FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-17 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (January 26, 2023) – In today’s edition of Fun with Map from Steve Kovacs, we celebrate the birthday of an important leader in the Dominican Republic.   

CELEBRATING A NATIONAL HERO

Today is a public holiday in the Dominican Republic.  It is Duarte Day, celebrating the birthday of Juan Pablo Duarte y Diez, the man who bears the title of Father of the Nation.

Duarte was a military leader who led the revolt which overthrew Haitian rule in the eastern area of Island of Hispaniola and served as a leader in setting up the Dominican Republic as a separate country.

The holiday is one of rest and relaxation rather than one of great pomp and circumstance.  Families will celebrate by flying the national flag and gather for traditional feast dishes like Baigan Choka (roasted eggplant dip) and La Bandera (the traditional lunch platter of rice, beans, and meat in a garlic, tomato, green pepper sauce).

There are many monuments to Duarte around the island, and people often plan trips to visit there to ask for prosperity for themselves and the country in the new year.

This nautical map of Hispaniola is by Imray from 1875.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon