2 Clothing
Clothes made for working the foreshore: kabigs and kalabousenn
Dilhad graet evit labourat en aod : kabigoù ha kalabousennoù
The word kabig comes from the Breton kab an aod, “foreshore cape”. Before fashion took it up in a range of colours, this jacket from the pays Pagan was originally white, or navy blue.
Made for the working conditions of the seaweed-harvesting farmers on the foreshore, it had to be long enough and woven from a very tight woollen cloth, to keep the water out and the warmth in.
A jacket designed for the foreshore
Every detail of the kabig answers a demand of the work:
- A large hood gives protection from the wind and the damp.
- At the shoulders, notched flaps stand up to the wear of carrying heavy loads, and also stop water from running down.
- The jacket is fastened with small wooden toggles, often of boxwood, a wood known for never rotting.
- On the front, a double belly pocket lets the wearer tuck their hands in.
The kalabousenn
The kalabousenn is a hood-shaped headdress with a peak, covering the shoulders, in black or navy blue. It protects from the wind and the cold during work on the foreshore.
It was worn along the Léon coasts of northern Finistère, mainly in the pays Pagan.