Sulukule - worlds oldest Roma settlement?

A run-down district behind a decaying stretch of Istanbul's Byzantine city walls, Sulukule has been home to the Roma (Gypsies) for 10 centuries. It is thought to be the oldest Roma settlement in the world.

But the area has been earmarked for a regeneration project the Roma fear will force them out.

The local authorities plan to buy all the buildings and replace them with Ottoman-style villas, transforming the neighbourhood. They are offering current residents credit to buy the new houses or apartments to rent across town. But many Roma are extremely poor, and they call that unrealistic.

The earliest records of Roma settling in Sulukule date back to 1054.
"The whole westwards migration of Gypsies into Europe began here," says researcher Adrian Marsh. He believes this crucial piece of Roma history should be protected.




"The Gypsies practised fortune-telling then and all sorts of entertainment. They were acrobats, bear leaders, jugglers. They settled here near the city walls where it was dangerous. The walls are always where marginalised groups would be."

For centuries, the Roma continued to make a living through music and dance. Until recently Sulukule was home to nearly 40 entertainment houses. Hugely popular with Turks and tourists, they were the heart of the local economy and community. But the bawdy clubs were closed down in the 1990s. Unemployment now is high, the crime rate has climbed - and the area is descending into a slum.

The local council says the motive behind its urban renewal project is providing safe, hygienic housing for the 21st Century.

Activists are now going door-to-door, gathering information for an alternative proposal. They believe reviving the local entertainment houses is crucial to that. "Many musicians, many artists live here. This is Roma culture, it is very important," explains activist Hacer Foggo.
* By Sarah Rainsford - BBC News

What to see and do in Istanbul

Aya Sofya (or Hagia Sophia) is the mightiest silhouette in a city of dramatic skyline shapes. Built in 532 AD by Emperor Justinian, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople until 1453, when it was converted into a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror (Fatih Sultan Mehmet). In 1935, Turkey's great secularizer, Ataturk, made Aya Sofya a museum. The dome was the world's largest until the dome of St. Peter's was built in Rome. Aya Sofya is located in Sultanahmet and very near to the Topkapi Palace. Open: Tues.- Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

With its stained-glass windows, blue tiles and six (instead of the usual four) minarets, Sultanahmet Camii or the "Blue Mosque" is one of the world's most graceful buildings. Built by Mehmet Aga in 1609, it's still a working mosque, so you must remove your shoes and leave them at the entrance. There's also a Carpet and Kilim Museum inside. Open daily, 9-5.

The famous Grand Bazaar, also known as the Covered Bazaar, is a labyrinth of more than 4,000 shops, trinket stands and cafes. Built in the 1450s, it's full of fine carpets and gold jewelry plus plenty of pure junk. If you don't look Turkish, be ready for the shouts: "Hello, hello, my friend, let me help you spend your money!" It has many historical doors opening to various locations. One of the main entrances is in Çemberlitaş. Open: April-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Nov.-March, Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

My wife and I liked the Egyptian Bazaar or "Spice Bazaar" better because instead of the stuff noted above, you get to squeeze past colorful bins of herbs, nuts, soaps, fruit and a million mysterious spices. Most stands will let you take a taste. Open: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Topkapi Palace is huge and confusing but probably Istanbul's most visited attraction. Spreading out over a point of land in Old Istanbul, various sultans and their harems called the palace home until the mid-19th century. Open: Wed.-Mon. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Built by the famous architect Sinan in 1584, Cemberlitas Hamam (where my wife and I took our Turkish baths) has been in business as a traditional public bath ever since. There are separate sections for men and women; from what I've been told, the men's accommodations are slightly more luxurious. Admission: $9 for bath alone, $18 with massage. Open: 6 a.m.-midnight ( www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr).

WHERE TO STAY

One of those hotels where a splurge for a night or more feels worth it, the Çiragan Palace has a spectacular location and very good service. Comprising an actual 19th-century Ottoman palace plus a newer wing, it overlooks a garden and picturesque pool right on the Bosporus. Double rooms start at $200 (www.ciraganpalace.com).

The urbane little Hotel Nomade is tucked away on a quiet street in Istanbul's old city. Owned by two sisters, and snazzed up by a French designer, the hotel has rooms that are small but chic. And it's hard to beat breakfast or drinks on its rooftop terrace, which has views of Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus. Single rooms $72; double rooms $90 (www.hotelnomade.com).

WHERE TO EAT

Amedros is a charming spot for Ottoman food that comes with an extra bonus. Whenever someone orders the house special, Testi Kebabi (a stew of lamb and vegetables), you get a show. The sealed clay stew pot is dramatically cracked open right at your table. Soon the next table orders the stuff, too, and so on. Entrees start at $9 (Hoca Rüstem Sokak 7, Sultanahmet).

Pandeli Restaurant, in its odd perch just above the entrance of the Egyptian Spice Market, is famous for fish, and sea bass in particular. The bass in parchment that we ate was topped with a tomato slice and superbly light. The tiled walls are lovely to look at, and there's a good view from most windows. The restaurant is only open for lunch, from noon to 4 p.m., Mon.-Sat. (Misir Çarsisi 1, Eminönü).

Rumeli Cafe is a pocket-sized bistro owned by the Nomade Hotel with, among other pluses, a toasty fireplace and a cozy interior. On the menu are very reasonably priced traditional Turkish dishes and the service is informal and friendly. Entrees start at $7 (Ticarethane Sokak 8, off Divan Yolu, Sultanahmet).

TOURIST INFO

For general information on Istanbul, these are some of the better sources: www.Istanbul.com is the official city website with the basics on hotels, restaurants, events, nightlife, museums, logistics, etc. Another site with fewer fancy graphics but with a bit more detail in places (plus capsule reviews of most of the major attractions) is www.americanairlines.wcities.com (search for Istanbul). The official site of the Turkish Ministry of Tourism is at www.tourismturkey.org. The site offers regional information for the entire country, tourism statistics, facts for visitors and a variety of other useful tips.

* By Peter Mandel- StarTribune.com

The Ritual of Sema

"The fundamental condition of our existence is to revolve. There is no object, no being which does not revolve. The shared similarity between all created things is the revolution of the electrons, protons, and neutrons within the atoms that constitute their basic structure. From the smallest cell to the planets and the farthest stars, everything takes part in this revolving. Thus, The Semazens, the ones who whirl, participate consciously in the shared revolution of all existence.

The Sema ceremony represents a spiritual journey; the seeker's turning toward God and truth, a maturing through love, the transformation of self as a way of union with God, and the return to life as the servant of all creation.

The Semazen (with a camel's-felt hat representing a tombstone and a wide white skirt symbolizing the death shroud), upon removing his black cloth, is spiritually born to Truth. The semazens stand with their arms crossed, ready to begin their turn. In their erect posture, they represent the number one, testifying to God's unity. Each rotation takes them past the sheikh, who stands on a red sheep skin. This is the place of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi , and the sheikh is understood to be a channel for the divine grace. At the start of each of the four movements of the ceremony, the semazens bow to each other honoring the spirit within. As their arms unfold, the right hand opens to the skies in prayer, ready to receive God's beneficence. The left hand, upon which his gaze rests, is turned towards the earth in the gesture of bestowal.

Fix-footed, the semazen provides a point of contact with this Earth through which the divine blessings can flow. Turning from right to left, he embraces all creation as he chants the name of God within the heart. The Sema ritual consists of seven parts:

1. It starts with the singing of the Nat-i-Serif, a eulogy to the Prophet Muhammed who represents love. Praising him is praising the truth of God that he and all the prophets before him brought.
2. Then follows the call of the drum and the slap of glory, calling the semazens to awaken and Be. This begins the procession known as the Sultan Veled Walk. It is the salutation of one soul to another, acknowledged by bowing.
3. Then begins the Sema ritual itself. It consists of four selams or salutes. The first selam is the birth of truth by way of knowledge. The second selam expresses the rapture of witnessing the splendor of creation. The third selam is the transformation of rapture into love; the sacrifice of mind and self to love. It represents complete submission and communion with God. The fourth selam is the semazen's coming to terms with his destiny and his return to his task in creation. In the fourth selam, the sheikh enters the circling dervishes, where he assumes the place of the sun in the center of the circling planets.
4. The Sema end with a reading from the Qur'an. The sheikh and dervishes complete their time together with the greeting of peace and then depart, accompanied by joyous music of their departure.

One of the beauties of this seven-centuries-old ritual is the way that it unifies the three fundamental components of man's nature; mind, emotion, and spirit, combining them in a practice and a worship that seeks the purification of all three in the turning towards Divine Unity. But most significantly, the enrichment of this earth and the well-being of humanity as a whole."

* Source: All About Turkey - The Whirling Dervishes

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