The Bektashi order was founded in the 13th Century by a “wandering dervish” Haji Bektash, According to hagiographic sources, the may have been a Turk from Khorassan.
Tradition has it that he left his country on the orders of his spiritual master and metamorphoses in to a dove to come back to Anatolia. It was believed that God crated Adam his own image and all his manifestation in this world are in the human form. During their ceremonies the Bektashi come together under the leadership of a “Dede”, or spiritual leader. They may be an “Ask”, one of the mystic musicians/poets who are the heirs of the ancient Khan-Ozan, priests and ministers who perpetuated the heroic and religious tradition.
Sunnis orthodox Muslims in contrast to the Bektashi, have always esteemed music and dancing to be means of spiritual elevation, They consider that music and dance provide man the possibility of creating favorable conditions in which he can recognize his identity with god, center of the human heard,. The music of the Bektashi always occurs in vocal from in personal stile of singing. An amalgam of strength and solemnity, eschewing and process, which might tent tend to give their singing a light or sophistical touch of grace notes. Vocal effects and complex rhythms are considered taboo. Melodies are always free whether they are measured or in the from of recitative. The solo instrument used to accompany the voice is the Baglama (Saz), a particularly elegant type of Lute with a pear shaped sound box and long slender neck.
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