Each nation has its own hats and original costumes. They can be used to determine nationality, religious affiliation, and social status. The Arab headdress has always been a subject of controversy in European society, especially when it came to women. But men from the mysterious East also have a headdress no less attractive.
Description of men's attire
Most often we see that Arab men wear some kind of cloth on their heads. So, men's Arab headdresses are, first of all, keffiyeh, which means a scarf or, as they used to say in Russia, arafatka. She is also called shmag, gutra or hatta.
Most often keffiyeh holds an ikal, igal or egalem on his head. This is a special hoop - a tourniquet, which is wrapped in black wool, as a rule, it is either goat or sheep.
In addition to gutra and yigal, Arabs wear a skullcap. This small cap is worn directly on the head under the keffiyeh itself. Its purpose was to prevent contamination of the handkerchief. They are also needed forobligatory prayer.
Most often arafatka is made of pure cotton or wool. This is a large piece of cloth wrapped around the head. It can be white, plaid or striped.
Earlier, the Arab headdress for men was monophonic. But after the British added a cage, the pattern spread to almost all Arafats.
Worn differently. Someone ties it like a turban, and someone just puts it on his head, securing it with a hoop. It is also worn around the neck, tied around the face, leaving only the eyes open, etc.
The scarf got its name "arafatka" thanks to the leader of Palestine, Yasser Arafat. It was on him that the world society constantly observed this Arab headdress. It is noteworthy that he did not wear it with traditional Arab clothing, but with European costumes or military uniforms.
There is another fairly well-known, but not very popular, Arab men's headdress - the fez (tarboush). It was worn in Morocco, Lebanon and Syria. Reminds in shape of an inverted pot for planting flowers. Made in red with a small black tassel.
Arafatka in the army
Today it has become an indispensable attribute in the clothes of the military of various countries. It is put on like a scarf, replaces a rope, a pillow, a towel, a bag, a bandage for a sore arm. It also acts as a disguise, for which it is wrapped completely around the face.
Shemagi are worn by the Palestinian, Jordanian, Sudanese and even the American army.
Arafatka as fashion
Its relevance today simply breaks all records. As an accessory, it is used throughout the world. It can be seen on the neck of both a Russian person and any European.
This is not only the headdress of an Arab sheikh, but also a scarf for girls and men of other nationalities.
He is tied like a regular scarf around his neck. Or find a variety of ways to stand out from the crowd. Arafatka is worn both in summer and in winter. Only in summer it is a light, thin fabric, and in winter it is more dense, woolen.
Mainly the main color is white, and the cage can be red, burgundy, olive or black.
Religion or tradition
Until now, there is a lot of controversy over the origin of just such a headdress. Someone argues that all Muslims should wear keffiyeh, someone says that this dress simply pays tribute to centuries-old traditions. In fact, the truth is contained in both assumptions.
According to religion, a man's head, like a woman's, should indeed be covered. Especially during prayer. But no one canceled the tradition. From time immemorial, Arabs have worn arafat as protection from the sun, sand and wind.
Thanks to natural fabrics, the scarf perfectly protects the face and neck from high temperatures. It dries very quickly if it gets wet.
Distinction by social class
Arabian headdress can beit was easy to determine to which social stratum a person belonged. Whether he is rich or poor, and even what district he is from.
For example, rich and high-ranking ranks wear mostly white keffiyeh and iqal. It is desirable that the scarf be heavily starched, then it keeps its shape well, and the ends hang down from the shoulders, showing the authority and status of the man.
Ikal of various colors and qualities was intended for middle managers. By color and method of tying, it was easy to name the place where this person lives. The quality of the scarf was slightly different from those worn by rich Arabs. Also, the length of the scarf, which was wrapped like a turban, showed the social status.
A simple and poor Arab can be distinguished immediately by a blue or blue voluminous turban.
Description of women's hats
We told you the name of the Arabic headdress worn by men. But in women they are much more diverse.
This is:
- Hijab, which means a veil or curtain. According to the rules, it must cover the hair, forehead and neck. Today, hijabs are created in a huge range of colors. Decorate with patterns, sequins, stones, fringe.
- Niqab. Literally translated as a mask. Covers the entire female face. leaving only the eyes. Sewn in black, brown or dark blue, without decorative elements.
- burqa. Similar to the niqab in the face area, but long and sleeved. Considered a complete garment. The eye slit can also be closed with a thin mesh.
- Khimar. A kind of cape on the head that covers both the shoulders and arms, reaching the waist or below.
- Al-amira. Double product, which is very convenient to put on if you need to do it quickly. First, a small hat is put on the hair, and on top - a ready-made scarf made of stretch fabric, which is easily stretched. Coloring can absolutely anyone.
- Turban or turban. Previously, more than 5 meters of fabric was required to create a turban or turban. Now they sell finished products made from any material and even knitted for the winter period.
- Sheila. Common tippet of any quality and color. It wraps around the head, going down to the neck and shoulders. It is also tied over a thick cap so that the hair does not stick out from under the shawl.
Many people often wonder if girls are hot under headscarves. But, according to the Muslim women themselves, the headscarf not only protects them from male gazes, but also reliably protects them from the hot rays of the sun.
