Poncho

For other uses, see Poncho (disambiguation).
Araucanos and Huasos in Chile, 19th century.
A market scene Ruana in Bogotá, circa 1860.
A Peruvian chalán dancing marinera on a Peruvian Paso horse.

A poncho (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpontʃo]; Quechua: punchu; Mapudungun: pontro; "blanket", "woolen fabric")[1][2][3] is a kind of plainly formed, loose outer garment originating in the Americas, traditionally and still usually made of fabric, and designed to keep the body warm. Ponchos have been used by the Native American peoples of the Andes, Patagonia, and the Valley of Mexico since pre-Hispanic times, in places now under the territory of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and have also become familiar in parts of the U.S. A rain poncho is made from a watertight material designed to keep the body dry from the rain.

  1. ^ Muñoz Urrutia, Rafael, ed. (2006). Diccionario Mapuche: Mapudungun/Español, Español/Mapudungun (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). Santiago, Chile: Editorial Centro Gráfico Ltda. p. 183. ISBN 956-8287-99-X.
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. "Poncho". Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  3. ^ Harper, Douglas. "OnlineEtymologyDictionary: Poncho". Retrieved 12 September 2010.