El Lenguaje del Abanico

For English version of "The Language of the Fan" press HERE

Cuando las damas puertorriqueñas del siglo 19 y principios del siglo 20 iban a bailes eran acompañadas por su madre o por otra persona adulta, llamada "la chaperona", para velar su comportamiento. Las chaperonas eran muy celosas por lo que las jóvenes tuvieron que inventarse un medio para poder comunicarse con sus pretendientes sin ser vistas por éstas. Usaban su abanico en diferentes formas para trasmitir los mensajes que deseaban. A continuación, dos versiones de ese misterioso lenguaje:

Si la dama se abanica sobre el pecho lentamente, significa: "Soy soltera, no tengo novio"
Si mueve el abanico en movimientos cortos y rápidos sobre su pecho: "Estoy comprometida o tengo novio, sigue tu camino"
Si abre y cierra el abanico y lo pone en su mejilla, le indica al joven: "Me gustas"
Si coloca el abanico en su sien y mira hacia arriba: "Pienso en ti de noche y día"
Si sospecha que su amado le es infiel o lo ve hablando con otra joven, se toca la punta de la nariz con el abanico, indicándole: "Algo no me huele bien"
Si camina impaciente de lado a lado golpeando la palma de su mano con el abanico: "Ten cuidado, cariñito, por ahí viene la chaperona"
Si abre y cierra el abanico y señala hacia el jardín: "Esperame allí mi amor, pronto estaré junto a tí"
Finalmente, si mira al joven sugestivamente cubriéndose la boca con el abanico, significa que le está enviando un beso, y obviamente, el joven sabe que él es el escogido.


Esta es la versión ofrecida verbalmente por la cantante Migdalia Batiz al creador de estas páginas, cuya fuente original desconocemos. A continuación presentamos la versión presentada en el libro "Memorias del Casino de Mayagüez", tomada ésta a su vez de una reseña publicada en "La Revista Blanca" con el título "El Amor Expresado por medio del Abanico" :
Llevarlo cerrado y suspendido de la mano izquierda (significa): Deseo tener novio..
Llevarlo cerrado y suspendido de la mano derecha: Estoy comprometida. .
Abanicarse muy de prisa: Tengo dudas de ti. .
Cerrarlo rápidamente: Habla con mi papá. .
Apoyarlo cerrado en el corazón: Te amo con locura. .
Apoyarlo cerrado en la frente: Me eres indiferente. .
Guardar el abanico cerrado: No salgo hoy de paseo. .
Sacarlo del bolsillo: Saldré de casa. .
Apoyarlo abierto en los labios: No dudes de mí. .
Apoyarlo abierto sobre el corazón: Deseo casarme. .
Dar el abanico al novio: Mi corazón es sólo tuyo. .
Tomar el abanico del novio: No quiero más amores. .
Abierto tapándose parte del rostro: Todo ha concluído entre los dos. .
Dejar caer el abanico: Sufro, pero te amo. .
Darse golpecitos en la mano izquierda: Me eres simpático. .
Mirando con atención el paisaje: Pienso si me conviene. .
Darse golpecitos en la mano derecha: Te aborrezco. .
Darse golpecitos en el vestido: Tengo celos de ti. .
Apoyarlo cerrado en la mejilla izquierda: Soy toda tuya. .
Apoyarlo cerrado en la mejilla derecha: Repara, mi familia vigila. .
Hacer como que cuenta las varillas: Deseo hablar contigo. .
Jugar con el abanico: Estoy impaciente. .
Abierto, tenerlo suspendido al revés: Sin tu amor, prefiero morir. .

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The Language of the Fan

Para la versión en español oprima AQUI

When 19th century puertorrican ladies went dancing, they were always accompanied by their mothers or another adult lady, called "the Chaperona" (Shah-peh-roh-nah), to watch her behavior. They were very zealous so, the young girls invented a way to communicate with the boys without being noticed by them. They used their fans in different ways to convey their messages. I'll present here two versions I have found. It is said that:

If the lady moved her fan very slowly over her chest it meant: "I am free and available, I don't have a boyfriend"
If she moved the fan in fast and short movements over her chest it meant: "I have a partner or boyfriend, so keep going".
If she opened and closed her fan and touched her cheek with it, it told the gentleman: "I like you!"
If she placed the fan on her temple and looked upwards, it said: "I think of you day and night!"
If she saw her boyfriend talking to another girl or suspected he was being unfaithful she touched the tip of her nose with her fan, meaning:: "Something doesn't smell good here"
If she walked from side to side hitting the palm of her hand with the fan, it meant: "Be careful, honey, the "Chaperona" is coming"
If she opened and closed the fan and then pointed with it toward the garden: "Wait for me there, sweetheart. Soon I will be there with you."
And finally, if she covered her mouth with the open fan and looked at him very suggestively she was sending him a kiss, and obviously, the gentleman knew he was the chosen one!


The previous version is taken from a verbal account offered to the author of this pages by singer Migadalia Batiz - source unknown. The next is a version taken from the book "Memorias del Casino de Mayagüez", which is taken from an article in the magazine "La Revista Blanca" tittled "Love conveyed through the fan" :
Carrying it closed and hanging from her left hand (means): I want to have a boyfriend..
Carrying it closed and hanging from her right hand : I'm engaged. .
Fanning very rapidly: I have doubts about you. .
Closing it very fast: Talk with my father. .
Resting it closed over her heart: I love you dearly. .
Resting it closed over her forehead: I am ignoring you. .
Putting away the fan closed: I'm not going out today. .
Taking it out of her purse: I'll be out today. .
Resting it open over her lips: Don't doubt about me. .
Resting it open over her heart: I want to get married. .
Giving the fan to the boyfriend: My heart belongs only to you. .
Taking the fan from her boyfriend: I don't want anything else from you. .
Covering part of her face with the open fan: We have finished. .
Dropping down the fan: I'm suffering, but I love you. .
Hitting her left hand with the fan: I like you. .
Looking outside: I'm considering if it is good for me. .
Hitting her right hand with the fan: I hate you. .
Hitting her dress with the fan: I'm jealous. .
Resting it closed on her left cheek: I'm all yours. .
Resting it closed on her right cheek: Be careful, my family is watching. .
Doing as if she is counting the fan's blades: I want to talk with you. .
Playing with the fan: I'm in a hurry. .
Having it open, hanging upside down: Without your love, I prefer to die. .

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