Cotton face mask – UAE

Object Note
This article is part of a whole outfit including a combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah Thawb_kandūrah: (colloquial, UAE), post-1990s the (Thawb_wa_kandūrah) ensemble of the eighties evolved where the overgarment (thawb) and tunic (kandūrah) became united at the neckline creating one outfit and inner tunic receding to act as lining.) (ZI2021.500903 UAE), cloak (abayah  ‘Abāyah: (Arabic: cloak, Pl. ‘abāyāt, or ‘Ibī. In Classical Arabic: ‘abā’ah, pl: ‘abā’āt, synonyms: ‘Abā, ‘abāh, ‘abāt, dafah Daffah : (Arabic: side, synonyms: ‘Abā, ‘abāyah, ‘abāh, ‘abāt, bisht or mishlaḥ), long, wide, and sleeveless outer cloak worn in public by both sexes. In time this article of dress evolved and changed in shape, style, and function., bisht, or mishlaḥ), long, wide, and sleeveless outer cloak worn in public by both sexes. In time this article of dress evolved and changed in shape, style, and function.) (ZI2021.500903a UAE), veil (shaylah Shaylah: (Colloquial Gulf Arabic), a length of fabric used as shawl Shawl: (Persian: shāl from Hindi: duśālā – Shoulder Mantle), a shawl is a South Asian version of a scarf Scarf: (English), usually a rectangular piece of cloth loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. worn or wrapped loosely over the shoulders and is usually made of wool. , head cover or veil. Also known as (wigāyah) or (milfa Milfa’: (Arabic: to cover), shawl Shawl: (Persian: shāl from Hindi: duśālā – Shoulder Mantle), a shawl is a South Asian version of a scarf Scarf: (English), usually a rectangular piece of cloth loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. worn or wrapped loosely over the shoulders and is usually made of wool.  or veil worn by women in the Arab Gulf regions and some areas of the Levant to cover the head.’), generally made from sheer fabrics such as tulle (tūr), cotton gauze (wasmah Wasmah: (Arabic: woad), is derived from the woad herb (wasmah) used to dye the cotton gauze black. It is mainly used for headcovers or veils and overgarments in most of the Arab gulf region.) (nidwah) or (Nīl), or silk chiffon (sarī).) (ZI2021.500903b UAE) and underpants (sarwal Ṣarwāl: (Farsi: shalvār; Synonym: Salwar Salwar: (Farsi: shalvār; Synonym: Ṣarwāl, shalwar, sharwāl, salbāl, sirwāl, khalag), pair of trousers with tapering ankles and fastened with a draw string. Believed to have originated in Central Asia it has spread since in the Indian subcontinent between c. 1st – 3rd century BCE and the Middle East from c. 12th century.  , shalwar Shalwar: (Farsi: shalvār; Synonym: Salwar, Ṣarwāl, sharwāl, salbāl, sirwāl, khalag), pair of trousers with tapering ankles and fastened with a draw string. Believed to have originated in Central Asia it has spread since in the Indian subcontinent between c. 1st – 3rd century BCE and the Middle East from c. 12th century. , sharwāl, salbāl, sirwāl, khalag), pair of trousers with tapering ankles and fastened with a draw string. Believed to have originated in Central Asia it has spread since in the Indian subcontinent between c. 1st – 3rd century BCE and the Middle East from c. 12th century. ) (ZI2021.500903d UAE)
 
Object History 
On the day the UAE mission to Mars was launched on 9th of February 2021, Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage. was surfing social media, an image of a woman carrying cardboard with a simple hand written message that read “we reached Mars” captured her attention.
She reached out to the account that posted the image. A young UAE photographer Alia Bent Sultan al Joker had been visiting her best friend’s farm on this festive day. As the whole country was glued to the media stations in excitement and anticipation of the coverage. The whole nation was firing the SM competing to post masses of congratulatory posts. In this herd-excitement, her friend’s mother agreed to pose for the photograph to eco her personal proud sentiments of the occasion, and the photograph was birthed.
Both ladies welcomed Dr. Reem’s suggestion to donate the image as well as the whole outfit portrayed in the image to the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Collection in commemoration of this monumental date. The image went viral and soon Khasibah became a public figure interviewed by press and media including Vogue Arabia, all wanting to photograph her to relive the moment.
Alia Bint Sultan Al Joker (@alia_bent_sultan), born in Dubai, graduated with a BA in Integrated communication and marketing, Zayed University UAE (2003). Obtained her masters in Quality Management, Wollongong University, UAE (2009), and currently holds the position of Director of Family Development at the ministry of community development. Photography is her passion.
Khasibah Ali al Dhmani is registered to have been born on the 1st of July 1953. (Most birth dates occurring before the formation of the UAE in 1971, are surmised, as birth dates were not recorded. Hence everyone is generally listed as being born on the 1st of July, and the year it is calculated based on anecdotes of special events that corresponded to the year of birth, for example, the year when someone took power, or the year that faced an extreme heatwave, etc.)
She was married at the age of 14 and gave birth to 6 sons and 10 daughters. She never attended any formal schooling but managed to create a cottage industry making and selling traditional perfume and incense. She is very active and participates in different cultural weeks depicting local UAE heritage, and now has her own Instagram handle (@khaseibah_).
 
Object Features 
The overall shape (gardhah Garḍah: (Arabic: qaraḍa: to bite), in the context of clothing in the UAE it means 'to shape' or 'form'. The (qaf) is pronounced as a (ga) in colloquial Arabic of the Gulf region.) of the face mask (burgu Burgu’: (Arabic: burqa’: mask, pl. barāqi’), a generic name given to one of many forms of face veils or masks, known as (niqāb). Stiffer versions made of indigo-dyed cotton, are known as (bat Bāṭ: (Arabic: underarm/armpit, pl. bītān, synonym: ibt, tkhrāṣah, tnfāyah/tnfājah), gusset, a triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into the seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing. Used for underarms on tunic dresses, side sleeve panels on overgarments (thāwb), and undergarments (ṣarāwl). ūlah) in Oman and Qatar. The (qāf) turns to (ga) in many Arab dialects.) follows the (yasi Yāsī: (Arabic: name), reference to (Yās) name of prominent UAE tribe, rulers of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.) style, named after the Yas Yās: (Arabic: name), name of prominent UAE tribe, rulers of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. tribe. The indigo Indigo: (Latin: Indigo – India, synonym: nil Nīl: (Latin: indigo), Arabised term for Indigo, a natural dye belonging to the ‘Indigofera Tinctoria’ species of plants that have been cultivated in East Asia, Egypt, India, and Peru since antiquity. According to Pliny the Elder, it was named after India as it was the source of the dye.), a natural dye belonging to the ‘Indigofera Tinctoria’ species of plants that has been cultivated in East Asia, Egypt, India, and Peru since antiquity. According to Pliny the Elder, it was named after India as it was the source of the dye.  -dyed, burqu fabric (nil Nīl: (Latin: indigo), Arabised term for Indigo, a natural dye belonging to the ‘Indigofera Tinctoria’ species of plants that have been cultivated in East Asia, Egypt, India, and Peru since antiquity. According to Pliny the Elder, it was named after India as it was the source of the dye.) is found in grades of bluish to purple, which is then rubbed and pounded to produce a metallic luster ranging from yellow to brown to reddish gold.
The indigo Indigo: (Latin: Indigo – India, synonym: nil Nīl: (Latin: indigo), Arabised term for Indigo, a natural dye belonging to the ‘Indigofera Tinctoria’ species of plants that have been cultivated in East Asia, Egypt, India, and Peru since antiquity. According to Pliny the Elder, it was named after India as it was the source of the dye.), a natural dye belonging to the ‘Indigofera Tinctoria’ species of plants that has been cultivated in East Asia, Egypt, India, and Peru since antiquity. According to Pliny the Elder, it was named after India as it was the source of the dye.   dye would stain the wearer’s face after repeated wear which meant a cloth lining, usually made from cotton, was inserted underneath the traditional face mask burgu Burgu’: (Arabic: burqa’: mask, pl. barāqi’), a generic name given to one of many forms of face veils or masks, known as (niqāb). Stiffer versions made of indigo-dyed cotton, are known as (bat Bāṭ: (Arabic: underarm/armpit, pl. bītān, synonym: ibt, tkhrāṣah, tnfāyah/tnfājah), gusset, a triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into the seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing. Used for underarms on tunic dresses, side sleeve panels on overgarments (thāwb), and undergarments (ṣarāwl). ūlah) in Oman and Qatar. The (qāf) turns to (ga) in many Arab dialects. to prevent this. By the 1980s the trend changed to using strips of masking tape (lazig lazig: (Arabic: laziq: glue), Colloquially in the UAE term refers to masking tape or clear acrylic sheets that are glued to the back of face masks (barāgi’) to help protect the face from getting stained by indigo dye, and help stiffen the fabric. The (qāf) turns to (ga) in many Arab dialects.), which were superseded at the turn of the century by clear transparent adhesive sheets, cut to shape, as can be seen in this example.
The mask burgu Burgu’: (Arabic: burqa’: mask, pl. barāqi’), a generic name given to one of many forms of face veils or masks, known as (niqāb). Stiffer versions made of indigo-dyed cotton, are known as (bat Bāṭ: (Arabic: underarm/armpit, pl. bītān, synonym: ibt, tkhrāṣah, tnfāyah/tnfājah), gusset, a triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into the seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing. Used for underarms on tunic dresses, side sleeve panels on overgarments (thāwb), and undergarments (ṣarāwl). ūlah) in Oman and Qatar. The (qāf) turns to (ga) in many Arab dialects. is fastened to the head using a braided silver metallic and white cotton cord known as (shbuch Shbūch: (Arabic: shabak: interlace), Colloquially in the UAE term refers to braided cotton or metallic cord used to fasten face mask (burgu’) to the head. The (kāf) turns to (cha) in local dialect.).