Semah in Ardabil Darvish Lodge according to Tezkire-I Sheikh Safi

Abstract

One of the most important rituals of Alawi-Bektashi communities is semah. As well as it is important to determine the meaning of the present shape, adornments, figures of the semah, reaching today by being transferred from generation to generation as an element of oral culture, it is also important to investigate the status of these items in the historical manuscripts. Each study on these topics will contribute to both cultural and religious studies. One of the oldest and most fundamental sources of the Ardabil Darvish Lodge and Safiaddin Ardabili is the work of Persian Safvatus-Safa of Ibn Bazzaz. This work was translated into Turkish by Neshati in the 16th century. In the present study, the information on semah in the British Museum Add.18548 copy of Tezkire-i Sheikh Safî, translated from Safvetu's-Safa by Neshati, is examined. Based on the information given directly or indirectly about semah in Tezkire-i Sheikh Safî, features such as shape, duration, adornments, music, clothes of semah which were applied in Ardabil Darvish Lodge at that time are tried to be explained. In this way, the stationary aspects of semah and its changing aspects over the years will be revealed. According to the information given in Tezkire-i Sheikh Safi, the semah performed in the Ardabil Darvish Lodge due to vect, happiness and spiritual sign; could be done only with head, only with ear, with the whole body and even without moving at all. In Tezkire-i Sheikh Safî it is stated that religious leaders and darvishes as well as an animal and goods besides human, perform semah. In Tezkire-i Sheikh Safi, althugh there is no definite information about the period or the special outfit of the semah in the Ardabil Darvish Lodge; there is information about the etiquette and musical notes of semah. © 2018 Gazi Universitesi, Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli. All rights reserved.