Burqa'a
In the United Arab Emirates, the Burqa has historically been a part of modest dressing for women
Emirati woman stitching the burqa’a cloth lining (2018) by Dubai CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
What is a Burqa'a?
Handcrafted of delicate fabric and worn over the face, the Burqa'a is an accessory that is traditionally worn by married women, to distinguish themselves from the unmarried.
For generations, burqa’a artisans – called Quraizah Burqa’a – have earned a living from sewing burqa’as, a skill that has been passed down from Emirati mother to daughter.
The most important part of the burqa’a is the cloth lining, called Al Sheel or Kashf Al Mah’atta. It used to be imported from India, and varied by cost and quality.
Red was the most expensive and was sought after by wealthy women. Yellow was less expensive and of a slightly lower quality. Green was the least expensive.
The quality of this lining material was determined by how light it was and how well it absorbed sweat, essential to maintaining the lustre of the burqa’a.
Al Seif is a small piece of palm, bamboo or other local wood that serves as the bridge of the burqa’a over the nose.
Al Shubuq refers to the red wool or cotton string, or yellow or silver buttons, used to tie the burqa together at the back of the head. For weddings and other special occasions, gold or silver thread is used for the al shubuq, instead of red thread. Circles and stars made of gold are used to decorate a bride’s burqa’a.
Emirati woman stitching the burqa’a (2018) by Dubai CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
The burqa’a has changed significantly over the years. Traditionally, the burqa’a was quite large and covered most of the face, and both the young and the old wore the burqa’a throughout the day.
The materials used today are different and so are the styles, although these differences are most commonly seen in burqa’as worn by younger women. Older women’s burqa’as look similar to those of the past.
Emirati woman stitching the burqa’a (2018) by Dubai CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
Young women wearing a burqa’a on special occasions use it to highlight their beauty, which is completely different from how women of the past would have worn theirs.
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