Shemaghs

What does Palestinian shawl mean?

Palestine shawl is actually a Swedish nickname for the headscarf actually called Keffiyeh, Shemagh, Hattah, Mashadah and more. The shawl is really common throughout the Middle East but has been given its Swedish nickname as the shawl has become a symbol of warring Palestinians.

One who has become strongly associated with the Palestinian shawl is Yassir Arafat who wore a different weight black / white Palestinian shawl around his head. His Palestinian shawl was stuck on his head with a so-called Agal, which is a tiger ring that you wear over your head.

In Sweden we usually see the shawl used as a scarf or scarf, around the neck of the wearer. But really it is a head scarf that can be folded in a variety of styles around the head. The large size of the shawl allows it with the right folding, practically pull down over the face to protect against sand and sun.

The traditional Palestinian shawl was made of cotton and wool, which makes it dry very quickly and keeps the wearer's head warm.

What does the pattern of the Palestinian shawl mean?

Classic with the Palestinian shawl is its grid pattern. This is a very old detail that seems to have followed the Palestinian shawl, regardless of the color combination and origin. The grid pattern should be a symbol representing fishing nets or grains.

The Palestinian shawl in Western countries.

The Shemaghen or Palestine shawl is a hundred-year-old garment that has been recurring in countries with a dry climate throughout history. It is not really a garment whose purpose has been to become a political symbol, but the use of the garment in political contexts has nevertheless made the Palestinian shawl a little loaded.

It is believed that the garment has been used mainly in the Middle East, but also in the deserts of Africa for over a hundred years, during the last half of the 1990s it became associated with the Palestinian resistance movement.

In the West, the garment seemed to be used by sympathizers for Palestine, left-wing youth and punks.

But in the 2000s, however, you could see a reversal in the trend again and the garment became more a fashion accessory. As the Palestinian shawl returned to everyday wear to a greater extent, it became even more accepted as a non-political symbol.

As we mentioned earlier, Western countries do not wear the garment, as the garment is traditionally worn. Instead of using the garment as a headdress and over the face to protect against sun and sand, we wear this like a scarf to protect against cold. Alternatively as a scarf for pure stylists.

Shemaghen as military garment.

Shemaghen is very practical in countries with strong sun and a lot of sand. That is why the garment has been so common in the Middle East and other places with much desert.

When the United States entered Afghanistan and Iraq, the garment has also been common in American soldiers' equipment. This (along with other wars in desert landscapes) has also made military green Palestinian shawls become more common in western countries.