TYPICAL COSTUMES OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR: CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Among the typical costumes of Baja California Sur, the most used one called Flor de Pitahaya stands out, designed especially for women. Originally this state did not have a representative costume; in their festivals and popular dances they wore period dresses.

The reason why Baja California Sur did not have a typical costume is because at first it was only recognized as a territory and not as a state.

Over the years the need arose to have a dress that had the necessary characteristics to represent the Baja California Sur region at the national level.

In the middle of the 20th century, before being recognized as a state, the highest authorities of Baja California Sur called a competition for the design and manufacture of the typical costume of the region. The costume called Flor de Pitahaya was the winner.

From that moment on, this costume is used in all dances, specifically in the Pitahayas dance and in the popular festivals of the region.

The state of Baja California Sur has two typical costumes: one for men and one for women.

These costumes are used in festivals, religious ceremonies and fairs. They also represent the state in events in the rest of the Mexican territory.

You may also be interested in the typical traditions of Baja California Sur or its history.

Origin

The typical female costume was designed by Susana Avilés and made by Alejandrina Cota Carrillo.

José Torre Iglesias also participated, who was in charge of painting on the suit all those elements that identify Baja California Sur.

This costume was inspired by the flowers of the Baja California Sur cacti, which have adapted their morphology to survive in a hot and arid habitat.

The Pitahaya Flower was chosen as the symbol of Baja California Sur because the pitahaya, the fruit of the cactus, is preferred by the inhabitants of that region.

First presentation

This costume was presented in the mid-twentieth century when the contest for the search for the typical clothing of Baja California Sur was created.

In the contest, six dresses were presented and they considered that the Pitahaya Flower was the costume that represented the culture and history of the state.

Main characteristics of the female suit

Skirt

The skirt should usually be red and semi-circular. It has a painted cactus and three yellow branches emerge from it. Each one has pitahaya flowers and fruits.

The flowers are distributed as follows: two are on the sides of the skirt and one is located on the upper front part of it; that is, right at the waist.

At the bottom of the skirt a green line is drawn; from that line comes the cactus. The skirt ends with a holán that is just below the green line and is white.

Yellow, pink (sometimes this color is changed to fuchsia or a similar color) and green are used to paint the cacti, flowers and fruits.

The three pitahaya flowers are painted with the yellow color and shine is also created on the cacti and the fruits.

Green is used to paint the cactus and pink is used to paint the fruits of that plant.

Blouse

The blouse of the typical costume of the state of Baja California Sur is white and has an oval neck.

It has a distinctive neckline, since it is shaped like a flower. The flower can be embroidered or painted and is adorned with sequins that match the colors of the flower.

There are some cases in which the neckline does not have the shape of the pitahaya flower.

Headdress and accessories

The typical female costume of the state of Baja California Sur is accompanied by a headdress. The woman combs her hair in the shape of a bow and places a kind of white tulle on it that can be shaped like a flower.

For their part, the accessories that women usually wear are pearl or silver earrings and necklaces. The footwear is usually red high heels.

Main characteristics of the male suit

The male suit is made up of pants, a shirt, a bandana, ankle boots, a hat and a leather.

The pants in some cases are jeans type and the shirt is plaid. The shirt is made with cotton or denim.

The outfit is complemented by a closed cape that is crafted from suede. This layer is called cuera.

The hat they use is made from palm and is lined with suede, some are lined with some type of animal skin.

The bandana is worn around the neck and is usually red in color. The ankle boots are black.

Influence of the Flor de Pitahaya costume

After making the Flor de Pitahaya costume, it was necessary to create a dance. At first one was improvised and then what is known today as the Pitahaya dance was created.

In this sense, it is evident how the costume influenced the culture and traditions that are present today in the state of Baja California Sur.

References

1. Baja California Sur. Retrieved on November 1, 2017, from nps.gov
2. Baja California. Retrieved on November 18, 2017, from history.com
3. Types of traditional mexican attire for women. Retrieved on November 18, from womens-fashion.lovetoknow.com
4. History and culture in Baja Claifornia Sur. Retrieved on November 18, from lonelyplanet.com
5. Baja California Sur. Retrieved on November 18, 2017, from wikipedia.org
6. Baja California Sur. Retrieved on November 18, 2017, from natinsencyclopedia.com
7. Baja California Sur. Retrieved on November 18, 2017, from history.com