Aguakate is a Dominican music group working in the genres of merengue típico and tropical, contributing to the living tradition of accordion-driven merengue that remains one of the most beloved and culturally distinctive sounds in the Dominican Republic. Their name — the Spanish word for avocado — suggests a connection to the natural abundance of the Caribbean and an unpretentious, down-to-earth character that aligns well with the grassroots spirit of típico music. By performing and recording in the típico tradition, Aguakate participates in the ongoing effort to maintain and transmit a musical heritage that predates the commercial music industry and carries within it centuries of Dominican cultural memory.