Describe the item or behavior.
Syria officially referenced as the Syrian Arab Republic neighbours Turkey, Israel and Jordan. The culture of Syria is of an ancient traditional background that has a lot of cultural multiplicities and a rich history. The Syrian traditional dress is a symbol of cultural heritage and is common in the Arab region. The dress possesses a stylish design and is full of embroidery, according to lovely planet (2012).
If it is an item, who wears the item?
The traditional dress is commonly worn by both men and women, though each gender has the dress specially made in the appropriate design that fits the needs of both men and women. Women, however, wear the dress more often.
C) What is the symbolism of the item or behavior? Does it represent an affliction with a particular religious code? If so which one?
The dress is symbolic of the cultural heritage and traditions of the Syrian people as it is commonly worn for special events such as weddings and birth celebrations.
d. What is the reason for the behaviour or wearing the item (i.e., modesty, religious significance, etc.)?
The dress is predominantly worn to mark special occasions in Syrian cultural heritage, especially on celebration days according to Hiti (2002).
e. What is the history of the item or behaviour (i.e., is the item derived from a particular religious story or edict)?
According to Yarwood (2011) The Syrian dress can trace its origin way back to the Ottoman Empire. With the entrance of new westernised clothing in the market which have been assimilated into Syrian fashion and clothing, preservation of the Syrian dresses is practised. The history of the dress can be attributed to the Tanzimat movement way back in 1826 according to encyclopedia (2011). From then onwards the dress has been used over generations with fashion changes occurring to ensure its suitability to current social requirements.
Assimilation or acculturation is a conundrum faced by many individual once they visit a new country for the purpose of staying in the area for a period. New culture witnessed in the new environment includes the differences associated with new food, attire and language that may be decipherable at the beginning. Acculturation into a new society has several challenges especially psychologically, mentally and sociologically. Assimilation into a different culture is usually hard but necessary for an individual.
One of the primary reasons for assimilation into a foreign culture is to enable one to enjoy the benefits associated with assimilation. One of the reasons for adaptation to the new culture is to feel hospitable in the new country as stated by cultural survival (2010). Immigration is coupled with a feeling of despair and blending in eases any doubts of feeling new in a different country though this is accustomed to the loss of one’s cultural identity.
Adaptation to a new culture helps one succeed through equal opportunities. Success in the line of work is made possible as the immigrants can interact and stay away from conflicts that may arise due to different cultural ties, especially in a working environment. Assimilation is also beneficial as it provides an individual with a sense of belonging while ensuring that a region can maintain a unified and collective national identity through the workforce according to Gans (2007).
I would not like to displace my wristband, covered in my national identity colours upon emigration to another country. The item is a representation of my cultural identity. The refrainment from wearing that particular item would be an affront to my beliefs, and that would be unfair treatment. The right to one’s beliefs and culture and as such this should be respected especially through paraphernalia.
References
Yarwood, D. (2011). Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Costume. Courier Corporation.
The Lovely Planet,. (2012). Traditional dress of Syria. Retrieved 27 February 2016, from http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/traditional-dress-of-syria/
Gans, H. J. (2007). Acculturation, assimilation and mobility. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30(1), 152-164.
Hitti, P. K. (2002). History of Syria Including Lebanon and Palestine (Vol. 1). Gorgias Press LLC.
Cultural Survival,. (2010). Cultural Survival vs. Forced Assimilation: the renewed war on diversity. Retrieved 27 February 2016, from https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/united-states/cultural-survival-vs-forced-assimilation-rene
