Three more Turkish traditions were added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
“Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival”, “Semah, Alevi-Bektasi ritual” and “traditional sohbet meetings” are among the 46 elements inscribed Tuesday on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival takes place in Edirne, Turkey where thousands of people from different age groups, cultures and regions travel every year to see wrestlers (pehlivan) fight for the Kirkpinar Golden Belt and the title of Chief Pehlivan.
Semah can be described as a set of mystical and aesthetic body movements in rhythmic harmony. Semah constitutes one of the twelve main services found in Cem rituals, religious practices performed by adherents of Alevi-Bektasi, a belief system based on admiration for Ali, the fourth caliph after the prophet Muhammed. Semah is performed by semah dancers, accompanied by devout musicians playing the saz long-necked lute.
Traditional Sohbet Meetings play a crucial role in transmitting Turkish folk literature, folk dances and music, village plays as well as societal values. Turkish men meet regularly indoors, especially in winter, to discuss local social and cultural issues, safeguard traditions, and encourage solidarity, mutual respect and a sense of community.
In recent years, the UNESCO, upon the proposal by Turkish Ministry of Culture, inscribed Karagoz (shadow play), Mevlevi Sema ritual (performance of whirling dervishes), asiklik (minstrelsy) tradition, and the art of meddah (public storytellers) on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List which aims to safeguard traditions from around the world.
AA
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