Wikipedia talk:Requests for mediation/Hispaniola

Some thoughts

So I believe that the title of the page is fine: Hispaniola. That is what the island is referred to in the United States and what is taught in schools (primary/secondary education). Thus for users seeking information on the island it is important to maintain the same title. It is fact that the island is called Santo Domingo (in spanish), Quisqueya (in spanish), Ayiti (in french creole), Saint-Domingue (in french). I am from the Dominican Republic and I can tell you that never, I repeat never is the island referred to as Hispaniola. The island is officially called Santo Dominigo or affectionately(poems, speeches and songs) Quisqueya.

It was previously believed that the island what named Quisqueya or Haiti by the Tainos, yet this has been proven to not be the case. These names referred to different locations within the island, yet not the island itself. In Dominican Republic there is a location on the north coast that is called Los Haitises. None the less, these names were adopted. Dominicans refer to the island as Quisqueya (it is in the national hymn). Haitians (from the Republic of Haiti) refer to the island as Haiti.

When Columbus discovered the island he named is La Española. The main city of the island was named Santo Domingo (present day Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic). With time the name La Española fell into disuse and the island was called Isla de Santo Domingo (Island of Santo Domingo) after the most prominent city. When the french took control of the island they named it Ile de Saint-Domingue which is a direct translation from Isla de Santo Domingo. When the French speaking predominantly black population of the western 1/3 of the island won their freedom, they called their republic, République d'Haïti. They also referred to the entire island as Haiti thus they sought to break away from their colonial ties. In 1821, there was a revolt on the eastern 2/3's and the Colony of Santo Domingo gained independence from Spain. The new country was called La República del Haití Español (Republic of Spanish Haiti). Again repealing the colonial ties.

Soon after independence Spanish Haiti, was invaded by Haiti. The island came under one flag and was named Haiti. This lasted until 1844, the year in which the Dominican Republic was born. Again the island was divided. In 1891 the US geographical board named the entire island Haiti. Yet with the occupation by the Haitians fresh in the Dominican memory, the name was vehemently opposed. The name of the island was undecided by the two countries. Then in 1933 the US geographical board again attempted to name the island this time coming up with Hispaniola. This was done unilaterally. Then in 1934, a year later, the Dominican national anthem was written titled Quisqueyanos valientes ("Valiant Quisqueyans"). Again there were disputes. The Haitians wanting Haiti and the Dominicans wanting Quisqueya. Yet prior to the name Quisqueya gaining popularity, the Dominicans referred to the island as Santo Domingo, it is in Article 9 of the Dominican Constitution. Yet the name Santo Domingo is much opposed by Haitians.

Thus the most politically correct name and most endearing, as used by dominicans is Quisqueya. It doesn't have the colonial overtures like Santo Domingo. Unlike Haiti, it isn't the name of the country that occupied you for 22years. It avoids confusion with the other country on the island. As for the Haitian point of view, I am not certain. Yet, again the logic in choosing Haiti to break from the colonial ties would still apply if the name quisqueya were used.

Conclusions The different names of the island should be mentioned and perhaps elaborated, yet not too much as to not maintain the encyclopedic nature of the page. And the POV should be neutral. The names could mentioned in etymology but not in the title or introductory paragraph.--El Mayimbe (talk) 00:28, 30 November 2011 (UTC)