What was the importance of the baker in the village? What kind of dress did be wear?

The village baker was especially important for all occasions. The villagers were much fond of the sweet bread known as Bol. Marriage gifts were meaningless without these sweetbreads. Sandwiches, cakes and bolinhas were a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. These were made with the bread. Thus the presence of a baker’s furnace was very essential in each village. The baker or the bread-seller wore a special, peculiar dress. It was known as the ‘kabai’. It was a single piece long frock. It reached down to his knees. During narrator’s childhood bakers wore trousers which were shorter than full-length and longer than half pants. Even today if someone wears a half pant, he is said to be dressed like a pader.