The Kuffiyah, which, in the Western imagination has come to symbolize the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, and as is a typical byproduct of imagining "things" in the Western imaginaiton, has also become a customary accessory of the "revolutionary activism chic wear" sweeping college campuses. My return to academia, positioning me vis-a-vis with the idealism of the "save the world" college activists, has reminded me that in spite of the same group's good intentioned expressions of solidarity, capitalistically-motivated co-opation tendencies seem to be the underlying reasons for their use of cultural symbols.
After weeks of observing this phenomenon-of mostly white women wrapping the traditional headdress around their neck as a scarf on top of their fitted Kenneth Cole hooded long down coats-I starting questioning the authenticity of their expressively loud displays of solidarity. One day, a woman who matched the aformentioned description passed me. So, being my usual skeptical self I asked: "Is this a case of expressing solidarity with Palestinians or an instance of American youth culture reappropriating cultural symbols to be on the cutting edge of ephemeral fashion trends?" I thought it was high time for me to call one of those trendy revolutionaries out. So, after casually sneaking up with the subtlety of a bulldozer, I acosted her.
"Umm, hey I was just wondering...Where did you get that kuffiyah from? I'd like to get one of my own"
Intentionally over-emphasizing every last harfa in "kuffiyah", I was putting her knowledge of the distinctly Arab cultural dress to the test-to see if she knew anything other than the fact that the "checkered, Italian tablecloth they wear on their heads" (yes folks, I've heard someone describe the kuffiyah using those exact words) can be bought on 125ft Street in Harlem.
But she threw me the curve ball I was least expecting:
"Well, actually, I picked this up in Buenos Aires?"
"Buenos Aires?"
"Yeah, at a place called "Holy Land." It's a religious-based theme park. I bought this from the Islam part."
So there you have it folks, Holy Land. "Tierra Santa" en espanol, you will be doing yourself a favor by checking out the details of this Argentine treasure trove of a tourist spot.
And, if you have some time on your hands, browse through the 129 pictures uploaded by an anonymous family/couple of their trip to Tierra Santa.
Moral of the story? Incorrigible cynicism that seeks to prove it's distrust in the intentions of man with polemical confrontation can result in pleasant discoveries! So go ahead, be cynical! Pretend that you don't know and want to know just to prove that they really don't know, and then, you will be handsomely rewarded-either with an exposition of a person's idiocy or new-found knowledge. It really is a win-win situation then!*
*May's self-cast role as a cultural infiltrator and fiendish, bordering on nefarious, desire to expose ignorant people's stupidity should not serve as a reflection of the beliefs or practices of the rest of the kabobblogging community.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Kuffiyah Kraze
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21 comments:
Why aren't you reporting on the women in Gaza who are being attacked for not covering up?
I had the same question here in the Metro DC area a couple of years ago. It seemed then the fashion of young African American women to wear them.
I asked one such lady one morning and was told she wore it because "she saw Queen Latifa wear it in a video."
It is interesting to note that the Kuffiyah often have different designs to them, not to mention colours, and that the designs can denote where the kuffiyah itself comes from.
I went to an anti-war/pro-Palestine march here in the DC area awhile back with some Jordanian/Palestinian friends and my family. Turns out what many Americans were wearing in support of the Palestinians where really Saudi and Kuwaiti kuffiyah, not Palestinian at all.
But I guess it is the tought that counts.
Just what we need, more towel heads.
Sorry, can't actually believe that the last comment was made. Just what we need another bigotted rascist westerner!
I work in Beirut and Jeddah, due to the nature of my work I wear a kuffiyeh and also a thobe. Different colours and patterns do to some extent denote their origin, but there are no hard and fast rules. Saudi tends to be mostly the red and white and pure white when it is hot or for formal occassions. Kuwait UAE and Bahrain mainly all white or white and blue.
I love it, I hope one day it becomes a fashion in the West.
Very amusing posting by the way..glad that self-deprication still exists in these troubled and polarized times.
Interesting. You know- In the past, I've had African-American men yell at me (twice) for rockin' the kuffiyeh. I guess I wasn't black enough to sport it. It pissed me off - especially since I've been slowly seeing an increase in our cause becoming the new hip trend - or whatever...
I'd like to think, however, that most people understand the meaning behind it.
Palestine is not a trend.
wait, why did the Black guys yell at you for wearing the kuffiyeh?
Here is a good article I read awhile back about Islamic/Arabic stuff becoming trendy, especially in the black and Latino communities.
I think this one talks about the female rappers getting tattoos in Arabic that says words like "Sharmoota."
Not exactly the best thing to get tattooed if you are trying to take from Arabic culture.
http://www.turkishweekly.net/articles.php?id=56
I'm from the Philly area... where, for some reason, a lot of African-Americans tend to wear the kuffiyeh. I'm not sure why. We have a large black-Muslim population. Maybe the style of rockin it seeped into the community through that channel.
On top of that, I don't look very Arab - at least not in the stereotypical sense.
I guess they just thought I was some white dude tryin to bite their style. Who knows?
Philly - for the most part - is a very racially segregated city. We still organize ourselves according to blocks.
Tablecloth
This is such a funny post!
Although it has become a symbol of resistance for some of the Palestinians, most people in the Gulf would find it hillarious that someone has adopted it in the US as some kind of Muslim symbol.
They see it as a practical way to keep the sun off you head and to cover your face from a sandstorm...probably not needed in Philly! Wonder if it has caught on in Arizona or Nevada?
And Anonymous...I am sorry your table is so small as to able to be covered by a Keffiyeh.
i'm waiting to see paris hilton wearing a kuffiya
Maybe Paris can give it to Ms. Spears to cover something else that starts with a "k".
"Palestine is not a trend."
We know, it's a fantasy, like becoming a millionnaire off of welfare. But hey, you can dream, right?
"anti-war/pro-Palestine"
Oxymoron of the Year!
http://orthodoxanarchist.com/2006/11/23/the-kaffiyeh-yisraelit/
Great post May!
Shlomo,
Thanks for sharing that link. Zionists stole Palestine, claim falafel as their own, and are now trying to take the kaffiyeh, too. What next? Knafeh as Israeli cheesecake?
Will
kosher knafeh? dangerous to suggest such things...
Shlomo-what a priceless link! But it doesn't work anymore! Any ideas as to why?
I was at an outlet mall in rural Georgia last week at a Claire's Accessories store -- where girls ages 5-16 buy plastic earrings, right? To my shock/horror there hung a wallful of kuffiyehs in a rainbow of colors. Teal, hot pink, purple, pale pink, lime green... wild.
I googled kuffiyah just now to see where I could buy one (a real one.. I don't have the funds to travel to Gaza, but I have a credit card)- I read this and I at first I was a bit offended, but I can see where you're coming from. I mean, I'm a 20something white girl in college. But one of my closest friends is 1/2 Palestinian. She will go up to a stranger wearing one and say, "Nice Kuffiyah- where'd you get it?" and yeah, white girls usually have no idea what she's referring to. They sell those at Urban Outfitters. Blame corporate America for this commoditization of a symbol of Palestinian Solidarity. Everyone is the product of their situation. And the man created this situation of ignorance.
my friend bought a kuffiyah because he is redheaded, pale and has to mow the grass in the summer. He says it is good clothing for this function. Is this wrong? i love much of the clothing for islamic women because it is flattering to the feminine form, and very modest. Sometimes i wish it was culturally acceptable for me to cover my hair in public, but i know that westerners would think i was weird, and so would the muslims, so here i am just and admirer. Alas....
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