What does this gesture with the thumb tucked between the fingers mean?

A discreet gesture that also accompanied difficult times

Some family stories tell of people slipping this gesture into their pocket during important trials, as an intimate reminder: “keep the faith, you are stronger than you think.”

It wasn’t a sign of defiance, but a gesture of comfort, almost meditative. A way of keeping a familiar symbol close at hand.

Why did he disappear?

Because our communication has become digital: we say “no” with an emoji, we send a wink, a thumbs up, a heart. The fig hasn’t completely disappeared, but it survives mainly in memories, family anecdotes, and certain local traditions.

Yet, it remains a charming symbol: a silent message, a gentle refusal, a protective wink. A way to express what words don’t always dare to say, a  discreet folk tradition  that still survives. Today, it embodies an  ancient gestural memory  that continues to touch us with its simplicity.