So, this is not the genuine mesoamerican poncho worn by the indigenous folk and copied by the Spanish invaders, prosetlyzers and colonizers!
“Unlike the poncho, the serape is not designed to be worn as a primary garment – rather, it is supposed to accent the outerwear that someone already has. Serapes were first worn in Mexico, usually be men that worked in middle-class or upper-class positions. Some of the first serapes were made with hoods – although these are so functionally similar to ponchos that we typically lump them into the former group for the sake of simplicity.
Unlike ponchos, serapes were not designed by the indigenous people of modern-day Mexico, but they were designed instead as urban fashion by the Spanish settlers that came over. Basically, the serape is like a poncho that has been modified to make it a bit less bulky, transforming the poncho from a staple of laborer wardrobes to something that is accessible by people all over the world.
In Guatemala, the primary country that exports serapes, many Mayan families are able to subsist entirely on the proceeds from the sale and export of this clothing to city dwellers and to foreigners. The sale of serapes can help subsidize the Mayan families when they are unable to make enough to subsist on agriculture, so brokering serapes is actually a great way to support the developing economy of the region. Additionally, the handmade nature of authentic serapes lends credibility to the entire look by including small imperfections that are barely noticeable to the eye, but they keep the serape from looking as though it was produced by machine.” Source
So it is, after all, the colonizer’s piece of strutting cloth to show flair of life above the peasants! So, I guess, despite the heat, it’s a fellows pride and standing that’s at stake.
In my time in medical school, we wore “vests” or waistcoats, useless garments below the jacket, that seemed “necessary” for any “gentleman” of standing!
Asher