The Sema ceremony, an important ritual of Mevlevism, was performed in Helsinki.
The event was organized by the cultural and arts working group “Harmony Art” of the Finnish Polar Culture Association and took place in the auditorium of the “Martinlaakso” school. The Sema performance, executed by Abdulkadir Dikici from Belgium, was attended by more than 200 spectators, including Finns. The program, which began with the distribution of Ashura, also included Quran recitation, ney performance, and Sufi music.
Providing information about the Sema, Semazen Abdulkadir Dikici stated that the semazens aim to achieve a spiritual experience and a rise in consciousness through the whirling. Dikici provided the following information: “Semazens wear a special garment called ‘tennure’ and rotate around their own axis. The rotating movement symbolizes the rotation of the universe, the rotation of beings, and the infinity of Allah. The goal here is to transcend the self and attain a spiritual ascent and divine love.”
Chairman of “Fin Polar Kultturikeskus” Fırat Özmen, stated that they organized a Sema performance for the first time in Finland. Özmen expressed their great satisfaction with the participation and noted that the ceremony provided the audience with a profound thought and emotional experience.
