Before I started to write about my hat, it was in my mother’s closet. It is called an Qalpoq.  When my teacher told us that we needed to bring something from our country for our social studies unit, I asked my mom.  She gave me the hat to bring to class and share it with the teachers.  I remember wearing it when I was much younger and looking in the mirror to see how it looked on my head.  But, then when she began to talk about the hat I realized it is an important object in Uzbekistan. Normally the hat is worn during traditional dances and during celebrations.  It was also worn during funerals to celebrate passing of life.    Once I realized the importance of it, I wanted to keep it for a while.  So I got my mother’s permission.   After that I told my mom if I could keep it for a while and she said that the object is mine.  Once I studied more about my object and asked my more questions about it, I found out that my object was passed down from my grandmother to my mother and then to my sister and then to me. 
   To make the Qalpoq the person who is making it, knits the shape of the Qalpoq to fit the shape of the person who plans to wear it and then knits the decorations on the Qalpoq with needles.  The hat is made out of cotton.  I also learned another tradition.      This social studies unit showed me how one small object can lead you to understand so much about one’s culture and traditions.  

– Shohjahon

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant