Merengue Has a Place in DINAFOLK Gallery

Merengue Has a Place in DINAFOLK Gallery
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 12/1/2011

The National Folklore Directorate (DINAFOLK in Spanish), part of the Ministry of Culture, inaugurated the ¨ Merengue Gallery¨ which honors merengue singers, musicians, arrangers and composers around the country.

She added that this event is celebrated as part of the commemorative activities on National Merengue Day which included the participation of musical groups accompanied by dance experts who put on shows in strategic points around the city.

In her speech at the gallery dedication, Xiomarita Pérez, National Director of Folklore, said, “It is with  great pleasure that we inaugurate, on National Merengue Day, this Gallery which gives tribute to our merengue icons whose passion and effort have made our music popular in every corner of the country.”

She added that this event is celebrated as part of the commemorative activities on National Merengue Day which included the participation of musical groups accompanied by dance experts who put on shows in strategic points around the city.

Artists who received recognition at the Merengue Hall include: Arcadio Franco (Pipí Franco), singer and composer of traditional merengues; Juan de Dios Ventura (Johnny Ventura), singer and merengue artist; José Tamárez Mateo (Joseíto Mateo), composer and singer with a 70-year background; Julio Alberto Hernández, composer and rescuer of traditional merengues; Luis Alberti, composer and orchestra director and Luis Kalaff, one of the most prolific composers of merengue.

Musicians were also included in this dedication: Francisco Antonio Lora (Ñico Lora), accordion player and composer of traditional merengues; Rafael Solano, orchestra director and composer of merengues; Ramón Amézquita Díaz (Matoncito), legendary accordion player; Domingo García Henríquez (Tatico Henríquez), accordion player and composer of merengues; Cleto Octavio Vásquez (Tavito Vásquez) sax player of all musical genres and the Reynoso Trio, one of the widest distributed merengue groups.

The list of the 31 fundamental merengue musicians is complete with the following: Fernando Dionisio Mejía (Guandulito), Clemente Villa (Chichito Villa), Antonio Morel, Félix del Rosario, Wilfrido Radhamés Vargas (Wilfrido Vargas), Juan Bautista Espínola, Ramón Antonio Molina (Papa Molina), Ángel Viloria, Milagros Quezada (Milly Quezada), Manuela Josefa Cabrera (Fefita la Grande), González Alvarado Pereyra (El Cieguito de Nagua), Tomás Santana de la Cruz (El General Larguito), Ramón Rafael Ramos Román (Rafelito Román), Arsenio de la Rosa, Vinicio Franco, Francisco Ulloa, Dioris Valladares, Francisco Alberto Simó Damirón (Simó Damirón), and Antonio Abreu (Toño Abréu).

Xiomarita Pérez said this new Merengue Gallery will enable everyone who visits the National Folklore Directorate to become familiar with our national dance.

“With this, we want to commemorate, appreciate and disseminate merengue and its protagonists while focusing on the national dance for its excellence, its cultural, deeply rooted and fundamental manifestation among the Dominican population,” said Ms. Pérez

National Merengue Day was established in 2005, through Decree No. 8619-05, by President Leonel Fernández. This date was chosen because, in 1854, the word “merengue” first appeared in the Oasis newspaper which circulated every Sunday in Santo Domingo.

The Merengue Gallery.


One of the typical merengue groups, accompanied by expert dancers, who appeared around the city in strategic points.


Xiomarita Pérez, National Director of Folklore.