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Kandura is an ankle-length white tunic made of wool or cotton. (Photo credit: Instagram)
Kandura is traditionally worn by local men from the Arabian Peninsula to stay protected from the harsh sun.
Whether or not you should wear traditional clothing in a non-traditional setting is a sensitive subject. Not much is different when it comes to wearing clothes that are identified with certain cultures.
A video of a street food vendor wearing a kandura and serving customers has gone viral. The undated video was first shared by an Indian food blogging account and later picked up by “Lovin Dubai” an Instagram account dedicated to Dubai.
The video sparked a discussion about whether the seller was showing respect or using the kandura as a costume. An ankle-length white tunic made of wool or cotton, Kandura is traditionally worn by local men of the Arabian Peninsula to stay protected from the harsh sun.
One of the most popular comments on the video was from a man from the United Arab Emirates who is dressed in a Kandura in his profile picture. This guy wrote, “Ppl have become so sensitive these days and complain about everything. Brother looks handsome in that.”
Another person, who was also wearing a kandura in his profile picture, joked, “Meanwhile I’m wondering how his kandura is still pristine white.”
An Instagram user wrote, “People are so incredibly sensitive that they’re bored and want to argue about anything and everything. Personally, it’s a pleasure to see someone appreciate our tradition and try on our dress.”
Another comment said, “Clothing norms and fashion trends are human constructs, influenced by people. They do not inherently define a person’s worth or character or nationality or caste. We need to change our thinking.”
Expressing an opinion against wearing kandura, an Instagram user wrote, “They’re not angry about the outfit, they’re angry about what he’s doing and how he behaves while wearing the outfit. Non emaratis in UAE wear the kandura all the time. But this person is doing the opposite of how they would behave in public and deal with women, etc, that’s why it’s offensive and I understand why.”
Another person wrote, “Emiratis take great pride in their traditional dress. Wearing the spotless kandura clean and wrinkle free is a big part of it. While this guy is spilling drinks all over him and throwing a weird show. We have dressed our children in kandooras in schools every year in many events. We have never had any kind of opposition. If you want to represent a group of people, do it respectfully.”
