poncho

Typical Andes poncho in a flea market in Genoa, Italy

A poncho is a garment designed to keep the body warm, or if made from a watertight material, to keep dry during rain. It was created by the Peruvians and is now known in over 150 countries over the world.

Types of Ponchos

The poncho is essentially a single large sheet of fabric with an opening in the center for the head. Rainproof ponchos normally are fitted with fasteners to close the sides once the poncho is draped over the body, with openings provided for the arms; many have hoods attached to ward off wind and rain.

Alternative ponchos are now designed as fashion items. They are the same shape but of different material. They are designed to look fashionable and provide warmth while remaining breathable and comfortable, rather than to ward off wind and rain. These are often made out of wool or yarn, knitted or crocheted. Ponchos with festive designs or colors can be worn at special events as well.

Traditional Ponchos

The poncho, commonly associated with the Americas, has spread worldwide. As traditional clothing, the local names and variants are:

• Paunchu, in Kashmir, usually made of Cashmere wool
• Poncho, most of Latin America, Spain and worldwide
• Chamanto, Only in central Chile, poncho in the north and south
• Jorongo, Gaban or Sarape, Mexico
• Kotze or "Wetterfleck" in Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria; a dark green or brown clothing for hunting
• Paenula, in ancient Rome; some kind of cape or jacket
• Kasel or Pluviale, Roman Catholic Church clothing
• Pelerine, Redingote and Cape; a weatherjacket without arms
• Poncho Chilote, a heavy poncho made of wool
• Gugel, in the Middle Ages; short, sometimes with hood
• Ruana, in cold regions of Colombia

Field expedient poncho shelter

Military Ponchos

The poncho was first used on a regular basis in the 1850s for irregular U.S. military forces operating on the U.S. Western Plains.^[1] These early military ponchos were made of gutta percha muslin, a latex-coated, waterproof cloth.^[2] Ponchos made of gutta-percha or India rubber coated cloth were officially adopted during the U.S. Civil War, both as rain clothing and as a ground sheet for sleeping. While originally intended for cavalry forces, they were widely used by infantry as well; General Sherman's Union troops, lightly equipped and living off procurement demand from the local populace, wore ponchos during wet weather encountered during the march through Confederate Georgia to the sea.^[2]

Discontinued after the Civil War, the U.S. Army again issued ponchos of waterproof rubberized canvas to its forces during the Spanish-American War of 1898.^[3] Two years later, both the Army and the Marines were forced to issue waterproof rubberized cloth ponchos with high neck collars during the Philippine-American War in 1900.^[2] With the entry of the United States into World War I, both doughboys and marines in France wore the poncho; it was preferred over the raincoat for its ability to keep both the wearer and his pack dry, as well as serving as a roof for a makeshift shelter.^[4]

Just prior to World War II, ponchos were significantly improved during testing with the U.S. Army Jungle Experimental Platoon in the jungles of Panama, incorporating new, lighter materials and a drawcord hood that could be closed off to form a rain fly or ground sheet.^[2] Ponchos were widely used by United States armed forces during World War II; even lightly-equipped foot-mounted forces such as Merrill's Marauders, forced to discard tentage and all other unnecessary equipment, retained their blanket and poncho.^[5] During the 1950s, new lightweight coated nylon and other synthetic materials were developed for military ponchos. The poncho has remained in service ever since as a standard piece of U.S. military field equipment.^[2] Today, the United States Armed Forces issue ponchos that may be used as a field expedient shelter. These garments are also used by hunters, campers, and rescue workers.

During the Second World War, the German Army (Wehrmacht) issued the Zeltbahn (see Shelter half), a poncho that could be combined to form tents. A typical four-man tent used four Zeltbahnen.

In the infantry of Australia and the UK, a poncho is termed a shelter half, which may serve as a raincoat or as an individual shelter. In operations in which ponchos are used, one shelter half is carried by each person as rain gear; when two are combined, they form a two-person tent.

Famous ponchos

• The poncho has become a fashionable item both in fashion as in pop culture, after being the most notable outfit of the Man with No Name, played by Clint Eastwood, in Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy".
• The Colombian poncho is a typical item of Colombian coffee recollectors; it can be seen worn by famous commercial icon Juan Valdez.
• Betty Suarez of the American show Ugly Betty owns a poncho from Guadalajara which has appeared in several episodes.
• Frank Zappa sings about a woman and "her rancid poncho" in the song "Camarillo Brillo", from the 1973 album Over-Nite Sensation. During the song's fade-out, Zappa inquires, "Is that a real poncho? I mean is that a Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho?" In "Cosmik Debris" on his next album, the narrator asks the Mystery Man, "Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
• In the British television series The Mighty Boosh, Vince Noir states "It is impossible to be unhappy in a poncho"; later in the same episode both Vince Noir and Howard Moon are seen dancing in ponchos and sombreros.
• Chavo Guerrero (WWE) wears a poncho with the words Warrior on it.
• Micky Dolenz wore one on The Monkees playing the song Randy Scouse Git

See also

• Cape
• Cloak

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ponchos