haiti. 🇩🇴🇭🇹 We talk about the real stories that often go untold—including the African origins of Dominicans, the sugar plantations you won't learn about in museums in the DR, but also the divergent Dominican and Haitian identities and why all of this matters today in light of the DR pushback against mass immigration from Haiti. Lastly, what's the solution to the Haiti crisis? He also ties it to US history and race relations in the wider region. If you're passionate about history, travel, and understanding cultures beyond the headlines, you won’t want to miss this one. Grab a cup of coffee, TURN ON ENGLISH CAPTIONS if you need, and enjoy! [For translated captions: Go to settings on the video menu, selection captions, then Auto-translate and pick English or your preferred language. Note that the translation is good but not perfect, still it is pretty accurate for most of it.] . 🌎 Subscribe for more real conversations about tourism, culture, and the global connections that shape us. . In this video: ♡ 00:00 Why I invited Iván Gatón to speak to my US audience of mindful travelers 02:47 Welcome: Ivan Gaton and his passion for history, geopolitics 09:42 The Early Days of Hispaniola Island - with the Taino 10:08 The mixed race history of DR - Taino+Spanish, and later with Africans. PLUS the little known story of Juan Garrido, a freed African-Spanish conquistador 15:45 Why race + Blackness isn’t an issue for Dominicans 18:38 How Spanish rule on the east of Hispaniola (DR) was very different from the French rule in the west or what came to be Haiti 20:22 Haiti and Toussaint L’Ouverture (and guess where he was army-trained?) 22:35 The slavery period in DR — sugar plantations and rebellions 26:03 A big shift: Cuba steals the show; Changes in DR society 30:03 By contrast, a slavery-focused society in Haiti 31:45 Dominican psyche vs. Haitian psyche —and why Dominicans say “I’m Dominican” instead of the way African Americans say “I’m Black” 35:43 Dominicans don’t aspire to be white ! 38:18 The lack of information — and Responsible tourism 41:06 Perspectives on Cristobal Colon - trade - capitalism 43:40 The controversial “unification” language: Gaton’s perspective on why the two countries continued to evolve differently [SUPER INTERESTING] 47:09 The Haitian elite vs. Dominican elite -- and the inclusive fight for DR Independence 51:42 Balaguer: Tourism begins in DR 54:03 The Haiti migration crisis - How history shapes identity 57:50 Critique: Dominicans are proud of being Dominican but most prefer to explore Europe than their backyard – plus INCREDIBLE landscapes you should know about 1:03:22 What Iván Gatón wants you to know to understand current DR-Haiti relations BEYOND sensational news headlines. If you missed my earlier video on Punta Cana protests against Haitian mass migration:    • What's Behind the Protests in Punta Cana? ...   You can also find Ivan Gaton on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.gaton/?hl=en and on Youtube    / @ivanernestogaton   ======= TOOLS & GUIDES 🇧🇿 FREE Belize Move Overview Guide: https://tourismlens.kit.com/belizeove... 🇩🇴 Get my DR 7-Day Custom-Created Cultural Itinerary: https://tourismlens.kit.com/products/... 🧰 Books, gear I recommend (affiliate links, no extra cost to you) → https://kit.co/tourismlens 👉🏾Join as a YT member for perks or insider intel:    / @tourismlens   👉🏾JOIN THIS CHANNEL - Get perks and insider intel:    / @tourismlens