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You’ve probably seen them. In any Middle Eastern video, there is an Arab whose head has a towel looking thing wrapped around it. You may have wondered why they would go around in the desert with a towel on their head. I had the same question when I was in Iraq.
I found that the traditional dress for Bedouin men includes a head-dress called a Ghutra, which keeps the sun off of their head, and can be pulled over their face in a sand storm. Ghutras come in several different colors. A checkered red-and-white pattern means patriotism, and is often worn by people under a monarch. Another design is checkered black-and-white, which symbolizes freedom, and is often worn by people under a president. A common color worn in summer is white, and symbolizes purity. A black turban means they are a descendant of Mohammad. On top of the Ghutra is a band called an agal. I found the history of the agal very interesting. To me it just looked like a black band that kept their towel from blowing away, but it has a long history. Bedouins anciently carried the black bands on their heads to use as a whip, or in case ropes were needed to secure their camels. When there were no trees to tie the camel up, they wrapped their agal around one of the camels legs while it was sitting, preventing it from standing up.
Much of Iraq is very tribal still. In these regions when a tribal leader dies, the relative who succeeds him has the late man's agal set on top of his head like a crown to mark the transition. To grieve, men of the tribe place their agals down to their eyebrows like a flag at half-staff. In some areas when a boy reaches puberty they are taught how to wear the ghutra and agal by their father. It is like a right of passage. In other areas, when a boy turns 18, his tribe crowns him with an agal as a rite of passage.
Some take the symbolism of the agal very seriously. If an agal is knocked off a man's head, it can ignite a war among tribes. If a relative is killed, family members will remove their headbands until they take revenge. If a woman has an affair, the men in her clan will not wear the agal until they have murdered her and in their minds restored honor. (Who would say Islam was a violent religion?) Sometimes, a father will beat a disobedient child with his agal rather than a belt.
So, next time you’re in the Middle East and see a guy with a towel on his head, you now know what it means. Also, a voice of warning: please, please, don’t knock his agal off his head.
In hearing you describe the symbolism of the turban and agel rope, I remember hearing of an Iraqi that felt very strongly about his Ghutra. I think the quote he used was “You may take off my head, but not my turban”. With words such as this, they do take their symbolism seriously.
ReplyDeleteI guess you could also say that some of the headgear that Americans wear could also be considered an article of faith. Just seeing someone wearing their favorite football cap and giving a yell, such as “Go Raiders” or “How ‘bout them Cowboys” is something that makes these fans smile and get very strong emotional feelings. These articles of faith, may or may not excite the wearer with as much emotion symbolized by the agel rope and the turban. But stirring up strong emotions toward a football team can take on similiar emotions such as courage and self respect. Some emotions are so strong that I have witnessed a few confrontations that involved negative verbal opinions stated about anothers favorite football team.
There are a few guys that I work with that also religiously wear their ball caps. They wear them not for the love of a profesional team or NASCAR driver, but out of laziness of not taking time to comb their hair. And there are others that wear a hat because they balder than a baby’s behind.
Some of these co-workers wear these hats so often, that when I see them at the grocery store, on the street or sporting goods stores without their hats, I have a hard time recognizing them.
Was wondering...if a woman has an affair she is killed to replace the honor, what happens to the man she had the affair with? Does he go free?
ReplyDeleteTrista, This in response to your comment about what happens to the man after an affair. It is unfortunate that punishment falls disproportionately on women. Honor is a woman's to loose, and a man's to preserve. The man is rarely prosecuted and rarely receives punishment. In fact many times, if a woman is raped, they blame her for not being with another woman, or for dressing in a way that tempted the man. It is a blame the victim mentality and it keeps women all over afraid, and keeps reports of abuse silent, out of fear on the woman's part.
ReplyDeletehello
ReplyDeleteI have a Red agal from around world war 1, any idea what the significance of the red is? also has gold thread. or anywhere i could ask about?