Cuixals, manegots and didals (reaper's gear)

What is

The protective equipment of the Majorcan reaper. Alcover describes it in its entirety in a rondalla: the man "poses es cuxals, es manegots y es didals de canya, pren sa faus, y ja està acalat" (Rondaies I, 249, DCVB).

• Cuixals: leg warmers that protect the thighs from thorns (Mall.).
• Manegots: leather or fabric half sleeves that protect the arm from falç and scratches (Mall., Men.).
• Didals de canya: thimbles made of pieces of cane that protect the fingers of the hand that holds the harvest.

How is

• Cuixals: pieces for the thigh, made of leather or thick fabric (exact shape, please verify).
• Manegots: from the elbow to the hand.
• Didals: small cane tubes cut to the size of each finger (number of fingers and way of tying them, please verify).

How is fa

• Didals: they are cut between knots of common reed (Arundo donax) and polished. Homemade.
• Cuixals and manegots: leather or fabric, sewn at home or by the sabater/baster (per verify).

Com s'usa

• The left hand hugs the bunch of stems; The didals protect it from the curved edge of the falç .
• Manegots are also worn by rural women against the sun and scratches (Mall., DCVB).
• Cuixals are also used by shepherds, wool carders and woodcutters (DCVB).

Vocabulary

• cuixals: protective leg warmers.
• manegots: sleeves; also those of the peasants' festival dress (Mall.).
• didal de canya: reaper's cane thimble.
• faus: sickle (Majorcan form of falç).
• acalat: prepared, ready.
• «Segar sense manegots»: in a Majorcan popular song, a sign of hard work: «Com la vaig veure es matí / segar sense manegots...» (DCVB).

History

• 1523: cuxals as a piece of armor (DCVB): the name goes from war to the field.
• Early 20th century: Alcover collects the complete team in the Rondaies.
• 20th century: the mechanical reaper and then the combine left it unused (please verify dates).

On veure'n

• Museum of Mallorca, ethnological section (Wall) (specific pieces, to be verified).
• Harvest festivals with dressed reapers (to verify).

Why is it design

• Vernacular PPE: complete individual protective equipment, made with material from the farm.
• Cane as armor: a natural, light and hard tube, which is cut to the size of the finger.
• From the harness to the field: the cuixal is born in the warrior's armor.

For the project

• Exhibition piece: reconstruct the game of canya didals with local cane.
• Bridge with contemporary design for labor protection.

Sources

• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=cuixal
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=manegot
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=didal

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

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