Burqa, Turbans and Legs (Kandahar)

In Makmalbaf's 'Kandahar', an interesting dimension that warrants attention is the appearance of the exile (particularly the clothing) and how it functions to present important ideas such as the pervasive influence of Islam and the politicized nature of the exilic territory. 

A quote by Nafas that resonated with me was how 'women were forbidden from all parts of life' and this ultimately leads to a larger narrative about the identity of woman- that they are thwarted and reduced to being represented in terms of the Burqa. This leads us to a rather important question about the inextricable link between the burqa and honor or whether there is even any link. However, Makmalbaf's complexities about the role and identity of the suppressed woman takes an interesting dynamic- that despite her being shrouded in her clothing, the color of the Burqa and the constant repetition of names- 'My name is Nafas' brings a beauty in their voice and character. Also, the baby girl singing in an uninhibited manner stands in stark contrast to the mature Iranian woman- that the future of the woman is bleak, covered and ultimately subservient. 

The Turban also starts to take on a more sinister role and serves as commentary on larger conservative Islamist forces at work. The image of the turban being synonymous with leaning, like that of Al Kindi and Al Farabi takes on a more violent function, particularly with the ustaad's questioning such as 'what is a Kalashnikov?'. Thus, the ability to learn becomes deformed- that it no longer entails knowledge and enrichment but becomes a way to preserve the Muslim identity which can be contextualized through a need for the Iranian Muslim to resort to religious stringency. 

What comes so beautiful and almost eerie about the movie is the commodification of legs and how they essentially become articles of clothing. When the local Muslim figure asks the doctor to 'give me legs for my mother', it serves a larger purpose, particularly to show the violence and tension that characterizes the territory of the exilic figure. This can also be paralleled with Kanafani's 'Men in the Sun' where Shafiqa and Abul Khaizuran's physical deformities can be seen through the eyes of the happening of Al-Nakba. The prominent political violence starts to manifest itself through the distortion of the anatomy of the Muslim figure which becomes a common feature in our readings of exile-centered Muslim narratives.