Michigan Representative-elect Rashida Tlaib will wear a traditional Palestinian gown when she’s sworn into the US Congress on January 3.
She revealed her plans to wear a burgundy and black hand-stitched Thobe on her Instagram feed, posting the details with the hashtag #ForMyYama (Arabic for mother). She wrote: "Sneak peek: This is what I am wearing when I am sworn into Congress. #PalestinianThobe #ForMyYama":
The traditional hand-embroidered gown is viewed as a symbol of Palestinian identity and often represents the place that its wearer is from. Each village or town has its own style and stitch that is uniquely woven into the dress.
Tlaib is the daughter of Palestinian-American parents from Beit Ur al-Fauqa and Beit Hanina, villages in the West Bank near Ramallah. She is the oldest of 14 children.
The 42-year-old ran unopposed in the general election and her victory party saw her draped in a Palestine flag as her mother broke out in celebratory song.
Tlaib is a vocal critic of US president Donald Trump. She made history in November as one of two Muslim women elected to Congress, the other being Ilhan Omar from Minnesota.
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