The keffiyah is a traditional headdress worn by Arab men to protect themselves from the sun and sand.

It is a square piece of cloth that is folded into a triangle and wrapped around the head in various styles. Sometimes it’s held in place with an agal, a circle of rope placed on top of the head.

The original, traditional keffiyah is either black & white, red & white, or plain white.

Since the keffiyah is mostly worn in Middle Eastern cultures some people think that it is a symbol of terrorism. This is not true at all. Keffiyah scarves are worn by many different types of people and have even made their way into modern fashion.

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Text: Jackie Sawaris & Jenny M Buccos; Image: Ilana Fayerman