BAILE DEL DELANTAL
About this event
The Municipal Seniors Club will celebrate on Sunday, October 4, a “BAILE DEL DELANTAL” at its facilities, from 17:00 to 21:00, free of charge, with music by “EMILIO CARISMA.” The event is mainly for club members but the general public is welcome until capacity is reached.
We invite and encourage attendees to come with an apron.
In Canarian culture and dress, the apron is much more than a decorative accessory: it represents effort, subsistence economy, and the ingenuity of the field woman (the campesina or “maga”).
Although today it is strongly associated with the festive identity of the romerías, historically it had a deeply rooted meaning in island daily life:
Protector of the only textile wealth – In 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, rural Canarian women did not have large wardrobes; often there was only one clean or quality skirt. The traditional apron was large and broad to cover most of the skirt. Its main meaning was respect for clothing and thrift, serving as an indispensable barrier against wear and dirt from hard field and home work.
Element of dignity and social respect – It was common for campesinas to change only the apron to modify their appearance or receive visits. Wearing a clean apron when leaving home or attending someone at home was a symbol of dignity, neatness, and respect toward others. Even in certain traditional island trades, like dairymen, the use of a white, clean apron was a strict requirement, and its absence could incur fines as a sign of public hygiene neglect.
The “multitool” of grandma – In Canarian collective memory, the apron evokes motherhood and home management. Beyond wearing, it was practically used to:
- Transport food: the apron flew up to load eggs, fruit, or vegetables collected.
- Thermal protection: served as a glove or thick cloth to remove hot containers from the wood fire.
- Emotional bond: served as a refuge for shy children in front of visitors or to dry faces and tears of the little ones.
Wallet and economic sustenance – Many traditional aprons included wide front pockets. In the island’s commercial context, women selling agricultural products or milk used these pockets as the family wallet, where they kept coins and daily earnings safe while working.
Indicator of status and geographic differentiation – With new fabrics at the end of the 19th century, the apron also started to reflect the particular identity of each island or region. While simple cottons were used for daily work, festive or Sunday aprons were ornamented with embroidered lace, trimming, or bicolored tones (such as the blue apron typical of certain La Palma outfits).
Quote: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4.
TIME: 17:00 TO 21:00 HOURS.
DIRECTED TO: MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL SENIOR CLUB AND GENERAL PUBLIC
ORGANIZED BY: SOCIAL SERVICES AND SENIORS COMMITTEE.