DERVISH JAZZ PARTY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17014, 12 April 1923, Page 7

DERVISH JAZZ PARTY

GREETING THE SPRING. LONDON, April 5. The Caliph, at the head of a va.st crowd, and with pomp and pageantry, made a pilgrimage to the mosque outside Constantinople (soys “The Times” correspondent), to attend the mysterious ceremony know n as the “ Mivlevis,’’ or whirling dervishes greeting the vernal equinox. The mosque was crowded, and the Moslem and dervish dignitaries were gaily robed. The air was heavy with incense. After the recital of a Persian litany and of Arabic prayers, the crowd thunderously invoked the blessing of Allah on the Caliph, who sat in a latticed gallery. Syrups, milk and sweets were distributed. and then three circles of dervishes formed on the floor, linked arms, and commenced to circulate in the direction of the sun’s path. To a monotonous chant their speed increased until the dancers became frenzied, pale and perspiring. Suddenly the circles broke up and a line of men. accompanied by the beating of tom-toms, drums and cymbals, began to bow profoundly till they were all exhausted. The music stopped, and then four dervishps entered playing on reed pipes a melancholy tune, and accompanied by the subdued clashing of cymbals. Then sixteen dervishes began to gyrate on the floor, faster and faster, their mantles standing out from their waists like bells. The music, died down for a time, there was no sound but that of bare feet in motion. Then the music of a single pipe broke out. followed by thunderous singing. The wbirlers stopped, bowed, and walked out without a trace of giddiness despite their quarter of an hour’s gyra-