CB-Come With Me: What's up with the Red Scarves?

So What's Up With the Red and White Head Scarves?

While women in Jordan all dress very modestly and wear head coverings all the time, most men do not. However, I notice a lot of men wearing these red and white headscarves. Sometimes they are held in place with circular black bands or roped ties. Sometimes they are just twisted and tucked. The fabric reminds me of a tablecloth or tea towel. White cotton with red print. Sometimes we see black and white too. But they look very striking. Of course, I was curious about the meaning and significance of these… who wears them? Why? Is it traditional, functional or religious?

Tony, our guide explained it :

The head scarves are originally and primarily for function. They protect from the dust of the desert, the cold at night and the heat during the day. Rural Jordanians were them most of the time. Driving through the countryside en route to the Dead Sea we saw that they were an everyday part of their clothing. We saw shepherds herding their sheep wearing them. We saw merchants at little roadside stands wearing them. We saw men on the streets of the towns and out on the farms. I can see their function... they provide warmth when you need it and cool when you need it and you can draw it around you face to block out blowing sand. Or, if our case protect your camera from drizzle or dust. Ingenious!

The color is specific to their heritage. True Jordanians (both parents born in Jordan) can wear the red and white while Palestinians wear black and white. Others like Saudis tend to wear the head coverings too but they are usually plain and have no specific color associated with the region.