About the Collection

In 1992, curator Marvette Pérez contacted Puerto Rican collector Teodoro Vidal Santoni after learning that he was interested in donating his extensive collection of Puerto Rican material culture. In 1997, after several visits and conversations over the course of five years, Mr. Vidal agreed to donate his entire collection to the National Museum of American History. This became one of the largest gifts by an individual to the Museum. One of the most important collections of Puerto Rican material culture in the world, it consists of more than 3,200 objects which date from the 17th to the 20th centuries.

The pava is the traditional hat used by sugar cane cutters, coffee pickers, and other agricultural workers. It is emblematic of the jíbaro (a Puerto Rican from the countryside) and the rustic traditions of the island's folkways.
Description
The pava is the traditional hat used by sugar cane cutters, coffee pickers, and other agricultural workers. It is emblematic of the jíbaro (a Puerto Rican from the countryside) and the rustic traditions of the island's folkways. The pava is so closely associated with the notion of authentic Puerto Rican culture that when Luis Muñoz Marín founded the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) in 1938, the party adopted the pava, as its symbol.
Description (Spanish)
La pava es el sombrero tradicional que usan los trabajadores del campo, tales como los cortadores de caña o los recolectores de café. Es emblemático de los jíbaros (puertorriqueños del campo) y de las costumbres rústicas de la isla. Se relaciona tan estrechamente con la cultura puertorriqueña que cuando Luis Muñoz Marín fundó el Partido Demócrata Popular (PDP) en 1938 el partido adoptó la pava como símbolo.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1036.002
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1036.002

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