The Cejna Cemayê () is a Yazidi festival that takes place annually from 6 October to 13 October, in honor of the Sheikh Adi. It is an important time for cohesion and includes an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Sheikh Adi (Şêx Adî) in Lalish, along with many important ceremonies throughout the festive days.
If possible, Yazidis make at least one pilgrimage to Lalish during their lifetime, and those living in the region try to attend at least once a year for the Feast of the Assembly in autumn.
Description
During the festival, the whole community comes together, all tribal chiefs, religious dignitaries and authorities are together in one place and special performances, celebrations and rituals are performed, this includes processions, communal meals, theatrical performances, recitals of qewls, animal sacrifices and candle lighting, this festival is also celebrated joyously with dances, musical performances, markets, and games. It offers a great opportunity for young Yazidis to meet, date, and party.
During the first three days of the festival, general rituals are performed, such as 'morkirin' ('Baptising', 'Spiritual Washing') at the spring of Kaniya Spî, and the 'selakirin' ('Holy Greeting') at the spring of Zimzim in Lalish which pilgrims must perform as part of the pilgrimage. Pilgrims begin selakirin ritual by washing their hands and faces, sprinkling the water of Zimzim while praying to obtain fulfilment of all hopes by recalling all the names of relatives, friends and anyone who has requested to have their name mentioned for Selakirin. During these first three days, thousands of pilgrims also arrive at the Bridge of Silat, which symbolizes the crossing from the profane life into the sacred life. Everyone is required to remove their shoes, wash their hands in the river, and cross the bridge three times while carrying torches and singing hymns. Thereafter, they walk to Sheikh 'Adī's tomb. They circumambulate three times around the building before kissing the doorframe and entering. They take their places around a five-branched torch and watch the first evening dance. The evening dance, called Sema Êvarî, is performed on every evening of the festival. During the dance, twelve men, dressed in white, circumambulate around a sacred torch lit in the middle which represents both God and the sun. The twelve men sing hymns as they pace slowly and solemnly. They are accompanied by the music of three Qawwals, who are trained singers and reciters of religious hymns. Pilgrims also visit the sacred white stone located on top of the Arafat mountain next to the sanctuary, which is one of the three mountains next in the Lalish valley surrounding the temple. They walk around the white stone seven times, kiss it to show reverence and offer a sum of money to the guardian of the site.
Day 4: Perî Siwarkirin (Inaugurating Perîs) On the fourth day of the festival (10 October), the ritual of baptising and inaugurating Perîs is performed. Perî refers to pieces of colourful fabric; 2-3 meters in length each; that are tied on tombs of Yazidi saints inside their shrines in Lalish and called Periyên Sindrukên Xasa ('Perîs of the graves of saints'). There are a total of seven of these Perîs in Lalish and they are as follows:
Perîya Êzî
Perîya Şêşims
Perîya Şêx Fexir
Perîya Sitiya Ês
Perîya Şêx Adî
Perîya Şêx Hesen
Perîya Şêxûbekir
During this ritual, the old Perîs are changed with the new ones which are baptised with the water of Kaniya Spî spring for blessing. It is believed that the colours of Perîs represent the colours of nature.