Interesting Spanish Canary Islands Punal

Chris Evans · 25th July 2009, 03:04 AM

Hi Hotspur,

Looking at that photo of two "gauchos" about to duel:

The one on the left and the "referee" are wearing expensive full leather boots (botas duras), a luxury and only for the well off, whereas the one on the right, the humble canvas shoes known there as "alpargatas", worn in those days by farm labourers (peons). Before the introduction of the alpargatas, poor gauchos wore a one piece raw-hide boot called "bota de potro", with their naked toes sticking out and fashioned from a one piece horse leg's skin.

What I find even stranger, is that they are all wearing the very old fashioned "chiripas" a diaper like substitute for trousers, whereas by the time that photo would have been taken, the "bombacha" a baggy trouser of military (zouave) origins was worn by horsemen.

Also, both appear to be wielding genuine large facons/dagas, rather than the expected working knife. The one on the left is wielding a rather large specimen, something that would not have been tolerated at a cattle station, especially from a peon, as suggested by his footwear.

So, IMHO, the photo was definitely posed, maybe even from an early movie. In any event, no Capataz (foreman) or Patron (owner of a cattle station) would bother fighting a duel with a mere peon.

Cheers
Chris

25th July 2009, 03:04 AM	#18
Chris Evans Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 685	Hi Hotspur, Looking at that photo of two "gauchos" about to duel: The one on the left and the "referee" are wearing expensive full leather boots (botas duras), a luxury and only for the well off, whereas the one on the right, the humble canvas shoes known there as "alpargatas", worn in those days by farm labourers (peons). Before the introduction of the alpargatas, poor gauchos wore a one piece raw-hide boot called "bota de potro", with their naked toes sticking out and fashioned from a one piece horse leg's skin. What I find even stranger, is that they are all wearing the very old fashioned "chiripas" a diaper like substitute for trousers, whereas by the time that photo would have been taken, the "bombacha" a baggy trouser of military (zouave) origins was worn by horsemen. Also, both appear to be wielding genuine large facons/dagas, rather than the expected working knife. The one on the left is wielding a rather large specimen, something that would not have been tolerated at a cattle station, especially from a peon, as suggested by his footwear. So, IMHO, the photo was definitely posed, maybe even from an early movie. In any event, no Capataz (foreman) or Patron (owner of a cattle station) would bother fighting a duel with a mere peon. Cheers Chris