Author Jhumpa Lahiri Declines Award Over New York Museum's Ban On Keffiyeh (Image-Facebook/Jhumpa Lahiri)
Pulitzer Prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri declined to accept an award from New York City’s Noguchi Museum, after three employees being fired for wearing Keffiyeh head scarves, following an updated dress code.
In an official statement, the Museum authorities said that Jhumpa Lahiri chose to withdraw her acceptance of the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award in response to their updated dress code policy. Moreover, they added that they respect her perspective and understand that this policy might or might not align with everyone’s views.
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Last month, the art museum, founded by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, announced a policy of prohibiting employees from wearing anything that express political slogans, messages or symbols. Refusal to comply, three employees were sacked.
Other people in the United States also have lost their job due to their stance on the Israel-Gaza war. A New York City hospital fired a Palestinian American nurse in May after she called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” during an acceptance speech for an award.
The Keffiyeh head scarf, which is an emblem of Palestinian solidarity has been a sensation in several parts of the world. Demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, protesters are wearing black and white Keffiyeh head scarf across the world.
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Notably, anti-apartheid South African leader Nelson Mandela was also seen wearing the scarf in many occasions. On the other hand, Israel’s supporters says that it signals backing extremism.
The Keffiyeh has long been a symbol Palestinian nationalism, exemplified by the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who was rarely photographed without one. The folds of Keffiyeh depicts the shape of historic Palestine.
