A barretina (; plural: barretines, diminutive of barret "cap") is a traditional hat that was frequently worn by men in parts of the Christian cultures of the Mediterranean Sea such as Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, Provence, Corsica, Sicily, Malta, Sardinia, part of Naples, part of the Balkans and parts of Portugal. It was also worn by Muslim men in Mallorca until the Christian conquest of the island in the Middle Ages.
History In Catalonia and Ibiza, men wore barretinas until the 19th century, especially in rural areas. Even in the 1940s and the 1950s, children in rural areas still commonly wore it.
It took the form of a bag, made of wool, usually red, or sometimes purple.
Today, the barretina is no longer commonly worn in everyday life but is still used in traditional dances or as a symbol of Catalan identity. Perhaps one of the most iconic Catalan images is a watercolor painting entitled "The Newspaper Seller," dated from 1885. The painting depicts a weathered old man who stands with a collection of newspapers overflowing the wooden box he carries around his neck with a leather strap. He is wearing a scarf, with an umbrella behind him, and there is a barretina on his head.
Painter Salvador Dalí sometimes wore the barretina in the 20th century.Salvador Dalí amb barretina Some Catalan folkloric characters also wear a barretina, as: the Catalan Christmas figurine caganer, the Christmas log or tió, as well as the fictional characters Patufet, first drawn on the En Patufet magazine by , and "The Catalan" drawn by .Lluís Solà i Dachs, «Cu-cut! Setmanari de gresca ab ninots (1902-1912)». Ed. Bruguera. Barcelona, 1967
In popular culture Moments before the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and the Netherlands, pitch invader Jimmy Jump rushed onto the field and attempted to place a barretina on the World Cup trophy before being apprehended by several security guards.
Gallery
See also List of hat styles Tuque Revolt of the Barretinas Phrygian cap Beret
References
External links
Description and history of the barretina Graphical history of the barretina Barretina.com, all you need to know about barretines and Catalan culture Colla de sa Bodega (traditional Ibiza clothing and dancing) .