Middle East Fashion - Syria and Jordan - Research Paper Example

Middle East Fashion - Syria and Jordan Jordan Jordan is one of the Middle East countries considering that it neighbors Syria on the north, Iraq on the East, the Dead Sea and Israel on the west and Saudi Arabia on the south. Large part of the country characterizes with arid mountains and hills. Historically, the current Jordan was the land of the Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Bashan. In 106 A.D, Jordan was part of the Roman province of the Arabia, and later in 636 conquered by the Arabs. During the 16th century, Jordan submitted to the Ottoman Rule, from where the British took it during the World War1. The British then placed the country under the rule of King Abdullah Hussein. The British then named the country as Transjordan Emirate (Massad 13). Archeological data show that the ancient Jordanians practiced tradition such living in circular house, domesticating animals, used sophisticated methods for agriculture, made pottery and worshipped ancestors. The data also show that Jordanians practiced copper smelting as evidenced by the large copper mines in Khirbet Feinan. Jordanians speak Arabic as the native language though English is the favorable means of communication among the schooled population. During ceremonial occasions, Jordanians serve tea, Arabic coffee or fruit juice, usually accompanied by sweets. The main dish of the community is Mansaf that consists of lamb meet prepared using dried yogurt, and serve alongside seasoned rice place on flat bread. Mansaf is common meal during ceremonies such as holidays, weddings, engagement, and visits by friends and family (Shoup 5). Islam is the dominant and national religion in Jordan, meaning that most of the customs are Islamic in nature. Women in Jordan wear conservative clothes that limit at long dresses and hijab for covering the head and face (Teller 51). The traditions do allow the Jordanian women to dress in tight clothes, shorts, sleeveless blouses and short skirts. Jordan allows different types of clothing for women depending on their backgrounds. Very religious women dress in jilbab or libis shari, which are floor-length. The women also cover their heads with scarf. Another type of clothing is national costume (Shoup 29). The national costumes are handmade dresses with embroidered and patterns stitched in a cross-sectional manner to represent the part of the country that the wearer belongs. For instance, women from northern Jordan dress in black cotton costumes embroidered with tri-angles of many colors. Women in central Jordan wear dresses with sleeves that measure ten feet in length with blue panels stitched around the hem and sleeves of the cloth. As demonstrated by Massad, the traditional dressing code for men consists of trousers, tunic shirts, and an over garment with a cummerbund or belt. Men also cover their heads with the Arabian scarf that resembles a turban (17). Syria Syria is one of the Middle East countries located near the eastern edge of Mediterranean waters. Israel and Lebanon borders Syria to the west, Turkey to the north, Jordan to the south and Iraq t the east. Syria has fallen hostage to many forces that include Egypt in 1500 BC, Ottoman Empire, Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians and Persians among others. The country has fought great wars including World Wars 1 and 2, against British, French, Egypt and Israelites. The country also enjoys great Biblical recognition, giving a great value among the Christians. Syrian culture values family, self-discipline, religion and education. Large populations of Syrians speak Arabic. In fact, Syrians are proud of having great influence in the Arabic literature bearing that they have good mastery of written and oral poetry. In terms of religion, 87% of Syrian are Muslims, 10% are Christians. About 74% of Muslims belong to the Sunni sect. the Syrian society is tolerant to different religions and ethnicities (Etheredge 9). Historically, the residence settlements separated along religious and ethnic lines. Traditional Syrians lived in mud houses usually with at least three rooms and closed from the outside world to signify the self-contained family structure. Wheat is the main traditional crop and subsequently the country’s staple food. Syrians also consume vegetables, dairy products and fruits. Syrians esteem mezzeh, which is a midday meal and comprise of more than twenty dishes. Tea is an important drink during social gatherings though soda, mild and dairy products are also useful. The society prohibits beer and wines since drunkenness is against the Islamic Sherias. Food is a central part of many celebrations such as Ramadan when people break days with iftar, which is the evening meal. During the final breaking day, the society eats the Bid al-Fitr that entails consumption of large food quantities. Traditional dressing code of Syrians consists of kaftans for men and long robes for women. Both men and women traditionally wear head wraps. Men also wear Didashah, with variation in colors during different times of the year. During winter, the dressing is heavier and darker in color, while in summer, the dressing is white (Etheredge 13). The three-piece headdress worn by men also varies in color and design depending on the contemporary time of the year. During winter, men wear red-white head cover called Shumaq. In summer, the scarf-like head cover is white in color and known as Gutrah. The bottom piece is generally white cap with holes to hold hair in the Thagiyah. The top most piece of the head cover is the Ogal that is usually black and used to hold everything in place (Etheredge 31). Women dressing long robes and keeping their faces veiled symbolized an aspect of wealthy background. Traditional women wear the Abayah, which is black in color and covers from the shoulders to the feet. Underneath the traditional dresses, women may wear the latest American fashion though known to self only. The Syrian culture has faced numerous changes caused by westernization. Currently, educated individuals have abolished the traditional Syrian practices and adopted the liberal Western styles. The educated and westernized young population wears bright colored clothes, put make up and wear high heel shoes. Clothes like miniskirts, bear-shoulders dresses and shorts for both genders are unacceptable dressing codes even in the contemporary Syrian society (Etheredge 31). UNESCO has demonstrated great interest in preserving the Syrian culture. The efforts are manifest through national campaigns under the banners such as “Save the Syrian’s History” intended to sensitize people about the significance of Syrian culture. The government also protects the Syrian culture by supporting the diversity and tolerating different dressing styles. Works cited Etheredge, Laura. Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. New York, N.Y: Britannica Educational Pub. In association with Rosen Educational Services, 2011. Print. Massad, Joseph A. Colonial Effects: The Making of National Identity in Jordan. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001. Internet resource. Shoup, John A. Culture and Customs of Jordan. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2007. Print. Teller, Matthew. Jordan. London: Rough Guides, 2002. Print. UNESCO. Safeguarding Syrian Cultural Heritage. 2014. . Read More