The traditional Hejazi head turban known as Omama is one of Hejaz's forgotten accessories that young Saudis have recently begun wearing to mark special occasions. The unique turban is in such high demand that retailers are struggling to meet demand. Abdulrakeb Abdullah sells Omamas in Albalad. He said the colorful turbans are in high demand due to the numerous festivals being held in the city. “I have several colors of Omamas but most of the time people buy the yellow one. Because of Jeddah's festivals, people have become aware of the Omama and sales have reflected this renewed interest in Hejazi culture,” he said. Traditionally, Hejazi men used to wear the colorful Omamas with the exception of scholars who wore white Omamas. In Makkah, people could tell what neighborhood someone was from just by looking at the style of his Omama. There are several types of Omamas with the most famous one being the yellow Halabi Omama. There are also various types of materials used to make Omamas such as Sultan Aldoblin, Abu Gasalyn and Totron silk fabrics. The Omama turban's popularity was not restricted to the Kingdom and people in Oman, Yemen, Sudan and Egypt were also known to wear the distinct turban. The renewed interested in the turban is seen as an attempt to revive an old tradition. Ahmed Awadi, a Saudi youth, said he wears the Omama on special occasions and events to express his Hejazi identity. “I think there has been an increase in awareness about expressing and showing Hejazi identity. For me, I prefer wearing Omama because it does not need to be ironed for a long time and it does not fall down easily,” he said. Other youth wear Omamas to express their attachment to their family traditions. Yousef Rafa, a Saudi guy man in his 30s, said, “I am proud of wearing Omama because it is something that is related to my parents and grandparents and it is more comfortable than the traditional Saudi head dress, the Shumagh.”
