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National Anthem of the Dominican Republic

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Quisqueyanos valientes ("Valiant Sons of Quisqueya") is the national anthem of the Dominican Republic. "Quisqueya" is a native American word for the island of Hispaniola. Its music was composed by Jose Rufino Reyes Siancas (1835-1905), and its lyrics were written by Emilio Prud'homme (1856-1932). The first public performance of Quisqueyanos valientes took place on August 17, 1883 at the Masonic Lodge "Esperanza No.9" ("Esperanza" means "Hope" in Spanish).

The music was an instant success, but the original lyrics were questioned by several Dominican scholars, due to factual errors in the words. In 1897 Prud'homme submitted a corrected version, which stands today.

With the new lyrics approved by mostly everybody, the Dominican Congress adopted Quisqueyanos valientes as the official national anthem, after heated debates, on June 7, 1897. President Ulises Heureaux (1846-1899) vetoed the act, however, because Prud'homme was an opponent of his government. Heureaux was murdered in 1899 and the political disorders of the following years prevented the officialization of the anthem.

Quisqueyanos valientes was finally adopted as the national anthem of the Dominican Republic on May 30, 1934.

It should be noted that the term 'Dominican' never appears in the anthem. Prud'homme consistently uses the taíno term Quisqueyano.

Spanish Version

I

Quisqueyanos valientes, alcemos
Nuestro canto con viva emoción,
Y del mundo a la faz ostentemos
Nuestro invicto glorioso pendón.

II

Salve el pueblo que intrépido y fuerte,
A la guerra a morir se lanzó
Cuando en bélico reto de muerte
Sus cadenas de esclavo rompió.

III

Ningún pueblo ser libre merece
Si es esclavo indolente y servil;
Si en su pecho la llama no crece
Que templó el heroismo viril.

IV

Más Quisqueya la indómita y brava
Siempre altiva la frente alzará:
Que si fuere mil veces esclava
Otras tantas ser libre sabrá.

V

Que si dolo y ardid la expusieron
de un intruso señor al desdén,
¡Las Carreras! ¡Beller!... campos fueron
que cubiertos de gloria se ven.

VI

Que en la cima de heroíco baluarte,
de los libres el verbo encarnó,
donde el genio de Sánchez y Duarte
a ser libre o morir enseñó.

VII

Y si pudo inconsulto caudillo
de esas glorias el brillo empañar,
de la guerra se vió en Capotillo
la bandera de fuego ondear.

VIII

Y el incendio que atónito deja
de Castilla al soberbio león,
de las playas gloriosas le aleja
donde flota el cruzado pendón.

IX

Compatriotas, mostremos erguida
nuestra frente, orgullosos de hoy más;
que Quisqueya será destruida
pero sierva de nuevo, jamás.

X

Que es santuario de amor cada pecho
do la patria se siente vivir;
Y es su escudo invencible, el derecho;
Y es su lema: ser libre o morir.

XI

Libertad que aún se yergue serena
La victoria en su carro triunfal.
Y el clarín de la guerra aún resuena
Pregonando su gloria inmortal.

XII

¡Libertad! Que los ecos se agiten
Mientras llenos de noble ansiedad
Nuestros campos de gloria repiten
¡Libertad! ¡Libertad! ¡Libertad!

English Translation

I

Valiant Quisqueyans, let us raise
Our song with vivid emotion
And let's show to the face of the world
Our undefeated, glorious flag.

II

Hail, the people who strong and intrepid,
Into war launched itself unto death!
When in warfare challenge of death,
Her slavery chains she broke.

III

None people deserves to be free
If he is slave, indolent and servile;
If in his heart the flame is not burning,
Which was sparked by heroic manliness.

IV

But Quisqueya, the indomitable and brave,
Her head will always lift up high,
For if she were enslaved a thousand times,
Many more times shall she know how to be free.

V

If it will be exposed to ruse and deceit
Unto contempt of a real imposer,
On to Las Carreras! Beler! ...it were places
Where the traces of glory are found.

VI

Where on the top of the heroic bastion,
The word of the libarated became flesh,
Where the genius of Sánchez and Duarte
Taught to be free or to die.

VII

And if an unattended leader the splendor
Of these glorious events could ignore,
One has seen in Capotillo in the war
The flag of fire wave.

VIII

And the fire that lets the proud lion
Of Castilla become stupefied,
Removes him from the glorious beaches
Where the crossed banner waves.

IX

Compatriots, let us proudly
Show our face, from today prouder than ever;
Quisqueya may be destroyed
But a slave again, never!

X

It is a sanctuary of love that every character
Of the fatherland feels alive!
And it is his coat of arms, the right;
And it is his device: be free or die.

XI

Freedom that still rises cool-bloodedly
The victory in her triumphal car.
And the clarion of war re-echoes
Proclaiming his immortal glory.

XII

Freedom! That the echo's touch
While they're full of noble tension
Our fields of glory repeat
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
  • [1] The most used version of the national anthem of Dominican Republic.
  • [2] The instrumental version.


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