Arafat, or actually Kefija, is a traditional Arab headgear made of a square piece of cloth, usually cotton, properly folded and wrapped around the head. The Polish colloquial name "arafatka" comes from the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The arafat originated in the Fertile Crescent (present-day Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Iraq). It comes in many varieties, depending on the region of origin. The arafat sling provides excellent protection from the sun, sand, dust, dries quickly and retains heat well. Mostly it is folded in half, so a triangle is formed, which is then put on the head. It can be worn on the head forming a turban or allowed to fall loosely on the shoulders and back, giving extra protection to the neck from the sun. Arafatas are often worn around the neck as a scarf. When folded into a triangle tied around the neck, an arafat scarf can be used to cover the nose and mouth, protecting from the sun, sand or cold.
Probably the most famous Western person to wear an arafat was British Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, who used a simple white headscarf. His image was portrayed by Peter O'Toole in the film Lawrence of Arabia, which popularized arafatas in the West.
Militaria.pl offers a wide selection of arafatas in many colors and patterns, making it easy to find a model that suits our preferences. This category includes scarves from manufacturers such as Pentagon, Helikon-Tex, Texar and Mil-Tec.
