The word "dervish" comes from the Persian "darvish", meaning a poor man.

The whirling dervishes are one of various brotherhoods of Sufis. Since the early days of Islam, some Muslims have attempted to get as close to God as possible.

Some deprived themselves of food or sleep in an attempt to leave the everyday world behind. They came to be called Sufis because they wore a rough woolen robe: "soof" is Arabic for "wool".

Various brotherhoods were established, each following the teachings or example of a Sufi master with their own special way of reaching towards God: some chant, some breathe rhythmically, others dance.

The most famous are the Mevlevi dervishes, who whirl.