Semah – Cem – Turna – the Cosmos / Universe

In this video, Pir Hasan Erkişi explains the semah ritual, which occupies a central place in the Alevi belief system, and the profound symbolic meanings carried by the movements performed within the semah. Accompanied by the saz, the semah is examined in relation to its position within the cem ritual and its connections to the turna, the cosmos/universe, and the four elements (earth, water, fire, air). The narrative emphasizes that semah is not merely a bodily ritual but a sacred ritual movement interpreted as representing a cosmic balance and a search for harmony between human beings and the universe. In this context, the ways in which semah figures are interpreted within Alevi cosmology are discussed in detail.

This recording was made on 10–11 May 2025 at the Dortmund Alevi Cultural Center (DAKME), within the framework of the Pirler–Analar Workshop organized for the Alevi Encyclopedia project under the Rıza Şehri Academy.