Aug 28, 2017 08:01
6 yrs ago
Catalan term

manetes

Catalan to English Social Sciences History
In a description of funeral traditions the following sentence occurs and I'm not sure about the meaning of 'manetes':

Si tocava casar-se estant de dol, ho feien de negre i a les cinc o les sis del matí i, si tocava batejar, era amb carota, llaçada i manetes negres.

Can anyone help? TIA

Discussion

Helena Chavarria Aug 29, 2017:
Yesterday I asked an acquaintance of mine if she had any idea what the 'manetes' were. She told me that she didn't know but that she would ask a friend of hers.

This morning the friend told her that there are places in Spain where children are baptised with either a black or silver closed fist that is placed inside their buggies. It's to protect them from the evil eye.

Edited because I made my original comment using my phone, which is why there were so many mistakes.

Proposed translations

1 day 9 hrs
Selected

little hands

I often have lunch in a family-run restaurant in a village near where I live. Yesterday I asked the owner if she knew what the 'manetes' could be and she didn't know. Anyway, she asked a person who 'knows all about' Catholic traditions and this is what the restaurant owner and I have discovered.

I'm trying to find what it's called in English.

Os voy a hablar de un amuleto, que siempre va conmigo, seguramente muchas de vosotras tengáis una o la hayáis visto en tiendas o joyerías, os hablo de la Higa o Mano Negra.

Mi primera Higa o también llamada Figa, me la regalo mi madrina al nacer, y siempre la llevo en una cadena de plata en mi muñeca derecha.

http://baulderaquel.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/la-higa-o-mano-n...

La Higa es un amuleto protector originario de la Península Ibérica pero que con el tiempo se difundió por diferentes partes del mundo adoptando diferentes nombres. Es la mano de la diosa anciana,relacionada con la diosa Madre Primigenia , venerada en nuestra península por los primeros iberos e identificada como Ana o Ataegina.
La Higa es también llamada mano negra, mano poderosa, manina, manezuela. cigua, figa, puñera…esconden bajo su apariencia de simple alhaja un mundo de creencias ancestrales. Su forma es la de una mano cerrada, mostrando el pulgar entre los dedos índice y corazón, indicando desprecio y protección ante el mal inminente.

Es un amuleto para ahuyentar el mal de ojo, también se utiliza contra la envidia y los celos y como protección contra las enfermedades. A las higas o figas también se les llama “puñetas”, y pueden ser de diversos materiales, aunque conviene que sea de materia rompible,ya que precisamente su ruptura es lo que indica que su protección ha sido efectiva; ya que cuando el amuleto ha recogido la negatividad destinada a su portador, se rompe. En ese caso hay que enterrarla y sustituirla por otra nueva.

https://santuariodelalba.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/la-higa-la...

Les mesures de protecció s’extremaven sobretot per als infants, especialment abans de ser batejats. Per això es penjaven amulets a la roba de l’infant o al bressol.

Amulet de protecció anomenat figa s.d. Museu Etnològic de Barcelona.

http://bruixes.mhcat.net/index.php/la-bruixeria-en-la-tradic...

Ella l’ajudava de petita, sobretot fent manetes de bateig: diu que en feien a milers.

There's a video in the last link and at minute 02:04 there's a picture of a 'maneta'.

http://www.rtve.es/television/20120919/museu-sal-josep-arnau...

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Note added at 1 day10 hrs (2017-08-29 18:06:45 GMT)
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The mano fico, also called figa, is an Italian amulet of ancient origin. Examples have been found from the Roman era, and it was also used by the Etruscans.

The evil eye is believed to harm nursing mothers and their babies, bearing fruit trees, milking animals, and the sperm of men -- the forces of generation.

http://www.luckymojo.com/manofico.html

In English it seems to be known as 'mano fico/figa'. I think that 'little lucky hands' sounds better.

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Note added at 3 days1 hr (2017-08-31 09:58:24 GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you, Tony! Both the woman in the restaurant, Fina, and I enjoyed finding out what the 'manetes' are ;-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Impressive research Helena - I'd give you extra points if I could! I agree 'mano fica' wouldn't mean much to most English readers so I'll look for a way to combine 'little hands' with the idea that they're an amulet."
1 hr

gloves

It's what I deduct from the context. Cheers!
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1 hr

mittens

This is in the dictionary catalá-valenciá-balear:

"|| 9. Peça de cuiro o de tela, semblant a un guant, amb què els sabaters, mariners, etc., es defensen la mà contra el fregadís violent dels objectes que manegen (Blanes, Mall.); cast. guardamano"

In Spanish, it means guardamano. In English, gloves. In this context, mittens. The baby goes to baptism all in black as a mourning sign, including black mittens. Normally is what a little baby would wear in his/her hands, not gloves.




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Note added at 1 hora (2017-08-28 09:22:32 GMT)
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Or also gloves, as it may refer to the relatives going with the baby, it is not too clear with just this sentence. I have just thought of that. I hope this is useful and not more confusing!
Peer comment(s):

neutral Natalia Pedrosa : I don't think they make babies wear mittens.//Thank you Isabel, I do think actually it should be gloves for the baby's family. Regards.
4 hrs
Manoplas, they do wear sometimes . But I think that in this case you are right about being gloves, which adults on the baptism ceremony would wear. Gloves is perfect.
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