Its position in the extreme south of Iberian Peninsula, providing a gateway between Europe and Africa, added to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, have made Andalusia a tempting prize, so the region's history and culture have been influenced by the earlier Iberians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantines, and of course, the Moors and the Sephardi Jews, as well as the Christian North Iberian nationalities who repopulated the area in the latter phases of the Reconquista. It contains eight distinct provinces, all with individual cultural traditions and identity.
The traditional clothes of 18th century Andalusia was strongly influenced by majismo within the context of casticismo (purism, traditionalism, authenticity), they falling the local urban elegance without discarding the rural origin and craftsman in its entirety. In Jaén capital, traditional costumes are called Chirri for men and Pastira for women, being used in local celebrations. Pastira stems essentially from the dairymaids daily costume.
The detail that stands out is the shawl (pañoleta), often from satin, allways red. According to a legend, a group of young men and women went out in one morning to the river Guadalbullón. A group of Moors from Granada attacked them, with the intention of killing the boys and carried captive the girls, but both young men and women fiercely opposed so the Moors fled. The headdress of the girls, white before the attack, stained blood red.
The bodice (corpiño) is from bright wool or silk, with long and tight sleeves and peak shape in the front, has curly white bobbin lace at the edge of the neckline and sleeves. The skirt is from five petticoats, reaching just above the ankle and normally consisting of fabric called heatwave (canícula), blue-gray, with thin stripes or squares. The skirt is topped with a woolen cord of the same colors. The apron (mandil) is from the same fabric (canícula), but with vertical stripes or plaid.
The ensemble is completed with a scarf of calico or wool, handmade white stockings and black shoes. The woman wears also long earrings called abollanas, a cross assorted, tied around the neck with a thin black velvet ribbon, and a brooch attached to the chest to hold the shawl or scarf.
About the stamps
The first stamp is part of the fifth definitive series with the portrait of the King Juan Carlos I, about which I wrote here.
The second is one of the two issued on November 5 2012 for Christmas:
• The Adoration of the Magi, a mural of the 13th and 14th centuries found in the Chapel of St. Martin in the Old Cathedral of Salamanca (0.36€) - it's on this postcard
• Motherhood, an oil painting by J. Carrero (0.70€)
The third stamp, depicting a Banjo, is part of the series Musical Instruments, issued in 2012.
References
Andalusia - Wikipedia
Trajes típicos jiennenses: el chirri y la pastira - Jaén, paseando la ciudad
Traje típico de Jaén - Jaenpedia
Sender: Juan (direct swap)
Sent from Jaén (Andalusia / Spain), on 24.01.2013
You should correct the title: it is "pastira" ;)
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