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The Whirling Dervishes of Konya, Turkey, perform a hypnotic spiritual ceremony known as the Sema on March 8 at the George Sherman Union. The highly structured ritual dance, which symbolizes an ecstatic love of God, was inspired by the Sufi poet Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi seven centuries ago and was later influenced by Turkish culture. Flute music, drums, and the chanting of poetry accompany the dancers as they progress in rhythmic rotations into a trancelike state. Garments as well as hand gestures are symbolic: the camel's hair hat (sikke) represents the tombstone of the ego, and the wide white skirt represents the ego's shroud. About 250 people attended the event, which was organized by the Society for Middle Eastern Studies and the Euro-Asian and Turkish Association and sponsored by the Boston Dialogue Foundation. Photo by Albert l'Étoile

16 March 2001
Boston University
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