The tall light brown hats worn by whirling dervishes are as intriguing as the elliptical dance performed in honor of the Sufi poet and mystic Rumi. In Konya, a sprawling city in Turkey’s central Anatolian plain where Rumi spent most of his life and died 750 years ago, one of the last workshops makes these special "sikke” hats to order. Yunus Girgic refuses to sell sikkes to tourists because they are exclusively reserved for real dervish dancers. And he makes sure they do not reach amateurs’ hands, quizzing potential clients about their motives for wanting the distinctive hat.

"I ask a few basic questions and immediately see who I am dealing with,” Girgic told AFP. At the start of the "sema” dance ritual, dervishes take off their long black coats but retain the sikke, which signifies the tombstone. The manufacturing secrets of these deeply symbolic felt hats—each one 26 to 27 centimeters (about 10 inches) tall—have been passed down for four generations to Girgic.

Yunus Girgic (right) delivers a symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes, to his customer Ashmi Benmehidi (left), a French musician who left an insurance job in Montpellier, South of France, to practice the art of the ney, in a workshop in Konya.--AFP photos
Whirling dervishes, wearing the symbolic hat "sikke", peform the "Sema" ritual as part of a ceremony to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the death of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.
Ashmi Benmehidi (left) poses with his new traditional hat "Sikke" worn by whirling dervishes, in a workshop in Konya.
Yunus Girgic (right) works with his assistant in a workshop to make the symbolic hat "Sikke".
Yunus Girgic works in a workshop to make the symbolic hat "Sikke".
Moulds used to make the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes, are displayed on the table of a workshop in Konya.
Yunus Girgic works in a workshop with molds used to make the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes in Konya.
Whirling dervishes perform a sipiritual Dhikr "Devran-i Serif" ritual during a ceremony, one of many marking the 750th anniversary of the death of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the father of Sufism who lived in the 13th century, at Mevlana Cultural Center in Konya.

Each one is produced from a kilo (half a pound) of goat or sheep wool, which is patiently stretched, dipped several times in soapy water and then rolled flat, like pie crust. This centuries-old felting technique allows the fibers to be tightened and strengthened, said Girgic, who works with two apprentices. The resulting square of wool—now reduced to 350 grams—is molded onto wooden shapes whose size is adjusted to the customer’s head size, and left to dry for up to two days.

The material, relatively heavy and itchy on the forehead, is a "reminder of the discomforts of life on Earth”, Girgic said. His workshop produces "80 percent of the sikkes in the world”, the artisan added. Musician Ashmi Benmehidi comes to collect his first sikke and tries it on with pride.

Yunus Girgic (right), who makes the symbolic hat "Sikke" worn by whirling dervishes, stands next to his customer Ashmi Benmehidi (center).
The assistant of Yunus Girgic who makes the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes, stands in a workshop in Konya.
Symbolic hats "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes, are displayed on the shelf of a workshop in Konya.
Yunus Girgic (left) works with his assistant in a workshop to make the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes in Konya.
Yunus Girgic works in a workshop to make the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes in Konya.
Yunus Girgic works in a workshop with moulds used to make the symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes in Konya.
Yunus Girgic (right) adjusts as he delivers a symbolic hat "Sikke", worn by whirling dervishes, to his customer Ashmi Benmehidi (left).

He left an insurance job in Montpellier in the south of France to practice the art of playing the "ney”—a reed flute which accompanies the sema ritual. "I have just been invited to play in a dedicated group,” he said, adjusting his headdress. "I’m very moved,” he added. Girgic’s workshop produces 30 to 80 sikkes a year. Each one sells for 2,000 liras (almost $70) and is designed to last around 45 years. — AFP