Dialogues of Naguib Mahfouz: Berets, hats and tarbushes By Mohamed Salmawy Naguib Mahfouz and I were going through old photographs, trying to decide which to choose. A German publisher had asked Mahfouz for pictures to include in a book about Nobel Prize winners. Suddenly, we came across a photo of a young Naguib Mahfouz in a tarbush and a bowtie. "When did you stop wearing the tarbush?" I asked. "Like many Egyptians, I was a hostage to the tarbush. It was mandatory at work and schools. The school uniform was shirt, shorts and a tarbush. I cannot remember how many times I lost the tarbush at school, or someone sat on it inadvertently. If you sit on it, it was ruined. And ironing it was a bit of an ordeal. "I was hoping that once I grew up, the tarbush would become second nature. That didn't turn out to be true. As a grown-up man, I found the tarbush to be just as inconvenient as before. I couldn't go into the boss's office without that thing on my head. Even the boss wouldn't dare showing up without the tarbush. And yet, that particular head cover wasn't good for anything. It made you sweat in summer while offering no protection from the sun. Also, my generation considered it a sign of subservience to the Turks -- at the time we were seeking independence from the Ottoman Empire. "My biggest problem with the tarbush was when I went to the coffeehouse and I didn't know where to place the it. If I put it on a seat, someone may sit on it, just as many did at school. "The man who championed the removal of the tarbush was Mahmoud Azmy, who considered the European hat to be a more civilised choice. Popular songs seemed to support his view. I remember one that went: 'Nonsense no more, silliness no more. Free at last, bring in the hats.' "Still, trying to look European wasn't exactly to my cup of tea. Despite my admiration to Western civilisation, I remained a fan of Arab and Islamic culture. On my desk, I had Shakespeare next to Al-Mutanabbi. Tawfiq Al-Hakim found a way out, opting for the beret. Then the 1952 revolution rid us all of the tarbush," Mahfouz said. "You seem to have gone for the hat for a while, as these photos suggest," I remarked. "Yes, but for purely practical reasons. I used to wear the hat only in summer as protection from the sun. I have very sensitive skin. The first hat I owned was a gift from my friend Musfata Abul Nasr. I had another one, but cannot recall how it came into my possession. Both are long gone now."
