UNESCO
Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony- Turkey

Originating in Sufi
tradition, the Mevleviye
dance groups are famous
for their practice of
whirling dances.
Accompanied by a
musical repertoire that
combines elements of
Turkish and Persian
music, the dancers rotate
for several hours, seeking
to feel closer to the divine.

In this stark and striking
photo, a young man in
white robes is dancing
gracefully with his eyes
closed and arms upheld.
His body fills the centre
of the photo. The setting
is dark and most likely
inside; the man is
dancing on a red wooden
floor against a black
background.

Light illuminates his
white-clothed body casting
a deep shadow behind that
merges with the darkness
and soft blue shadows in
the folds of his robes. He
appears to be whirling in a
circle, his long skirt flaring
outwards to form a
triangle. On his torso he
wears a plain white tunic
with a round collar,
unfastened at the waist.

On his head rests a
long tall plain
brown hat. His arms
are bent upwards
forming an arch
over his shoulders,
his fingers pointing
inwards. His face
points right, but his
expression shows
complete dedication
and immersion
to his dance.

The Mevleviye is
an ascetic Sufi order
founded in 1273
in Konya, from where it
gradually spread
throughout the Ottoman
Empire. Today, the
Mevleviye can be found
in many Turkish
communities throughout
the world, but the most
active and famous
centres of the order’s
activity are in
Konya and Istanbul.

Mevlâna
Jelaleddin Rumî is
among Islam's
greatest poets and
mystic
philosophers.
(1207-1273)

come, come again,
whoever you are,
come!
heathen, fire
worshipper or
idolatrous, come!
come even if you broke
your penitence a
hundred times,
ours is the portal of
hope, come as you are .

Be as a river on benevolence
and munificence
Be as the sun on benignity
and compassion
Be as a night on concealing
the blots of the others
Be as the dead on anger and
fury
Be as the earth on humility
and modesty
Be as the sun on tolerance
Be as you look or look
as you are

Music
Turkish Classical Music
Acemkurdi Pesrev
İbrahim DAL
JULY 2009