The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-01-13

yelled than, with mechanical precision, they
raise their hands above their heads exclaim-
ing, "Khoda - 'Khoda !" dropping them
again as mechanically when they have
done this The "kawals'' then start the
opening symphony of hymn-a plaintive
melody in minor key-in which the
women of the "Faikraya" join, and also the
''pirs." The singers do not understand the
words of the hymn, for they know nothing
but Kurdish, and the invocation is in some
older dialect of Asia Minor, which it is not
easy to recognize. When the voices are
silent, the "Kak' begins the ceremony of
initiation. At sign from the chief two
of the black-rObed fakirs step forward, and
raise from the ground the neophyte, who
has been in underground solitude for forty
days, fasting each day from sunrise to
nightfall, and is clad in the white cere-
clothes of the dead, to mark the solemnity
of the occasion. He prostrates himself to
the sacred symbol held aloft, and, instruct
ed by his assistants, proceeds to divest him
self of the white garmens in which he is
attired, and, bending on his knee, shrouds
with it the corpse of the dead fakir, beside
whom he has been lying When this is
done, the "Kak," comes round, and, with
his own hands, invests him with the robes
of his order First he throws over the
| shoulders of the novice coarse black gown,
reaching below the knees and over the
white cotton drawers and vest, which are
obligatory portions of a fakir's costume.
He is then girded with black cord about
the waist. The neophyte now produces a
black cap, which he must have made with
his own hands, and puts it on his head,
while the "Kak" throws over him the
''mahak or bride, twisted cord, which
goes round the neck and falls down in
front like a necklet This cord must never
leave him night or day so long as he lives,
and when he dies it is buried with him.
There is this difference between the "fakir"
of the devil worshippers and the other
priests. The latter wear the cord short,
so that its ends are concealed beneath their
outer garment the former wear it over all,
so that it is always seen.
Invested with the "mahak," the candi-
date is fully initiated ,and walks slowly round
the temple, passing in front of the ''pirs
on the right hand the "koshaks" at the
sanctuary, and his colleagues, the black
robed fakirs, on the left As he moves
leisurely along each of the persons before
whom he passes spits in his face. This is
not done as mark of contempt, but to
avert evil and misfortune from the subject
of this somewhat unpleasant proceeding
The first duty the new-made fakir takes
upon himself is to minister to his brethren
present. He procures from the 'tskavish
who has the things in readiness. a pot Of
oil and some wick, which he immerses in
it and lights by means of the lamp in the
centre. He then walks round the temple
holding the light in front ofthe "pirs and
''fakirs' Each bends over the light, holds
his hand out to it as though to feel its
warmth, and then gently strokes his beard
or chin, afterwards kissing his fingers and
tapping lightly his forehead. With this
the ceremony terminates. The peacock
procession is reformed, and the party
gain the open air by different ascent,
which bring the members out on the oppo-
site side of the little building above, where
the sacred white kline are installed.
Strengthened by the addition of the "Kak, u
the Emir, and Sheikh, the "pirs, "kawais, y
and ''fakirs" who have taken part in the
ceremony of the evening, the procession
passes through the ranks of the white
robed worshippers outside, whose numbers
have in the interval been considerably re-
inforced, and include many women in the
white dress of the sect. The image of the
NMalak Taus' is now borne uncovered,
and when the Yezidis see it they fall pros
trate upon the ground, the entire body,
between 1900 and 1000 strong, uttering
a shrek of ectasy and devotion that makes
ones blood run cold, and seems to re-echo
through the valley for good five minutes
afterward.
The procession winds slowly down the
glen toward the tomb of Sheikh Adj, where
the lights gleam brightly in the distance.
In rear of the party now a 'tshavish leads
one of the sacred white kline from the
drove dedicated to the sun, flowers twisted
in its horns, and attended by the whole
multitude of Yezidis in orderly array. As
the procession moves along, the women of
the "Faikraya" chant couple of their
\ hymns to the accompaniment of the "kaw-
ais y flutes and tambourines. Arrived at
the saints resting place, halt is made in
the courtyard surrounding the main build
ing, the white heifer is bound and killed,
not by cutting its throat in ordinary East
ern fashion, but by opening the chest and
inserting hand, which grasps the palpita-
ting heart Of the victim, squeezes the blood
out, and then tears it from the body, to
cast it in front OF the emblem of the pea
cock angel. The carcass is then hewn in
pieces and distributed among the Yezidi
worshippers, who return to their respective
encampments.
Priest and fakir, chief and neophyte
enter the tenemeats allotted to them near
Sheikh Adi's tomb. One by one the lights
on the hillside and under the trees are ex-