Going Burka !

One of things that made KL distinct was that it was a Muslim country from the food (refer to the beef bacon) to the architecture lots of buildings adopted the domed style of roof even if they are for secular use, large colourful Mosks lined the main drive from the airport to the city, and of course most of the women in KL wear either a Hijab or the Burka the former just covering the head and the later the whole body. I have always thought of the Hijab it a beautiful item of clothing which creates a soft frame for the face and highlights the eyes. I wore one and walked around Bondi Junction for an art project, trying to ruffle feathers in the Jewish heartland of Sydney. It felt hot and I felt desexualized by wearing it and the response I got was an overwhelming politeness (basically I was ignored to the point of insanity). What I have noticed here in KL is that women wearing the Hijab generally have a look of innocence an asexuality and child like quality to them.

However when we were leaving KL there was a women standing at the counter in front of us with her husband wearing the full Burka, everything was covered including her hands/fingers and feet. Although it was quite long when she walked up to the counter I did manage to get a glimpse of her shoe. They were wooden clogs with a small heel and quite sexy, with her porcelain delicate white feet slipped into them. Seeing her shoes made me wonder about the women under the covering and how liberating and sexy she must feel when she is uncovered because of the stark difference. I tried to image what she looked like, her figure, her hair was it a rich jet black, or a radiant blonde as some middle eastern women are. Her skin I concluded must be radiant white without a trace of a wrinkle from being covered up. The Burka gave away nothing of her shape and even hid her height, what I imagined was a very beautiful women underneath, slim and curvy with long flowing her that only her adoring husband would get to see, this was concluded from her body language it was assertive and comfortable still asserting her identity despite for all appearances lacking one. This led to questions of what she wore underneath, was there another set of clothes entirely? Was she naked and if so this seemed more salacious that simply being naked under a shorts and t-shirt as we all are.

As we were at immigration having our passports checked both Greg and I began wondering how the officer would identify this women, then we saw her being led away to a back room. We had both seen this happen in Sydney to a lady wearing a Hijab and had assumed incorrectly that there was something wrong with her passport or Visa and were both unnecessarily angered on her behalf.

I liked her the women in KL she stood covered from head to toe seemingly a black figure with no identity but her stance and air was proud and at ease as if she were standing her in shorts and a t-shirt like everyone else, quietly letting the world know that attitudes are oppressive not clothes.