EL BATEY

n.105 cm.76x101

semi-gloss on canvas

                                In this painting is represented harvesting sugar cane.

In the Dominican Republic, agriculture is one of the major resources.
After the fishing and tourism, are the crops of coffee, cocoa, tobacco and sugar cane.
For these crops, labor used is from Haiti.
Haitians Workers live in villages called batey.
The batey, which are shown to tourists, while hiking, are composed of simple, small houses all alike, equipped with electricity, water, a small vegetable garden and a few chickens.
But unfortunately, the majority, are formed from wood cabins or made with recycled materials, without bathrooms, without water and without schools for children.

In these villages, are born and die without leaving a mark, the children, are not even reported to a registry office!

EL PILON

n.46 cm.76x101

semi-gloss on canvas

                     

                    The pilon, is the mortar.

In this case, is used to grind the coffee beans.
Around Las Galeras there are large plantations of coffee, but many farmers have some trees for family use, or to sell it to neighbors and acquaintances.

I do not know if you have ever had a chance to get close to a coffee tree in bloom, it smells wonderful, looks a little like 'jasmine.

Then the flowers are formed of beautiful red berries.
that reached the right maturity, are collected
and left to dry in the sun, continually moves to avoid mold.

                  

Finally "the coffee", in its various degrees of roasting.

   

THE MERCHANT

                                                                     n.61 cm.76x101

                                                                  semi-gloss on canvas

On the coast of the Samana Peninsula, life revolves mostly around tourism.

But just a very short walk away from the beaches of Las Galeras, to find themselves in the countryside, in the midst of more or less large crops of gname or yucca (types of tuber widely used in local cuisine), pineapple, coffee, cocoa, coconut, corn, or simply fields of onions, carrots, beans and other vegetables.

Along the streets, then, meet the farmers, who are offering their products, as shown in this picture.