Shows
RomanistanHolidazeWelcome to our holidaze episode, featuring a special short story “Black Friday” by Caren Gussoff Sumption. We also recommend Jewish Voice for Peace for more information on how to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/Happy holidays to everyone! Check out Jez’s tarot reading in Bustle on navigating the holidays, and listen to Foretold featuring Paulina. We’ll be back from hiatus on Valentine’s Day!Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twit...
2023-12-1834 minRomanistanHalloween Creature Feature Listener StoriesWelcome to our spooky listener stories episode! The Creature Feature! This episode is brought to you by Paulina, and our editor, Cherub! Jez couldn’t make this recording, so it gives you a wonderful opportunity to get to know Cherub a little better. She is our podcast Lord and Savior, after all. 👼🏻 Be chilled by the terrifying tales our listeners sent us. Thank you to everyone who shared a story! Paulina also shouts out ally Moth and Candle for their lovely candles to set the mood. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can f...
2023-10-3035 minRomanistanJoanna Talewicz and InfamyWe spoke with Joanna Talewicz about the Netflix Poland show Infamy (Infamia), on which she was an advisor. It was a fascinating conversation about navigating media representation, behind the scenes with other Roma involved in the series, activism, and more! Read our review of Infamy here! Joanna Talewicz, PhD, is co-founder and president of the Foundation Towards Dialogue [Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu]. She is a researcher, educator, author, and activist. For twenty years she has been working for the benefit of the Roma community and minority rights. While her work focuses on Roma communities in Eu...
2023-10-191h 26RomanistanKatelan Foisy: Artist and WitchWe had such a magical time talking to Katelan Foisy, and our musician Viktor Pachas took over for Paulina in a pinch! We hope you enjoy this chat on art, magic, and spooky stories!Katelan V. Foisy is a visual artist, and writer who specializes in vintage style mixed media art and photography. Her art is featured on The Smashing Pumpkins Tours such as Shiny & Oh So Bright, Spirits on Fire, and The World is a Vampire as well as William Patrick Corgan's solo album Ogilala, as well and merchandise for the tour, backdrops, and the “Neath th...
2023-10-161h 09RomanistanSpooky Stories x O Verda Darano Crossover!O Verda Darano takes over Romanistan! We talk with Pierce & Raquel Horvath, brother & sister duo of Dead Scared Entertainment, and the Romani storytelling podcast O Verda Darano. Raquel & Pierce tell some of their favorite scary stories to kick off spooky season with us, and be sure to catch season 3 of O Verda Darano too. We’ll be popping up in one of their episodes too. Follow their work here: https://www.deadscaredentertainment.com/Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same na...
2023-10-0243 minRomanistanToby Gorniak, Infamy, and Street FactoryWe got to interview Toby G about the Netflix series Infamy, and his incredible work with Street Factory. Read our review of Infamy here!Toby Gorniak MBE (Aka- Toby G) is a Multi-award-winning transformational coach, Author, Tedx Speaker, Hip-hop artist, Entrepreneurs & Netflix Actor.Using his personal life experiences, Hip Hop culture, love, kindness to transform the lives & mindset of people from a range of backgrounds, especially those who feel there is no hope.He empowers them to Discover their individual Genius, Exceed Their Potential & Fall in Love with Their Purpose. Over...
2023-09-2445 minRomanistanSoltan on Romany AdventuresWe were so lucky to speak with Soltan about his track, "Romany Adventures" from the album Gorilla Warfare, a collaboration with Shaq. You can listen to the song in its entirety anywhere you listen to music. Soltan is the stage name for bass music's most enigmatic producer from the Middle East. Soltan first called the attention of the bass music scene in November 2014 with the release of his debut artist title EP, Soltan on Sectionz Records. After releases on Firepower Records and remixes for Seven Lions, Zomboy, and Pegboard Nerds captured the attention of industry leaders like D...
2023-09-1726 minRomanistanRomani Feminism with Dr. Ethel BrooksWe're so delighted to share this conversation with Ethel Brooks! We discuss feminism, Romani history, women's labor, fortune telling, and more! Ethel Brooks is Chair of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Associate Professor of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Sociology at Rutgers University. Brooks is a Tate-TrAIN Transnational Fellow at the University of the Arts London, where, in 2011-2012, she was the US-UK Fulbright Distinguished Chair. Brooks was appointed under President Obama to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, where she served from 2015-2020. She is Chair of the Board of the European Roma Ri...
2023-08-291h 02RomanistanGood Morning Romanistan 5: We're Not Rich... YetIn this episode, Paulina and Jez catch up and discuss some current events. We love the substack The Earth and Sky Know, especially this post on how Roma don't do small talk. https://www.theskyandearthknow.com/p/the-romani-dont-do-small-talkWhy is the Czech Republic pitting Roma and Ukrainians against each other? By Una Hajdari for Euro News https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/08/why-is-the-czech-republic-pitting-roma-and-ukrainians-against-each-otherCall for Papers for the Critical Romani Studies Journal: Thematic Issue on the History and Legacies of Slavery in Romania https://romanistudies.ceu.edu/article/2023-07-10/call-papers-critical-romani-studies-journal-thematic-issue-history-and-legacies Romano Lav is to Open Scotland's Fir...
2023-08-0732 minRomanistanRomani Language with Erik DeckerIt’s time to talk chib! We spoke with Erik Decker, our Romani language teacher, about all things language. Erik Decker is a Romani language teacher of Roma and Sinti origin and Director of the Branislava “Papùsha” Weiss Romani Language Online School, a project of the World Roma Federation (WRF) Heritage and Cultural Institute. He taught International Baccalaureate language courses in Spanish and French, as well as English as a New Language, in Indianapolis Public Schools from 2019 through 2023 and taught English Language Communication, Human Rights, and Cultural Studies at George Coșbuc [Jòr-jay Koh’sh-bewk] National Bi...
2023-07-2454 minRomanistanGood Morning Romanistan 4: No Dark SecretsIn this episode Paulina and Jez catch up on current events, listener questions, and talk a bit about what we can and can't do with the podcast. We love you. Articles we mention:Jez's Bustle articles on tarot for the month of July 2023 and for summer love. ROMA FACING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM IN A TIME OF CLIMATE CATASTROPHE— ERRCIvanna Nikolic's Instagram post for her fundraiser for Dikh He Na Bister. You can donate here and please share widely. And thank you, Naomi, co-founder of Dikhlo Collective, for sharing your experience in th...
2023-07-1037 minRomanistanForetold Finale! Pick & ChoosePaulina and Jez discuss the last two episodes of Foretold (episodes 8 & 9), and share their feelings on how tricky it can be to try to represent a culture, even if it’s your own story. We’re grateful for the Los Angeles Times for taking on this story and spotlighting Romani people, and we encourage everyone to read the essay series that the LA Times published to accompany the podcast series. Opinion pieces are by Nicoleta Bitu, Oksana Marafioti, Ethel Brooks, & George Eli. Thanks for joining us for these debriefs! We’ll be returning to our regular content.
2023-06-1122 minRomanistanForetold Debrief 6 and 7: Saw a Gypsy One Time in a WindowPaulina and Jez catch up on episodes 6 and 7 of the Los Angeles Times podcast series Foretold, with special attention to the backlash Paulina is getting, her boundaries, and thoughts about telling such a dramatic part of her story. We also discuss the pressure of representing all Roma, which we can't and don't claim to, and how we're handling a lot of emails. We're still really happy to hear from you though! Keep writing in with questions, cool Romani stories to share, and anything else. Just check to see if we've already covered it. Thank you for listening t...
2023-06-0427 minRomanistanForetold Debrief 4 and 5: a detailed, decadent, dense sliceJez asks Paulina and special guest Gina Merino (episode 1 of Foretold) what they think about episodes 4 and 5 of the Los Angeles Times podcast series, Foretold. We discuss traditional marriage expectations, normalized abuse, and the complexities of representation. CN: sexual abuse/ assault. Gina Merino was born and raised in the Muchwaya Romani Vitsa. A native of Southern California, she broke free from the restraints of her culture at 19 to pursue education and motherhood without the limits of her strict community. Gina graduated from Perdue University, and is currently living in Northern California, married with two beautiful adult children, a...
2023-05-2129 minRomanistanGood Morning Romanistan 3: Fear of HopeIn this 3rd episode of Good Morning, Romanistan! we share what's going on with us, and what's happening around the world, including Barvalo, prosperity spells gone awry, Ederlezi celebrations, kittens, and more! We suggest you check out season 1 episode 4: Ederlezi, Ivana Nikolic @roma__dancer, poet and teacher Diana Norma Szokolyai, 50 ways to support Black Lives Matter:https://www.rd.com/article/black-lives-matter-donate/And check out, black-led criminal justice reform, Black Lives Matter 5280, Equal Justice Initiative.Also, from activist Grattan Puxon: The World Roma Congress is taking place in Berlin from May 15-17 2023, and w...
2023-05-1540 minRomanistanForetold Debrief 2 and 3: Paulina was a f***ing delight as a 5 year oldIn this episode of Romanistan, Paulina and Jez debrief episodes 2 & 3 of Foretold, the LA Times podcast series centered on Paulina’s life. If you haven’t heard it yet, check it out on any podcast platform. In this episode, we discuss Paulina’s early years in school and what it was like having her kindergarten abd first grade teachers interviewed, and we discuss the complicated mess of early arranged marriages.Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpod. Join o...
2023-05-0119 minRomanistanRowena Marin: Who Am I in the World?Rowena Marin is a Romani woman, author of Who Am I in the World, and Global Agency Lead at Google, in New York. She is the co-founder of The School of Reinvention - a company meant to help people align with their passions and purpose. Rowena comes from a closed community of Silversmith Roma from Romania and managed to succeed in her career through education based in Romania, Spain, France, India, and China. She writes about her story in order to encourage other young women from closed communities to pursue education, grow and define themselves beyond any labels.
2023-04-2753 minRomanistanForetold Episode 1 Debrief: A Broad Weird LineAs you may know, Romanistan co-host Paulina Stevens Verminski is featured in a new podcast series by the LA Times, Foretold. Jez interviews Paulina to break down the first episode and reflect on how hard it is to tell your story, particularly a complex one, and represent your culture. This is the first of what we hope are many debriefing episodes, but to make that happen, we need your help. Please subscribe to our patreon, donate to our Ko-fi fundraiser, or treat yourself to some Romanistan merch so we can continue to fund production. You can do all of...
2023-04-1623 minRomanistanGood Morning, Romanistan 2: Cat in Heat and Romanistan BabiesWelcome to our second GMR episode! We talk personal and relatively current events, answer listener's questions, and pull a tarot card. Shoutouts to @anyatheodora1, ally & Turkish bellydancer @aslirakkas, @roma__dancer, @errcinsta, Lolo Lovina, and the new podcast Foretold by the LA Times, which feature's Paulina's life story. Fundraiser for Roma and Domari in Turkey post-earthquake.Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpod. Join our Patreon for extra content. We started a K...
2023-04-0450 minRomanistanAlice Psychic: Spiritual PractitionerWe had such a wonderful time chatting with the sparkling Alice Psychic! For over 10 years Alice Psychic has been a noteworthy leader in the Spiritual space. You may know Alice from her work as the Psychic Next Door on social media but Alice can also be credited with contributions to the Twinflame movement, the rise in chiromancy and shedding a positive light on Romani voices and their history. Alice Psychic is based in Houston, Texas. Throughout her years of training she has become a Certified Reiki Master, Angel Reader, and Therapy Practitioner. Alice has trained in the...
2023-03-2048 minRomanistanGood Morning, Romanistan! Episode 1Good morning, Romanistan! Here’s our first talk show. We hope you like it. You can get the full, unedited version for $5 a month on our Patreon, or you can donate to our Ko-fi fundraiser to support us. Here are some links for you to explore!“The Roma Artist Sewing a New History for Her People” New York Times, about artist Malgorzata Mirga-Tas“Roma Face Discrimination at Every Stage of Crminal Proceedings in the Czech Republic and Slovakia,” ERRC“Scarlet Witch WandaVision Variant Cover”, Screen Rant“Moving Change Welcomes...
2023-02-2744 minRomanistanHerbal Medicine with Jennileen Joseph of Sastimos Holistic HealthJennileen Joseph of Sastimos Holistic Health brings herself as a Rroma woman into how she approaches all aspects of herbalism and Ayurveda, encouraging people to understand healing from a lens of relationship to land and community. The stories of plants and people are intertwined, as they have grown alongside one another since time immemorial.Jennileen received her bachelor's degree from New York University in US History: Origins and Effects of Intergenerational Trauma. She is a graduate of the Clinical Herbalism I and II programs, as well as the Ayurvedic Studies program, from the University of New Mexico...
2023-02-1156 minRomanistanHoliday Special!Welcome to our generic winter holiday special! In this episode, we share some of our favorite seasonal traditions, with stories from Piroska, Aidan the Boujee Mystic, Katelan Foisy, and Anya! Paulina and Jez make some tarot predictions for 2023, and we share our personal intentions as well. We thank our donors for this year, and we ask you to help us raise $4,000 through our Ko-fi fundraiser to make season 3 happen! We’ll be on a hiatus from now until February 14 (Happy Valentine’s Day!), so you have plenty of time to catch up on any episodes you missed. Here’...
2022-12-1838 minRomanistanJake Cieslinski of Cieslinski Goods and Kushti Bok AromaticsJake, otherwise known as Kardos Cieslinski, is a life long learner and dabbler. He grew up in between music and the trades. He worked in the coffee industry for 10 years, went to school for neuroscience which turned to film, and finally psychology. For graduate school he went to Berkeley for architecture then dropped out. He has lived in six different cities over the past 11 years, and plays drums, ukulele, and accordion. He recently graduated as a Social worker, works full time at a childrens center, part time as a ceramic teacher and he runs Cieslinski Goods and Kushti Bok a...
2022-12-0445 minRomanistanRomani Bath and Beauty with Meghan Ores of LuludiWe had the joy of talking with natural beauty maven Meghan Ores, owner and operator of Luludi, an all-natural online bath and body shop. Meghan Ores is 44 and Hungarian Romani on her father's side, French and English on her mother's. She was born in Wisconsin, but moved around alot and found her way back to Wisconsin again 2 years ago. She currently lives in Baraboo, which is known as the Circus Town, as it is the home and birthplace of the Ringling Brothers. She spent the last summer and fall doing craft shows locally for Luludi, selling her so...
2022-11-2155 minRomanistanRumen & Rumyana Hulmequist on adoption, siblingship, & activismPaulina & Jez interview adopted siblings Rumen & Rumyana Hulmequist about transracial adoption identity, their stories, and the activism & entrepreneurship they are engaged in now. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpodWe started a Ko-fi fundraiser to help us expand. Our goal is to continue releasing 2 episodes a month, including our advice column, and we would eventually like to expand so we can produce content by other Romani & Sinti creators. We are hoping to cover production c...
2022-11-0541 minRomanistanSpooky Stories with The Living AltarSpecial for this Halloween, Jez & Paulina tell spooky stories with their friends Kiki Robinson And Ylva Mara Radziszewski from The Living Altar. Join us for ghosts in the most haunted AirBnB in Washington state, a strange creature stalking through Brooklyn's nightlife, and another dimension in Alameda California. Check out The Living Altar Oracle Deck and more at https://www.livingaltar.com/.Follow Kiki at @opulentwitch and Ylva at @bimboyaga. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on T...
2022-10-2355 minRomanistanDead Scared Entertainment: A Romani Horror Media CompanyPaulina and Jez had a terrifying good time chatting with Pierce and Raquel Horvath of Dead Scared Entertainment, a Romani-run horror media company. Detroit born and living in Chicago, Pierce and Raquel Horvath are Hungarian Slovak Bashalde Romungre raised within Roma tradition with a modern twist.Growing up, Pierce was a passionate bat biologist-to-be, but as he fostered his love for Roma music, mid-century modern art, and classic horror films while studying animation at DePaul University he found he’d be fusing these elements into the nostalgic, spooky, Roma production company that is never short of...
2022-10-0847 minRomanistanThe Art of Dream DivinationPaulina and Jez interview each other about the art of dream interpretation & divination to kick off our spooky season themed episodes this October. This episode also launches the first advice column, and we invite listeners to write in with their problems, and we will pull a tarot card each and give you some advice as best we can. Take it with a grain of salt— we’re fortune tellers, not therapists. Paulina & Jez also shout out some wonderful Romani fortune tellers that they have gotten readings from recently: Bibi Jaz, Katelan Foisy, Bimbo Yaga (Ylva Mara Radziszewski), Opul...
2022-09-271h 02RomanistanCaren Gussoff Sumption and Science FictionPaulina & Jez had a blast chatting with Caren Gussoff Sumption about her writing career and her latest sci-fi novella, So Quick Bright Things Come to Confusion. Caren Gussoff Sumption is a writer and editor of Romany ancestry, living near Seattle, WA. The author of 5 books and more than 100 short stories, Caren's been awarded a Hedgebrook Elizabeth George Award, the Speculative Literature Foundation's Gulliver Grant, a stint as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Geek of the Week, and honors from the European Commission on Science and Society.She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute o...
2022-09-1249 minRomanistanKonstantin Polyakov on Music as Therapy and AdoptionPaulina and Jess speak with Konstantin Shaw-Polyakov, who recently released his album, Where Are We Headed? Konstantin is a Roma/Ashkenazi multi-instrumentalist and songwriting transracial adoptee. He was born in Volkhov Russia in June of 1996, moved to an orphanage and adopted in 1997 by Quakers from America. Konstantin grew up with an adoptive name, Matthew, and few clues of his Roma heritage. Identity is a key driving factor in Konstantin's music, it is often about exploration through imagination and wonder, evoking thoughts of travel and connectivity. You can find his music on all streaming services. He has been writing songs...
2022-08-2839 minRomanistanThe End of the Tattoo Series: Meesha RatzlaffIn this episode, we end the tattoo series... for now! Paulina and Jess interview Meesha Ratzlaff, a multidisciplinary Romani tattoo artist based out of Vancouver, BC., Canada. Meesha’s personal works are largely based and reminiscent of renaissance imagery and architecture, paying homage to her motherland and heritage of the Czech Republic. As a tattooer, she is exploring ways to connect themes of nostalgia, Gypsy pride, recognition as well as negligence in tattoo design and flash pieces.You can follow Meesha at @gypsy.tattoo on Instagram and book with her here or through the link in her bi...
2022-08-1430 minRomanistanInternational Relations: Tattoo Artist Priya Kaur HandaIn this episode, Paulina and Jess talk with Priya Kaur Handa, our international relations (gadje/non-Romani) guest about the traditional roots of tattooing as a sacred or healing practice, and her work as an intuitive tattoo artist. Priya is a tattoo artist based out of Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised in the Bay Area, California, Priya grew up with the influences of the Bay Area art scene along with doing work on community murals and painting for different social justice causes. When she started tattooing she wanted to find a way to bring the same intentions...
2022-08-0138 minRomanistanWes: Tattoo ArtistWes is a tattoo artist living in New Orleans, Louisiana, working at Hell or High Water Tattoo. Growing up in Kansas he relied heavily on the library and a mentor to learn about painting, often bringing home stacks of books he’d study instead of his schoolwork. He decided to devote his life to “low-brow” art after realizing how accessible, practical and human it felt. Once getting written up for drawing on schoolmates in sharpie, he now gets to meet people from all over the world and help them tell their stories. Like many American Roma he learned about his he...
2022-07-1633 minRomanistanAmelia Hearts Tattoo ArtistIn this episode, Paulina and Jess chat with tattoo artist Amelia Hearts as part of our tattoo artist series. Amelia Hearts currently lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and specializes in multiple tattoo styles from realism to neotraditional, watercolor, and illustrative. She has been tattooing for 13 years, and absolutely loves it. She’s currently tattooing at Sacred Soul Collective. You can book with her here: https://linktr.ee/AmeliaHearts, and follow her on Instagram at @ameliaheartstattoo. We also want to acknowledge the overturn of Roe V. Wade, and encourage our listeners to take action in the fig...
2022-07-0347 minRomanistanIs America Really Number 1? Bonus EpisodeIn this bonus episode we ask, is America really number 1? Find out what we mean. CW: Gun violence Take a look at https://linkin.bio/everytown to get involved. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpodWe started a Ko-fi fundraiser to help us expand. Our goal is to release 2 episodes a month, create video content, like an advice column and other treats, and we would also like to register as a...
2022-06-1815 minRomanistanMark Adams co-owner of Holy Chile MoleHappy Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller Pride Month, and Happy LGBTQ+ Pride Month! We're celebrating with mini interviews with LGBTQ+ Roma exclusively on Instagram Live, so follow us there for the celebration. This interview doesn't really have anything to do with pride month specifically, but we have a delicious discussion with Mark Adams, co-owner of the popular California Bay area, Romani-American food truck, Holy Chile Mole, which he runs with his wife. We talk about food fusion, comfort food, the ins and outs of running a food truck, and the benefits of working family trades and...
2022-06-1228 minRomanistanInterview with Aurora Luna, aka Baby Recklesss, artist and occultistAurora Luna is a full-time multimedia artist, musician, writer, and tarot reader/astrologer (Western & Jyotish) whose work is heavily informed and influenced by myth, magic, and mystery. Paulina and Jess have a fascinating conversation with Aurora about their artistic work, their spirituality, and the creative process. Follow their work on TikTok and Instagram @baby_recklesss, join their Patreon, and check out more of their offerings here https://beacons.ai/baby_recklesss.Aurora Luna's Romani crushes for this episode are Sveta who runs the educational Instagram account @romnija, and Pilar Almeida, founder and CEO of Kamav Kosmetics @kamavkosmetics.
2022-05-2950 minRomanistanRomani Resistance Day with Jud NirenbergWe have the pleasure of interviewing Jud Nirenberg, author of Johann Trollmann and Romani Resistance to the Nazis, which we read from for our Romani Resistance Day episode in season 1. In this episode, we hear about Jud’s work, the importance of Romani Resistance Day, and the story of Sinto fighter Johann Trollmann.Jud Nirenberg is a Romani American writer who has authored, co-authored and edited several books on Romani issues. He won the 2017 Baxt Award, given by the Romani Media Initiative. Jud lived for many years in Europe, working in the Romani civil rights mov...
2022-05-1552 minRomanistanRaine Geoghegan: Writer and PerformerWe are delighted to interview Raine Geoghegan. Raine is of mixed heritage, English-Romany, Welsh and Irish. She is a Poet, Prose Writer, Playwright, Voice Over Artist and Performance Coach. Nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize; Forward Prize and Best of the Net, her work has been published internationally both in print and online as well as being widely anthologized, including in Wagtail: The Roma Women’s Poetry Anthology. She is the Romani Script Consultant for the musical ‘For Tonight’. Her first full collection, The Talking Stick, will be published soon with Salmon Poetry Press.You can find her wo...
2022-04-3051 minRomanistanPaulina, Jess, and Rowena Marin at the Roma Peoples Project ConferenceWe're sharing an interview we did many months back at the Roma People’s Project of Columbia University’s month-long conference with Rowena Marin, Romani entrepreneur & author. Please keep an eye out for Rowena’s memoir, which will be published next year, called Who am I in the world? And check out her Instagram page @rowenam.author. The Roma Peoples Project at Columbia University is an initiative that creates and spotlights academic material and events about the Roma peoples, aiming to examine, curate and produce scholarship by and about the Roma. RPP aims to bring Roma studies to the...
2022-04-101h 46RomanistanInternational Relations! Chris Carr and Black Land OwnershipWe were delighted to speak to Chris Carr for our latest International Relations episode, when we feature a non-Romani guest doing great things we think the Romani community should know about. Chris Carr is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary conceptual artist, photographer, emcee, educator and instrumentalist. In 2010, he founded Brooklyn Wildlife, a creative arts incubator specializing in independent art and music. He hosts podcasts and interview series, and has organized hundreds of live events and performances. He’s spent twenty years playing music and has toured more than half the country. Along with Melissa Hunter Gurney, he co-founded the ar...
2022-03-271h 00
rise up! good witch podcastEp87 centering and supporting romani tarot practitioners & appropriation with jezmina von thieleconversation with Jezmina Von Thiele (https://jezminavonthiele.com/) about tarot use through romani histories, cultural appropriation, and other romani divination practices.
Connect with Jezmina
Romanistan podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romanistan/id1553360160
Jezmina on instagram: @jezmina.vonthiele
Jezmina's offerings:
https://www.loungewriters.com/classes/p/317-class-writing-with-folklore-with-jessica-reidy-4032-for-members
Three week class on magical realism & creative context: https://catapult.co/classes/3-week-online-fiction-seminar-magical-realism-cultural-context?tab=about
Resources on supporting Romani Human Rights:
Here's a list of Romani-run organizations and charities that folks can support, in addition to supporting Romani businesses and witches/fortune tellers directly.
E-Romnja helps Romani women and children who...
2022-03-071h 00RomanistanImogen Bright Moon: Weaver, Writer, Artist-MakerFor this episode we had the pleasure of speaking to Imogen Bright Moon, an artist-maker who uses spinning and weaving processes to transform raw materials into exquisitely crafted textile objects. Her contemporary weave practice combines traditional skills, and a storytelling sensibility, gathered from her background in costume design, fashion pattern cutting and puppetry, tailored to the needs of her young family. Working exclusively with ethically sourced materials and suppliers, every step of the creation of her work – from field to final piece – is transparent and traceable. Imogen is also a writer and poet, and her work is recent...
2022-03-0756 minRomanistanInterview with Frances Roberts ReillyIn this episode of Romanistan, Paulina and Jess interview Frances Roberts Reilly, celebrated Romani writer, producer, filmmaker, and musician from Wales. We discuss her history, her many ongoing projects, her debut poetry collection, Parramisha, and her upcoming projects. You can learn all about Frances at https://francesrobertsreilly.wordpress.com/We include the musical piece "Here He Sleeps" at 1:50, as well as her poems, "Hecate" and "The Dark Hunters" from Parramisha. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Tw...
2022-02-2648 minRomanistanFelicia DeRosa: Artist & ActivistJoin Paulina and Jess in this interview with artist and activist Felicia DeRosa. We discuss her family history, her art career, fortune telling, and her activism, as well as the newly premiered documentary about her life by Angelo Thomas, DeRosa: Life, Love, & Art in Transition. At the time of this episode's release, the documentary is available to watch through the film festival circuit, so you'll have to stay tuned to her social media to catch it. Follow Felicia on Instagram @feliciaderosa, view and purchase her artwork at http://www.derosaart.com/, and support her on Patreon.
2021-12-1859 minRomanistan14: Surviving the HolidaysIn this cozy episode, Paulina and Jess discuss the holiday season. The holidays can be tough, and we discuss why that is, and offer a little advice from the tarot for navigating the season. We also offer a brief history of Winter Solstice celebrations in Europe, and how they became the foundation for many Christmas traditions you may be familiar with today. Shout out to Irish Pagan author and expert Lora O'Brien. We touch on how Thanksgiving in the US is a day of mourning for many Indigenous folks, and why it's important to learn the true history of t...
2021-12-0638 minRomanistan13: Roma and Mental Health with Dr. William LaceyPaulina and Jess discuss mental health and the Romani community with Dr. William Lacey, Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital, the number one children’s hospital in the country for the last 8 years. We cover Will's career, mental health stigma and access for Romani diaspora folks, generational trauma, why Romani suicide rates are higher in Europe than non-Roma, and the basics of seeking mental health support and offering support. We also take this opportunity to speak to Will about his take on the COVID vaccine and COVID precautions as a Romani doctor. We dispel some myths and...
2021-11-191h 08Romanistan12: Love, diversity, and romance novels with writer Talia HibbertOur interview with British Afro-Romani romance writer Talia Hibbert is a delight. Hibbert is a best-selling author known for her sexy, diverse, body-positive, sex-positive, intersectional feminist romance novels. She takes Romanistan co-hosts Paulina and Jess through why she loves to write romance novels, relationship advice, building characters, spirituality, advice for budding writers, and her novel, Take a Hint, Dani Brown. Enjoy this charming interview with a brilliant and creative mind. Talia's romance recommendations for new and seasoned romance readers are Nalini Singh (especially the Psy/Changeling Series), Danielle Allen, Therese Beharrie, Kennedy Ryan, and Beverly Jenkins.
2021-11-0524 minRomanistan11. Ghost StoriesHello, citizens! To get excited for spooooky Halloween, Paulina and Jess tell some family ghost stories and folk tales, and one story called “The Dead Encampment” from the book Russian Gypsy Tales translated by James Riordan. We tell these stories with a casual, lighthearted tone and lots of laughter, so we aim for the sweet spot of scary and fun. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast!You can find us on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpodWe started a Ko-fi fundraiser to help us expa...
2021-10-241h 00Romanistan10: Horror Movies and Representation with Emani JeromeIn this special SpOoOOoky Halloween season episode, Paulina and Jess interview Caribbean-American activist, educator, and scholar Emani Jerome about horror films and representation, with a special focus on race, gender, and class. We're also honored to have Emani as our first non-Romani, or "International Relations" guest! Emani takes us through a list of films, including but not necessarily limited to Get Out, The Witch, Midsommar, Eraserhead, Candy Man, Birth of a Nation, Blacula, The People Under the Stairs, Tales from the Hood, The Wickerman, Poltergeist, Cannibal Holocaust, and more. We also touch on Black Mirror and the intersection of h...
2021-10-101h 46RomanistanRomanistan X Altars Up, Witches: Who's a witch?For this special long episode, Paulina and Jess talk with the hosts of Altars Up, Witches, Kiki Robinson and Ylva Mara Radziszewski, about what it means for them to identity as witches with Romani heritage, how the term witch has been used against Roma and other groups by colonizers/oppressors, and why they reclaim it. We share every day Romani practices we grew up with, like cleaning and bathing, and their folk magic significance. We also discuss balancing spirituality and "superstition" with science and medicine, as well as witchcraft, queerness, and gender, and so much more. We hope you e...
2021-09-211h 33RomanistanInterview with Earl Small, celebrated Romani MMA fighterIn this episode, Paulina and Jess interview the celebrated Romani MMA fighter, Earl Small. We discuss his career, the history of professional fighting in the Romani community, & Small’s hopes for Roma. You can find Earl Small on Instagram at @trouble_302bjj, and check out his matches if you're in the tri-state area.You can find Romanistan Podcast on Instagram @romanistanpodcast, and on Facebook under the same name, and on Twitter @romanistanpod.We started a Ko-fi fundraiser to help us expand. Our goal is to release 2 episodes a month, create video content, like an advice col...
2021-09-1338 minRomanistan7: Interview with L.L. Junior, Hungarian Romani RapperHey, it's Paulina and Jess bringing you an exciting interview with the renowned and talented rapper and R&B singer, L.L. Junior. We got to speak to him over Zoom from Budapest about his career, Romani music, how he identifies as a rebel, his musical influences and icons, and more. You can find L.L. Junior on Instagram at @l.l.junior, on YouTube at lljuniorofficial, and on Spotify. We are delighted that we had permission to use some of his music, including "Fekete Vonat" - Mindent A Szerelemért (Cigányul ) as our intro music, as...
2021-08-2930 minRomanistan5: Romani Resistance DayPaulina and Jess tell the story of Romani Resistance Day, May 16, 1944, and share the story of teenage Romani resistance fighter, Alfreda Markowska. We need your help to get Dr. Ethel Brooks reappointed to the United States Holocaust Council. Use this link here for a template letter to send to your representatives. Our resources for this episode: Pierre Chopinaud, "The Forgotten History of Romani Resistance," Open Societies FoundationJud Nirenberg, Johann Trollman and Romani Resistance to the NazisWe think you'll also love the recently released book, Re-thinking Roma R...
2021-05-1615 minRomanistan4: Ederlezi, May 6It's our Ederlezi celebration episode, featuring beautiful interviews with Julika Drabarni and Ivana Nikolic about their experiences celebrating Ederlezi with their families. We also have a gorgeous rendition of Ederlezi with Tatiana Eva Marie and the Haimana Gypsy Band. Also, Paulina realizes that the holiday she celebrated with her family is actually Ederlezi, and Jess recounts the time she inserted herself as an educator into an Ederlezi celebration she was hired to dance at, and discovering the event was actually not put on by any Roma.We're wishing everyone who celebrates a wonderful holiday, and all of...
2021-05-0629 minRomanistan3: International Roma Day!Happy International Roma Day, y'all! On 4/8, we have a lot to celebrate, and we have some hard truths to tell about the persistence of Romani persecution. We are sharing some things you can do to celebrate this International Roma Day, and we're putting out a call for stories from Roma and related groups about their experiences with antigypsyism. Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com. Also, we have a bonus interview with Jess' grandma this episode!Our mentionsOutdoor & masked Roma Day parade in NYC in Jackson Heights, Queens at Diversity Plaza at 6 PM...
2021-04-0621 minRomanistanFortune Telling: There's a lot to sayIn this episode, Paulina and Jess discuss their families' fortune telling trades, their own fortune telling careers, a brief history of Roma and fortune telling, the Gypsy fortune teller trope, cultural appropriation and tarot, controversies within the Romani community, fortune telling ethics, how to lift up other Romani fortune tellers, and getting paid. Some of our mentions in this episode are as follows:Romatopia PodcastKendji Girac, French Romani Singer L.L. Junior, Hungarian Romani rapperSelma Selman, Get the Heck to School charitySaira Ziga https://www.instagram.com/romanitarot/
2021-03-2339 minRomanistanYour Friendly Neighborhood GypsiesIn this episode share how we connect with our Romani identity, our family histories, our work as fortune tellers (and our other work too), and how we see ourselves as empowered outcasts. We also let you know what we have in store for the future. We reclaim the slur Gypsy, but if you're not Romani, we prefer you don't use it. xoxoFollow us on Instagram! @romanistanpodcastFollow Paulina @_paulina_v_Follow Jess @jezmina.vonthieleOrganizations and people mentioned are as follows:Mihaela Drăgan on Instagram @kali.mihaela...
2021-02-0625 min