A man s headgear can provide clues to where he is from and even where he is going. Scarf-ties are directly related to the culture of different countries in the Arab world, says Mohamed El-Shibly, who convened Rabtet El Emmeh (scarf-tying group) on Wednesday evening at the Sahara Khan club in Sakkara.
A scarf-tie carries the same prestige as a neck-tie and can be an essential item in formal attire in Gulf states. It can even signal whether the wearer is on a casual or formal sortie. Men in the Khaleej (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Emirates), for example, have a particular tie for hunting, El-Shibly said. All three forms can be found in the Emirati attire.
The formal Emirati headscarf patterned in black-and-white squares, is worn above the ears, the hunting variant is worn slightly higher at the back, while the casual scarf is thrown more loosely around the head and may fall slightly over the ears.
El-Shibly, an Egyptian petroleum engineer in Libya who frequently returns home for holidays, finds scarf-tying a natural interest for himself, a desert-lover who also hunts. The need to protect oneself from the sun and dust in the desert soon turned into an interest in head-ties. El-Shibly now intends to produce a book on the subject.
Many desert-lovers from Sahara Safaris, a desert-touring group in Egypt, also shared an enthusiasm in the art manifest in the simple act of tying a scarf around one s head. The event on Wednesday was merely a glimpse into the infinite range that exists in the forms of the scarves colors, shapes (rectangular, square, triangular), material (cotton, linen), patterns, and length. Attendees were invited to bring their own scarves to try out different styles, and some even demonstrated styles with which they were familiar.
Having already mastered styles from the Middle East and Africa, El-Shibly demonstrated headgear from various countries including Egypt, Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi, Sudan, Syria, Chad and Libya.
The evening also provided an opportunity for discussion of historical nuances. Once such was the origin of the work Tuareg. One theory states that the Tawarek or people who have been left behind are so called as they are descendants left behind by small armies that intermarried with tribes from the Berber and then traveled again.
The Tuareg headscarf is long and dark-colored – often dark-blue or black – and covers as much of the face as possible, leaving only the eyes visible. In former times, said El-Shibly, the Tuareg would tie his scarf individually and keep its form secret.
The length, color, material is usually determined by the climate in the countries, said El-Shibly. In Africa, it is more common to wear very long scarves, whereas in the Middle East and Gulf they are of a moderate length.
The Egyptian Saeedi scarf-tie, on the other hand, tucks in most of the ear leaving only a little visible.
People in Chad use lighter colors, often brown or green, said El-Shibly, while Sudanese only use white scarves. Omani scarves are colorful and patterned and worn on another colored cap. Yemeni scarves are light-colored and also not bulky.
As bonus, a comparison to the Indian head-wear was also demonstrated by El-Shibly.
One tie derives its name from the famous singer from Upper Egypt, who modified a head-tie to make his own signature form, called the Rabtet Essam Karika.
The Sahara Safaris also had their own variants of scarf-ties for summer and winter respectively.
Scarf-ties are not just for protection from the forces of sun, heat and dust. A quick-fix for bad hair days (albeit in the context of desert adventures) was also suggested for women by an attendee.
For more information on Sahara Safaris, check their Facebook group or go to www.saharasafaris.org
