Cultural Significance of Keffiyeh

Keffiyehs are headscarves made of square pattern designs mostly of cotton fabric. It can be wrapped and worn by many styles around head, shoulders or neck. Muslims as well as non Muslims also wear the keffiyehs or shemaghs (the other name of keffiyeh). It is come in different color contrasts. Black and white and red and white are the most popular ones. It is basically a cloth piece of freedom or national symbol of Palestinian nation. But it is equally famous in Arabs and all Muslims around the globe. Now even non-Muslims are adopting it as fashion.

Taking keffiyeh as just a piece of cloth or now as a fashion is a misleading concept honestly. It is more than just a headscarf used to cover face and head from sun, dust or cold. In a broad concept, a culture lies in keffiyeh itself. It became a symbol of solidarity when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had worn black and white keffiyeh always except some exceptional situations. He had his own style of wearing keffiyeh which was unique and different than other leaders.  After him, many Palestinian leaders and freedom strugglers put on keffiyehs as well. Even the women started wearing it as it is in their culture. One of the known Palestinian personalities named Leila Khaled was female affiliate of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. She mostly used to wear keffiyeh in the style of hijab. By wearing keffiyeh, she showed the equality of women with men in the way of Palestinian struggle. For that, she took help from keffiyeh. Keffiyeh is surely not just a headscarf but a whole culture and symbol for a struggle and effort towards an ambition. Palestinians consider keffiyeh something that not just belongs to their culture of Arab or Muslim world but as a symbol of solidarity and Palestinian Jihad against illegal occupation of Israel.

The colors of keffiyehs are also somewhat symbol oriented. Black and white keffiyehs are linked with Fatah group in Palestine while red and white keffiyehs are representation of Hamas group. The important point here is people around the world wear white and black or white and red keffiyehs regardless of any political or cultural consideration or understanding. This cultural representation is now largely being imported from China. Mr. Yasser Herbawi who was the sole manufacturer of keffiyehs in Palestine had to shut down his factory as Chinese keffiyehs are much less in price.

There is a lot of controversy associated with keffiyehs. It is sometimes termed as “terrorist scarf”. Critics say that only militants wear this. But by saying this they should clear that what should we call a Non-Muslim or Non- Arab who wears keffiyeh just for a fashion? Palestinian people give importance to keffiyehs as a cultural and national symbol but people other than Palestine who wears it for a fashion statement even does not know the meaning and true essence of it. It lives in hearts of Palestinian people while others discard it when not in use. Its popularity in western countries has not in any way done well to Palestinian people.