A NEW RELIGIOUS ORDER
A NEW RELIGIOUS ORDER
The Ottoman quest to conquer Cyprus was finally realised in 1571. This came after the final defences of the Republic of Venice fell after lengthy sieges in both Nicosia and Famagusta. Their victory, after a bitter war that lasted the best part of a whole year, was marked as a stark turning point for the island. Cyprus, almost immediately, was wrenched away from conventional Western European conventions. This occurred after the island was integrated into the greater Ottoman economic, religious, and cultural system.
A NEW REPRESENTATION OF LIFE
Islamic orders, such as the ‘Dervishes’, then took hold across the island. The word ‘Dervish’ comes from Persian and roughly translates to beggar or poor one. This reflects this particular order’s teachings and the way of life that it represents. With this in mind, Dervishes can be compared to Christian mystics or ascetics in their dedication to spiritual quests, asceticism, and closeness to God. However, differences in religious traditions, practices, and social roles make this comparison conditional.
THE MEVLEVI ORDER
The Mevlevi order was a Dervish brotherhood that was founded in the 13th century by followers of the Persian poet and mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. The order emphasised the soul’s separation from God in earthly life and its return to divine love after death. The Mevlevi became the most prominent among the Dervish brotherhoods that included both the Bektashi and Naqshbandi Dervish orders. They proudly practised asceticism, meditation, and they renounced all worldly pleasures in pursuit of spiritual perfection.
THE MEVLEVI ORDER IN CYPRUS
The Mevlevi order of Dervishes went on to establish a whole series of new institutions that included several Mosques and Tekkes across Cyprus. Similar to a Christian monastery, a Tekke is a Sufi monastery or lodge. This is where members of a brotherhood, such as Dervishes, pray, meditate, study, and in most cases live according to their order’s teachings. Functioning as centres for education, Tekke’s were also charitable and served as shelters, providing food and lodging for the needy.
A FITTING BURIAL GROUND
A Tekke typically includes a ritual hall, as well as a mausoleum. This was also known as a Türbe and was used as a burial ground for sheikhs and other significant figures of the Muslim order. Most also had living quarters, a kitchen, and a garden with a well.
THE WHIRLING DERVISHES
The most famous Mevlevi Dervish practice is its famous circular dance. This is called the ‘sema’, in Turkish, and it symbolises the rotation of the planets. The constant rotation also creates a state of mystical ecstasy that is closely aligned with the soul’s spiritual journey to God. For this reason, members of the Mevlevi order are known as the ‘Whirling Dervishes’. Their circular dance has also been recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
A TRANCE-LIKE STATE
Music plays a significant role in the sema ritual, but only instruments with a sacred significance for Dervishes are used. These include the tambourine or flute. Poetry recitals often accompany the music, and these sometimes induce a trance-like state, which creates a profound effect on their participants. Notably, verses from the Holy Quran are never used during the sema dance.
THE MEVLEVI TEKKE IN NICOSIA
The Mevlevi Tekke in Nicosia was the central hub for the order on the island. In 1873, the Tekke had 36 members who held regular rituals every Sunday. The complex included living quarters for Dervishes and a garden with several fruit trees. It also served as a social centre, providing food and shelter for the poor and needy.
THE MEVLEVI TEKKE IN NICOSIA
Most Tekkes across Turkey by the early 20th century had become carriers of several opposing political ideas to the Atatürk regime. As a result, Turkish reforms introduced in 1925 saw all Tekkes across Turkey closed. In light of this, some members of the Turkish Cypriot community across the island also urged Turkish Cypriots to boycott these institutions and also called for their closure. The British colonial administration, however, decided to preserve them. They went on to appoint community leaders or sheikhs from Syria after they were shunned by their Turkish Cypriot counterparts.
THE MEVLEVI TEKKE
THE ORIGINAL MEVLEVI DERVISH ORDER
THE MEVLEVI TEKKE MUSEUM
