Safseri Explained

The safseri (سفساري), sometimes also spelled sefseri, safsari or sefsari, is a traditional Tunisian veil worn by women.[1] Not to be confused with Chador or Dupatta, it is a unique cloth to Tunisia.

Composition

The safseri is composed of a large piece of cloth covering the whole body. It usually has a cream colour and is made of cotton, satin or silk.

Depending on the regions of Tunisia, it can also be very colorful, especially in the south of the country.[2]

Wear

It is worn by women out of modesty to avoid male looks. In contemporary Tunisia, this cloth is mostly worn by senior women. Often a grandmother wears it while her daughter will not wear it. After the hijab was banned in Tunisia, some women began to wear the safseri. As a result, the president Habib Bourguiba had tried, in vain, to have people abandon its use.[3]

The cloth is today largely abandoned.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Chiraz Bouzaien, « Le sefseri, une tradition qui disparaît », Baya, 14 juillet 2012.
  2. [Jean-Pierre Filiu]
  3. http://www.ina.fr/economie-et-societe/education-et-enseignement/video/CPF86630549/bahia-ou-ces-femmes-de-tunisie.fr.html « Bahia ou... ces femmes de Tunisie »