Beret (Boina) Wearing in Argentina

French emigration to Argentina originated mainly from the Basque Country, Béarn and the Périgord, while Basques from the other side of the (French-Spanish) border were keen settlers in South America too.

The first immigrants focused on Uruguay; Argentina was second choice. Immigrants were lured with big promises of opportunities and next-to-free land, which turned out far from the truth and many newcomers spent their life in economic misery.

Instead of owning land, they worked as peasants for the large land owners or got stuck in the cities doing low-level jobs. This is of course where the tango originates.

There were exceptions though; a good number of Basques and Béarnais made their fortunes from shearing sheep and the meat industry.

In the pampas, many became estancers; devoting themselves to breeding cattle and dairy production. This resulted in often violent and deadly clashes with the gauchos, who named them ‘lechero gringos’.

Lechero Gringos

In the late 1880s, a (French) Basque named Bautista Heguy, passionate about both horses and polo, started investing in horses. Several generations of his descendants competed at world level in this sport and they laid the basis for beret wearing among all people involved in raising and training horses.

Since then, beret (or boina) wearing has become pretty much universal among gauchos, farmers, peasants and people working outdoors and in the country.

All these berets, in merino wool and cotton, can be found here.