Material — Mahafa – hand fan, South Iraq

The Mahafa (hand fan) is a simple and beautiful craft. It is a rectangular piece of palm wickerwork mounted on a palm leaf stick of 25 to 30cm high. When making the wickerwork, the individual palm leaves must be soaked in water so that they can be processed. After manufacture, the wickerwork is bleached by exposure to sunlight. Mahafas are decorated with different colors and patterns. The palm fronds are dyed separately in the colors green and purple, the colors of nature.

The wicker industry is one of the oldest professions in southern Iraq. Although there is no document or evidence of the exact date of origin of the profession, researchers believe that it dates back to the Sumerian era, that is more than 3000 years before Christ.

Iraqi handmade fans were one of the gifts (souqa) that pilgrims to Mecca used to bring to their families, relatives and friends after their return from Hajj.

The wicker is colored, and it is not only white or milky, but the wicker is dyed in green, burgundy, and violet – according to the colors of nature – and these dyes are available in perfume shops, and the dyeing begins by boiling water in a large bowl and placing the required dye in it, then the wicker to be colored is dropped and left For 5 minutes, then it is removed from the water and placed in the shade. As for the white or milky wicker, it acquires this color as a result of exposure to the sun, and its green color turns white.