Headscarves

Around the world, women wear head coverings for practical, religious, cultural, and decorative reasons. A fine yarn made of linen, recycled silk, and wool inspired me to crochet a headscarf. The headscarf is usually made from a triangular piece of cloth or a square folded in half to become a triangle. It can cover most or all of the head and hair. It can be tied under the chin, knotted at the nape of the neck, or wrapped around the head and neck. Other common names for the headscarf are kerchief and bandana.

As my first crocheted headscarf was underway, I heard a news piece on the CBC about the granny hanky or Kokum scarf of indigenous women and the babushka or scarf of Ukrainian matriarchs. I learned about the historical connection between Indigenous people and Ukrainian settlers in western Canada. Indigenous people continue to honour the Ukraine through the headscarves, symbols of support and solidarity.