Abarretina (Catalan pronunciation:[bərəˈtinə]; plural:barretines, diminutive ofbarret "cap") is a traditionalhat that was frequently worn by men in parts of theChristian cultures of theMediterranean Sea such asCatalonia, theValencian Community, theBalearic Islands,Provence,Corsica,Sicily,Malta,Sardinia, part ofNaples, part of theBalkans and parts ofPortugal. It was also worn byMuslim men inMallorca until theChristian conquest of the island in theMiddle Ages.
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 ofwool, usually red, or sometimes purple.
Today, thebarretina is no longer commonly worn in everyday life, but is still used in traditional dances, or as a symbol of Catalan identity. A watercolor image dated 1885 of a seller of newspapers (private collection) is perhaps one of the most iconic Catalan images, as it portrays a weathered man standing resolute, new independent newspapers falling from his portable wooden box, a look of tolerance and endurance in his face, while all the while wearing his barretina proudly.
PainterSalvador Dalí sometimes wore thebarretina in the 20th century.[1] Some Catalan folkloric characters also wear a barretina, as: the Catalan Christmas figurinecaganer, the Christmas log ortió, as well as the fictional charactersPatufet, first drawn on theEn Patufet magazine byAntoni Muntanyola [ca], and"The Catalan" drawn byGaietà Cornet i Palau [ca].[2]
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Moments before the2010 FIFA World Cup Final betweenSpain and theNetherlands,pitch invaderJimmy Jump rushed onto the field and attempted to place a barretina on theWorld Cup trophy before being apprehended by several security guards.[3]
