{{short description|Female heir in ancient Catalonia}} [[File:Pubilla1.jpg|thumb|Formal naming of a pubilla during a ceremony in Solsona]] [[File:Pubilles-Ulldecona7.JPG|thumb|Pubilles in Ulldecona.]] A '''pubilla''' ({{IPA|ca|puˈβiʎə}}; plural ''pubilles'') in ancestral Catalan tradition was the female that would inherit the whole rural estate in the absence of a brother.
==Tradition== She was the female version of the hereu or male heir of the whole property of the family. Traditionally, when a couple had no son, the eldest girl of the family would inherit the home and the estate in ancient Catalonia. The purpose was to not divide estates that were already too small to exploit in a profitable manner.<ref>[https://www.jstor.org/pss/3773351 JSTOR: Corporate Household and Ecocentric Kinship Group in Catalonia]</ref>
From mid 20th century onwards the image of the pubilla underwent a change; in present times the pubilla has a role similar to a local beauty queen in local popular celebrations.<ref>[http://www.elpunt.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/5-societat/83241-ambaixadors-del-seu-poble.html?piwik_campaign=rss&piwik_kwd=canals Una pubilla no és una "miss"] d'Ariadna Ventura, publicat a ''El Punt'' del 30 de setembre de 2009</ref> Sometimes the female ''gegants'' are dressed as a pubilla, like in Manresa.<ref>[http://www.mainlymorrisdancing.org.uk/Giants/manresa.html Pubilla gegant] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817145100/http://www.mainlymorrisdancing.org.uk/Giants/manresa.html |date=2010-08-17 }}</ref> Often the naming of a pubilla is a good occasion for a Catalan girl to dress in the traditional costume.<ref>[http://www.pubillatge.com/public/php/auques/auca_dela_pubilla/ Auca de la pubilla] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717070600/http://www.pubillatge.com/public/php/auques/auca_dela_pubilla/ |date=2007-07-17 }}</ref>
==See also== *Traditions of Catalonia *Symbols of Catalonia *Ciutat Pubilla de la Sardana
==References== {{reflist}}
==Literature== *Kathryn A. Woolard, ''Double talk: bilingualism and the politics of ethnicity in Catalonia'', Stanford University Press (1989), {{ISBN|978-0-8047-1502-7}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://vimeo.com/7981505 L'hereu i la pubilla de la Garrotxa: una qüestió de devoció, no de vocació] *[http://vimeo.com/8108545 Elecció de l'hereu i pubilla de la catalunya central 2010]
Category:Catalan traditions Category:Women in Catalonia Category:Women's property rights