LEAD
A History of the Keffiyeh
By Ryah Aqel
Photography by Anja Kreibaum
March 16, 2010
A few years ago a new visitor took over the streets and fashion boutiques across America. This visitor wasn't new or invented in the studio of any designer, in fact it had been the accessory of choice for Arab men for many, many years. The keffiyeh, also affectionately known as the kuffiyeh or the hatta, was not born on the shoulders of hipsters and Urban Outfitters patrons. Instead its common use for so many decades had been to shield from the hot North African and Middle Eastern sun. Slowly it transformed from an item of utility to a symbol of Palestinian resistance and now you will be hard pressed not to find a purple or pink version of it in your teenage sister's closet courtesy of Forever21.
Imagine my surprise when I saw my first keffiyeh in Ann Arbor a few years ago, learning later that it had been sold at Urban Outfitters under the name ''anti-war scarf.'' Both of my grandfathers had worn this article of clothing, held in place on their heads by a black rope - the 'aqal'. Before the 1930s, the keffiyeh had been commonly used by men like my grandfathers in the villages to protect from the sun while in the fields. Men in the city had very little use for the keffiyeh until a fateful mixing of resistance and unity. In 1936, villagers and peasants held the Arab Revolt against British colonialism. Their use of the keffiyeh had easily distinguished them from the city people. In order to protect their fellow Palestinians, townsmen began to wear the keffiyeh in unity with the villagers and peasants. This act of solidarity made it difficult for the British to find their fellow Palestinians. Later in the 1960s, the keffiyeh would be adopted by leaders like Yasser Arafat and certain colored keffiyehs would be associated to different political parties.
The emergence of the keffiyeh as a fashion accessory in the last few years was not its first emergence in the West. In the late 80s, twenty-somethings who identified with the counter-culture began to wear keffiyehs around their necks. The keffiyeh disappeared from the world of fashion until the 2000s but it had continued to be worn by activists. Before Urban Outfitters, keffiyehs were hard to find, but one of the places you were always sure to find authentic keffiyehs was the Hirbawi factory, the only keffiyeh factory in the Palestine, run by the Hirbawi family for their livelihood. In 2007, Balenciaga came out with its own version of the keffiyeh and was toted the ''must-have accessory'' of that year. Ironically, Balenciaga certainly made more money off of their keffiyeh than the Hirbawi factory.
While it is impossible to deny the popularity of the keffiyeh in the world of fashion, it is always important to understand the history behind symbols. The keffiyeh cannot be separated from its rich history. Even as a young girl I attributed the keffiyeh to the dignity of my grandfathers. Not to confuse authenticity with novelty, there is a difference between fast fashion costume jewelry and your grandmother's locket. Whether placed on the heads of older men, tied around the necks of hipsters, or draped across the shoulders of activists it is always important to understand the meaning of the keffiyeh and why it cannot be just a scarf.
Imagine my surprise when I saw my first keffiyeh in Ann Arbor a few years ago, learning later that it had been sold at Urban Outfitters under the name ''anti-war scarf.'' Both of my grandfathers had worn this article of clothing, held in place on their heads by a black rope - the 'aqal'. Before the 1930s, the keffiyeh had been commonly used by men like my grandfathers in the villages to protect from the sun while in the fields. Men in the city had very little use for the keffiyeh until a fateful mixing of resistance and unity. In 1936, villagers and peasants held the Arab Revolt against British colonialism. Their use of the keffiyeh had easily distinguished them from the city people. In order to protect their fellow Palestinians, townsmen began to wear the keffiyeh in unity with the villagers and peasants. This act of solidarity made it difficult for the British to find their fellow Palestinians. Later in the 1960s, the keffiyeh would be adopted by leaders like Yasser Arafat and certain colored keffiyehs would be associated to different political parties.
The emergence of the keffiyeh as a fashion accessory in the last few years was not its first emergence in the West. In the late 80s, twenty-somethings who identified with the counter-culture began to wear keffiyehs around their necks. The keffiyeh disappeared from the world of fashion until the 2000s but it had continued to be worn by activists. Before Urban Outfitters, keffiyehs were hard to find, but one of the places you were always sure to find authentic keffiyehs was the Hirbawi factory, the only keffiyeh factory in the Palestine, run by the Hirbawi family for their livelihood. In 2007, Balenciaga came out with its own version of the keffiyeh and was toted the ''must-have accessory'' of that year. Ironically, Balenciaga certainly made more money off of their keffiyeh than the Hirbawi factory.
While it is impossible to deny the popularity of the keffiyeh in the world of fashion, it is always important to understand the history behind symbols. The keffiyeh cannot be separated from its rich history. Even as a young girl I attributed the keffiyeh to the dignity of my grandfathers. Not to confuse authenticity with novelty, there is a difference between fast fashion costume jewelry and your grandmother's locket. Whether placed on the heads of older men, tied around the necks of hipsters, or draped across the shoulders of activists it is always important to understand the meaning of the keffiyeh and why it cannot be just a scarf.