Wikipedia
Cocolo is a term used in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean to refer to non- Hispanic African descendants, or darker skin people in general. The term originated in the Dominican Republic, and was historically used to refer to the Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean descendants. Namely the Cocolos of San Pedro de Macorís, Puerto Plata, the Samaná Peninsula, and other Afro-descendants who lived in coastal areas and where culturally distinct from the lighter Dominicans who primarily lived in the interior of the country.
The usage, outside the specific ethnicity of the Cocolos of San Pedro de Macorís, is vague, and at times the word can mean all blacks or all the poor of any race living in less developed coastal areas. It can also be used to refer to those who identify with the Afro-Latino culture and music, such as Palos, salsa and other Spanish Afro-Caribbean musical genres. The term is often used with pride to refer to oneself, yet can be taken as an insult when others use it.
Cocolo is a dance drama tradition practiced in the Dominican Republic. It has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2008, though the original proclamation came in 2005.
The tradition developed among the descendants of British Caribbean sugar-plantation slaves, also called Cocolo. The performances unite "music and dance genres of African origin" with "plots, legends, and figures derived from biblical and medieval European literature." In the past, Cocolo troupes used to perform at "Christmas, on St Peter's day, and at carnival activities." Now, only one aging troupe remains.