Barretina

The tradition of wearing the long sleeve-cap existed in the Mediterranean even in the Antique epoch. In the Middle Ages this headdress was used by marines and fishermen of seashore villages, which were numerous in Catalonia. Here, it became a hat for the poorest. But the growth of the national identity in the 20th century made barretina the national symbol, and the most famous Catalans, including Salvador Dali, felt obliged to wear the barretina. Similar caps are worn in the provinces of Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Spain, Catalonia, 21st cent.