Saturday, February 2, 2013

An Overview Of The Arab Turban

By Brittney Swanson


An Arab turban has been a popular accessory for many societies in the Middle East for a long period of time. It is not just a piece of fabric that one wraps around his head but rather signifies the religious or tribal affiliations, beliefs, traditions and the personality of the wearer. Despite the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding it many males still wear them to preserve their culture.

Traditionally, Arabs believe that wearing this headgear is a sign of royalty and self-respect. These accessories are available in very many different colors. The colors commonly seen are black, white, green and navy blue. The fabrics used in the designs are required to of very high quality. Cotton, synthetics and silk are used to make high quality items that are very fashionable.

They are generally long pieces of fabrics whose length range from five to nine meters. They may either be wrapped or not to meet the needs of the various users. Some of them may be scarves tied on the head. Many people are unable to wear them properly either due to lack of the skills to tie them or inability to the appropriate size needed. Tight turbans usually result in headaches.

This attire is used in a number of religions particularly the Islamic religion. Muslims use this attire as a basis of identifying each other. It allows them to distinguish between Muslims and those who are not. They symbolize a number of qualities and values that are highly regarded in the Islamic society. Some of these values are manhood, self-respect and piety.

It is considered to be a form of modest dressing in Islamic religions. Some of them are brightly colored making them very colorful and therefore show the rank of an individual in the society. There are those that are embellished for special events while others are plain and signify periods of grief. This turban serves many purposes in Arabic regions and a unique style is adopted for each occasion or situation.

The Arab turban is available in two main kinds. These are commonly known as amah and keffiyeh. These two have various differences but generally play the same role. The keffiyeh is sometimes not classified as a turban. It is a special cloth draped around the head to provide relief from the scorching sun. They are tied in different ways and are made using different fabrics.

These turbans serve a variety of purposes in different regions in the Arabic world. Different styles are used to signify different things. They form a basis by which individuals from the same community recognize each other. This is important in bringing together these individuals and reinforcing the social ties. Leaders and scholars in Islam prefer white ones and allow society members to recognize them without any difficulty.

The Arab turban is the most appropriate attire for the Inhabitants of the Middle East. In addition for its use for religious purposes, it is used for several other functions in their daily activities. These people use them as headcovers during extreme temperatures and use them when fetching water to lower their containers in the wells. It is also used to filter the water obtained from the wells before drinking. It also offers protection to the mouth from dust particles while travelling through the dusty areas.




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