Chapter 5: Habichuela con Dulce and Noche Buena: The Role of Dominican Co-ethnics in Homemaking

In his song ‘Salsa pa’ tu lechon’ Johnny Ventura sings about Christmas Eve and how this night will be celebrated in a typical Dominican manner: with lots of music, dance and food. But how do Dominicans celebrate special occasions after migration? Building further on the idea that immigrant practices ‘are never developed in isolation as a result of exclusively individual experiences and memories’ (Parasecoli, 2014, p. 419) but are enriched by the opportunities provided by others who share the same background (Abbots, 2016), this chapter shows how immigrants’ practices are embedded in co-ethnic structures and opportunities. Co-ethnics in my research refer to people with the same country of origin living in a new receiving society. As mentioned earlier, I do not assume homogeneity and acknowledge possible differences in terms of educational background, income, region and ethnicity, affecting their relationships with the Dominican Republic and cultural and social practices. However, I am interested in how a shared country of origin is related to engagement in cultural practiced and the creation of home post-migration.