Keffiyeh كوفية

most of the people i know are so into keffiyeh or shemagh as it is popularly known. but what is it exactly for? is it merely a fashion accessory as talibanana.com has it on eight color combinations and so many other local online fashion stores has been promoting it or does it actually symbolizes something? shemagh (pronounced as she-mah) originated in the Arab countries and is a traditional head dress of Arab men. Made of a square of cloth (usually cotton), shemagh is worn by folding and wrapping in various styles around the head. It is usually worn in places where the climate is arid so to provide protection from direct sun exposure as well as for occasional use in protecting the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand. the keffiyeh is also used extensively for travel and survival as it is featured in many survival books (e.g. P.Darman's Survival Handbook, ...) and many travellers now carry them along.

there are many kinds of shemangh and various ways on how it is worn. most of Palestinian keffiyeh are made of cotton and wool. the keffiyeh is usually folded in half, into a triangle, and the fold is worn across the forehead. often, the keffiyeh is held in place by an agal (a rope circlet). some would wrap the keffiyeh into a turban while others wear it loosely draped around the back and shoulders. a skullcap can be worn underneath the keffiyeh ( traditionally, it is wrapped around the rim of the fez.)

keffiyeh is almost always of white cotton cloth and many have a checkered pattern in red or black stitched into them. the plain, white keffiyeh (called ghutra) is popular in the Gulf states. the black-and-white keffiyeh is most popular in the Levant. the red-and-white keffiyeh is worn on these regions as well as in Somalia but is most strongly associated with Jordan (where is it known as shmagh mhadab). the Jordanian keffiyeh has cotton decorative strings on the sides. it is believed that the bigger these strings, the more value it has and the higher a person's status. it has been used by Bedouins throughout the centuries and was used as a symbol of honour and tribal identification.

the keffiyeh has been seen as chic among non-Arabs in the West (who may be uninterested in politics, the military, or both) as with other articles of clothing worn in wartime such as the  T-shirt and khaki pants. in the late 1980s, keffiyehs became popular in the US, at the start of the First Intifada, when bohemian girls wore keffiyehs as scarves around their necks. in the early part of 2000, it became very popular among the youth in Tokyo, usually worn with camouflage clothing.in the mid-2000, the trend recurred in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia when keffiyeh became popular as a fashion accessory (worn as a scarf around the neck in hipster circles). stores such as TALIBANANA.COM and TopShop stocked the item. In the spring of 2008, keffiyehs in colours like purple and mauve were given away in issues of fashion magazines in Spain and France.

non-Arabs in mid-2000 New York City tended to wear keffiyehs in one of three ways: pro-Palestinian activists wore them loosely draped over their shoulders. World-music aficionados wore them as regular, bunched scarves around their necks (as did girls in the 1980s). Finally, hipsters folded them in half to make a triangle, then gathered the scarf around the neck to leave one point facing down in the center of the chest. new keffiyeh designs with Israeli motifs are sold since 2007.

the keffiyeh is part of the general Israeli-Arab controversy. supporters of the Palestinian cause see the keffiyeh as a symbol of a just cause while some others see the keffiyeh as representing anti-Semitism, terrorism, or the intention to eliminate the Jewish State. the American clothing store chain, Urban Outfitters, stopped selling keffiyehs in 2007 because of fear that selling them might be seen “to imply any sympathy for or support of terrorists or terrorism.” The Independent calls the keffiyeh a “disturbing… symbol of Islamic militancy”. Columnist Carolyn P. Glick equates the Palestinian keffiyeh with the fascist wearing of brown shirts. (source: WIkipedia.com)

so what is it exactly for again? although controversial owing to its origins, keffiyehs are great multi-purpose fashion accesory: it can keep you warm on rainy days but can also keep you dry and covered from the sun on sunny days (the reasons why I wear one). and i'm still looking for a black and red shemagh ;P