I am looking for information on mideast headwear, specifically, the
checkered scarf with black band that you see in OPEC photos, or on
Al-Qaueda pics (and, of course, on Yasser Arafat!).

(1) What are these called (the scarf and  the band)?
(2) How is the scarf placed upon the head (a step by step diagram
would be perfect!)?

Thanks!

Hi measl,

The scarf and band go by several names.  The following page provides
variant names and indications of how they are placed on the head.  (I
didn't see a step-by-step diagram; I hope that this description will
suffice.)

"Muslim Clothing for Men"
DesertStore
http://www.desertstore.com/pages/mensclothing.html

- justaskscott


Search strategy:

Searched on Google for:

kafiya [the name I recalled for the scarf]
kafiya agal
kafiyah agal
kaffiyeh agal
kaffiyeh

I then searched for other variations on these terms.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by measl-ga on 03 Jul 2005 21:50 PDT

Thank you for this informative link, unfortunately though, the manner
of wear is extremely vague.  The folding and bending of the covering
has very specific methodologies associated with it - I really need a
how-to if possible?

My interest is specifically for the method used by yasser Arafat (note
that he folded his shawl into the band).

I will also search using information found in this link as a starting point.

Thank you!

---

Clarification of Answer by justaskscott-ga on 04 Jul 2005 11:31 PDT

Thanks for your comment on my answer and the tip. 

Technically, the rating applies only to the answer by the Researcher,
not to comments.  I don't mind the one-star rating in this case, since
I know you didn't intend to apply it to my answer.

The original answer by justaskscott was acceptable even thoug
incomplete, but the followup by czh-ga is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.  I
did not ask for, nor am I interested in any political issue regarding
our "friends" in Israel.  I asked a very specific question regarding
the specific methods of folding a scarf - save the geopolitical
bullshit for someone who's listening.

Justaskscott: here's an extra buck for at least trying.  "czh-ga"
should also throw you a tip for ruing the reply rating on this
question.

http://www.bigeye.com/jj052302.htm
THE MESSAGE IN ARAFAT'S HEADDRESS

By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist
Copyright 2002, The Boston Globe

May 23, 2002 

The next time you see a picture of Yasser Arafat, take a look at his
keffiyeh, the black-and-white headdress he never appears without. He
wears it in an unusual style, carefully folded so that it comes to a
peak at the top, drapes down over his left shoulder, then tapers to a
point at the bottom.

Arafat's oddly-arranged keffiyeh is meant to resemble the map of
"Palestine" -- the Arab state whose creation is his all-consuming
goal. It is an emphatic symbol: Without uttering a word, Arafat
conveys to everyone who sees him that Palestine is always on his mind.

But look again. The shape of Arafat's keffiyeh doesn't correspond with
Palestine at all -- not if Palestine means the West Bank and Gaza
Strip, the territories Israel took from Jordan and Egypt during the
Six-Day War. What it resembles is the map of Israel -- the whole of
Israel, from the northern peak of the Galilee, down along the
Mediterranean coast, and from there to the southern tip at Eilat.

http://www.picsearch.com/search.cgi?q=arafat+headdress+

The original answer by justaskscott was acceptable even thoug
incomplete, but the followup by czh-ga is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.  I
did not ask for, nor am I interested in any political issue regarding
our "friends" in Israel.  I asked a very specific question regarding
the specific methods of folding a scarf - save the geopolitical
bullshit for someone who's listening.

Justaskscott: here's an extra buck for at least trying.  "czh-ga"
should also throw you a tip for ruing the reply rating on this
question.

So, you gave 'justaskscott-ga' the worst possible rating for your 2
buck question, despite him doing nothing wrong??

You petty, petty man/woman.

If I were 'justaskscott-ga' I know where I'd tell you to stick your measl-y dollar.

Idiots like you should be barred from Google Answers.

Hey Measl,
You expanded your question to ask specifically about the way Yasser
Arafat wore his kaffiyeh, and Czh-ga provided you with several photos
and an interesting text, which seems an approriate addition, since
Yasser's style of wearing it was unique, suggesting that any meaning
behind his doing so should be recognized before one copied his style. 
And that all for free.

A two dollar price on a question doesn't justify much of a complaint,
and none at all about a free comment.

Myoarin

Dear measl-ga,

I'm sorry that you considered my comment a political statement. I was
not making a political statement. It appears that some pundits and
observes interpreted Arafat's way of folding his headwear as a
political statement from Arafat. I was simply trying to help by giving
you close-up images of the headwear in question so that you could try
to figure out how to fold it to get that effect. This was the subject
of your question.

justaskscott-ga,
I'm very sorry that you've had to suffer the consequences of my
apparently less than helpful, (nay, perceived as offensive) comment. I
 thought it was relevant and adding value. Again, I'm sorry for your
resultant one star.

All the best.

~ czh ~

myoarin and czh are absolutely right - the additional comment was both
pertinent AND generously given.

Complaining about that is like complaining you don't like the music on
the CD you got free with a magazine.

Worse still, an innocent party has borne the brunt of this fool's
inexplicable bad temper. What an idiotic DISGRACE!