Kuffiya: A journey from heritage to resistance.

A kuffiya is a classic traditional male headdress of arab culture in the middle east. It is even commonly known even as “hatta” or even “shemagh”. The kuffiya played an important role in the arab heritage and resistance. This type of headdress has been worn for centuries  by men in the middle-east and its main function was to protect from the sun, storms , the chill of the night.

Typically a kuffiya is made from cotton or wool and is cut in a square  shape fabric.  Generally there are 3 types of patterns that are commonly diffused. It can be either in chess black and white, chess red and white or plain white. The difference in patterns depends on the region that you are situated.

How to wear a kuffiya?

It has many ways to be worn, it depends in which occasion you are or what are you doing. For example, the classical way consists in folding it in a triangle on  the head, take the two extreme peaks  that fall above your shoulders and fold them  again on the head.  Often the kuffiya is set hold and firm  around the head with a black round cord type made of woven cotton, called “egal”.

History and kuffiya’s role in resistance.

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The Kuffiya played an important role in history since the thirties against the oppression of the British mandate. In Palestine it became a symbol of patriotism, adopted by many Palestinians from the rural areas against the fez  (Turkish head cap)worn in urban areas. Patriots who supported the grand mufti Amin Al Hussaini during the Great Arab Revolt.  In many areas during that period British army used to imprison anyone wearing his sort of headdress.

In present days this traditional headdress gained popularity among people and activist due to the Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat that adopted it as a symbol of Palestinian identity, resistance and struggle against the Israeli occupation.

Now all over the world the Kuffiya is sold and worn. A “heritage statement” that once was passed from father to son, nowadays  it has become a “symbolic statement” of resistance and solidarity with the Palestinians , Palestinian land and Palestinian heritage.

All photo's are taken by Fatima Abbadi except "img.1"

Palestinese, il mio nome è Palestinese

Palestina,

terra martoriata e occupata,

villaggi dimenticati e vie senza nomi

figli orfani e donne in lacrime e uomini senza casa e senza tetto

Piango e urlo forte

Bruciate pure la mia casa,

i miei libri e la mia scuola

però la mia identità e forte come la roccia e scorre nelle mie vene

“Palestinese, il mio nome è Palestinese”

(scritto da Fatima Abbadi)

Funny Ramadan parade.

Ramadan is a Holy Muslim Month. During this month we seek to feed our spirit with devotion and prayers to God rather than the body. It is a month of patience, fasting and self control. A month that from its beginning people forget about their main goal and seem to enter in a “BIG BAZAAR FEAST ODYSSEY”. Jordan - A classic Ramadan day (before sunset)
Car horns, taxis passing by like missiles and busses stuffed with people of all kinds. Noisy music that stops at the call of the muazin and ringing phones at every time. Cascades of bananas hanging everywhere and colorful banquets with every fanciful good imaginable.
You can hear the seller calling “Moz b nos lera”, “lera, lera kol she b lera” and women fiercely bargaining for that good. Small children jumping and playing all around or simply are following their mothers in crowded and messy rows. Fancy and fashionable mannequins welcome you at every post and walking mistresses looking at them with a keenly look.
Maestro police proudly directing his grand traffic symphony and crazy trolley drivers challenging the street like in a magnificent Luna park arena.
Grand Niagara effects of freshly squeezed fruity juice at every bazaar. “Sugar cane”, “Qamar el Din”, “Tamar Hind”, “Pomegranate” and “lemon” are some of the tastes that quenches your mad thirst at iftar meal.
The warm sweet smell of fresh gatayef, dates and sweets of all kinds beckons you. Freshly packed khobez forming high monumental towers.
Hands plenty with all sorts of goods and people hustling and bustling from every side. All in hurry, all on a ride, like swarms of bees circling above its hives. And I wonder and ask, how in the middle of all this chaos can a man still happily sleep in all silence and harmony?

pictures by Fatima Abbadi