Some changes here, some surgery there, but it is still the one and willing to complete with Methuselah longevity. It is discussed among Panamanian, Mexican, Philippines, and Cubans. In Cuba the paternity is given to a Spanish immigrant.

In Sancti Spiritus, they have all the details about the invention; date, place and the creator’s name.

They assure that Joselillo Perez Rodriguez from Granada came to Cuba in 1709. He needed a comfortable cloth to use for work and that let him carry his cigar; so he asked his wife to make an AMPLIA and fresh shirt with big pockets on each side. Encarnacion Nuñez Garcia saw what her husband wanted. He was so pleased that he began using the shirt every day and rumours habit that all the peasants around the place began to use it too.

As it was born in the borders of the river of Yayabo in Sancti Spiritus, it was first called Yayabera and as time passed by it turned to Guayabera. Others say that the strange name is very much alike to Guayaba (guava) and that it received the name of Guayabera because years before it was used to carry Guayabas (guavas) in their bag-like pockets.

This long shirt liked to everyone in short time. First to country men, who use them as “official uniform” of their Sunday parties. Later on, the independence war worriers wore them with a Cuban flag and a medal. The politicians also began to use it, some with red neckerchiefs on the neck and others with yellow ones, depending on their Party.

Today it is used in the country side as well as in the cities. You can see it in a country party as well as in a Parliament Assembly. This is the only cloth in Cuba able to replace the “suit and tie” for huge occasions.

The Wide-Brimmed Hat (Sombrero de Yarey) The peasants wide-brimmed hat, used by Cuban peasants to cover from the sun light, has long wings, it is fresh, light, cheap and easy to be made. The mambises also wore it in the forest with one difference; the front wing turned up and a Cuban flag on the middle of it.