Baní
Encyclopedia
Baní is a capital town of the Peravia Province
, Dominican Republic
. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in a region producing banana
s and coffee
.
Bani is a Taino word meaning “abundant water.” The area was named after an important Taino leader of the Maguana people. He was said to be one of Caonabo’s closest allies. But, it wasn’t until 1764 when a group of neighbors concerned with their security and safety came together to purchase a property large enough to build their own village in the valley of Bani. Historians set the sum of this purchase as that of “300 pesos fuertes” for a property called Cerro Gordo; the principals were listed as Francisco Baez and Bartolome del Castillo. It’s no wonder why Banilejos (Bani citizens) keep their city with such pride and high esteem. Banilejos are well known for being industrious, successful business entrepreneurs, and for having one of the best-kept towns in the Dominican Republic.
Its culture and customs were most accurately portrayed in the novel Bani o Engracia y Anto-ita, written by Francisco Gregorio Billini. The local beach is "Playa Los Almendros" (Almendros Beach,) situated 6 km (3.7 mi) south of the center square. The town's original design follows the classic Spanish square, with a park in the center of the town surrounded by the local church and the local government (mayor's office).
The city's Patron Saint is "Nuestra Señora de Regla," whose celebration is on 21 November each year.
Baní is surrounded by many smaller towns, many with their own specific identities. One example is Paya, well known around the country for its milk-based candies (most famously "Dulce de Leche," or candy of milk.) Another is Salinas, a town by the Salinas bay, where salt is produced. Salinas is famous for its Sand Dunes, that make the Dominican Republic the country with the largest sand dunes in the Caribbean. (Also, the first church in the American continent is located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.)
Peravia
Peravia is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before January 1, 2002 it was included in what is the new San José de Ocoa province, and published statistics and maps generally relate it to the old, larger, Peravia. It is named after the Peravia Valley. Along the Azua Province, Peravia is...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in a region producing banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
.
Overview
The city of Bani is the capital of the Peravia province; its residents also know it as the home of poets. It’s only an hour’s drive west of Santo Domingo. The province’s population is relatively small with 169,865 people, and only 61,864 in the Bani metro area. This is a tightly knit community with families and neighborhoods dating back several centuries.Bani is a Taino word meaning “abundant water.” The area was named after an important Taino leader of the Maguana people. He was said to be one of Caonabo’s closest allies. But, it wasn’t until 1764 when a group of neighbors concerned with their security and safety came together to purchase a property large enough to build their own village in the valley of Bani. Historians set the sum of this purchase as that of “300 pesos fuertes” for a property called Cerro Gordo; the principals were listed as Francisco Baez and Bartolome del Castillo. It’s no wonder why Banilejos (Bani citizens) keep their city with such pride and high esteem. Banilejos are well known for being industrious, successful business entrepreneurs, and for having one of the best-kept towns in the Dominican Republic.
Its culture and customs were most accurately portrayed in the novel Bani o Engracia y Anto-ita, written by Francisco Gregorio Billini. The local beach is "Playa Los Almendros" (Almendros Beach,) situated 6 km (3.7 mi) south of the center square. The town's original design follows the classic Spanish square, with a park in the center of the town surrounded by the local church and the local government (mayor's office).
The city's Patron Saint is "Nuestra Señora de Regla," whose celebration is on 21 November each year.
Baní is surrounded by many smaller towns, many with their own specific identities. One example is Paya, well known around the country for its milk-based candies (most famously "Dulce de Leche," or candy of milk.) Another is Salinas, a town by the Salinas bay, where salt is produced. Salinas is famous for its Sand Dunes, that make the Dominican Republic the country with the largest sand dunes in the Caribbean. (Also, the first church in the American continent is located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.)
People from Baní
- Willy AybarWilly AybarWilly Del Jesus Aybar is an infielder who currently plays for the Yuma Scorpions in the North American League. Aybar has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Tampa Bay Rays...
– Baseball player - Erick AybarErick AybarErick Johan Aybar is a Major League Baseball shortstop with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Dominican Republic:Aybar has also previously played in the Dominican Republic...
– Baseball player - Manny AybarManny AybarManuel Antonio Aybar is a retired pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball and Korean Baseball Organization. He bats and throws right-handed....
– Baseball player - Máximo Gómez y Báez – Military leader in CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
's War of Independence - José BautistaJosé Bautista (pitcher)José Joaquín Bautista Arias is a former right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from to . Bautista is observantly Jewish, born to a Dominican father and an Israeli mother.-Baseball career:...
– Baseball player - Timo PérezTimo PérezTimoniel M. "Timo" Pérez is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently in the Detroit Tigers organization.-Hiroshima Toyo Carp:...
- Baseball Player - Miguel TejadaMiguel TejadaMiguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
– Baseball player - Robinson TejedaRobinson TejedaRobinson Garcia Tejeda is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
– Baseball player - Juan UribeJuan UribeJuan C. Uribe Tena is a Dominican Republic professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. He began his career in 1997 when he was signed to the Colorado Rockies, and played with the team until December 3, 2003 when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox...
– Baseball player - Luis VizcaínoLuis VizcaínoLuis Vizcaíno Arias is a Dominican Republic professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians in his career.-Career:Vizcaíno...
– Baseball player
Miscellaneous
- Baní is known for its Mangos "mamellitos"
- Baní is one of the places where the Pulitzer Prize winning novel ["The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao"] takes place.
- The Internationally acclaimed Bachata singers Aventura began their career singing at small clubs gigs in Baní.