Nevertoomuchchocolate - ⭐️Ciao⭐️

10 Ways to Appreciate Romani Culture

1. Attend a Festival

Festivals are a great way to partake in a culture different from your own. Romani people have numerous festivals throughout the year, many of which are open events and welcoming to non-Roma participants. Festivals, such as the Appleby Horse Fair, Khamoro, and the California Herdeljezi Festival, are all great examples of open cultural events that allow you to actively participate in aspects of Romani culture.  For a list of some more Romani festivals, click here!

2. Consume Romani Media

Romani media is completely underrated. There are a plethora of great producers, actors, musicians, and radio personalities who are ethnic Roma. Consuming media is one way we can actively engage with and learn about another culture without being disrespectful. 

For a list of Romani media, click here!

3. Read a Book

Romani authors are plentiful, and with a larger-than-ever presence of Roma on the internet, Romani books and poetry are becoming much more accessible. There are numerous books that have been translated from the Romani language in English, Russian, Hungarian, French, Spanish, and various other languages. A quick internet search can now produce comprehensive lists of ethnic Romani authors. 

4. Buy Real “Gypsy” Fashion

Retailers, such as Romani Design, and the Tzigania Store, have made Romani-inspired clothing and jewelry accessible to and designed for both Roma and non-Roma. If you like traditional Romani motifs, purchasing clothing from a store like Romani Design not only supports ethnic Romani designers, but also allows you to consume Romani fashion in a way that is not appropriative. 

If you’d like to learn more about appropriation versus appreciation, click here!

5. Learn a Language

While Roma have varying opinions on non-Roma learning our language, generally speaking, learning a foreign language is one way to appreciate a different culture.There’s also the added benefit that knowing more than one language has been proven to positively impact brain function. There are several reputable books and websites that can assist in Romani language learning endeavors. 

6. Support Romani Art

Support Romani arts by purchasing Romani art, or going to galleries where Romani art is featured. As Roma, our traditional artwork is often overlooked and comes second to non-Romani depictions of us. Supporting Romani arts and efforts to preserve Romani arts has a profound impact on our communities, and allows you to appreciate Romani culture.  To learn more about Romani arts initiatives, click here!

7. Donate to Romani Causes

One way to appreciate Romani culture and ensure its preservation is to actively support Romani rights causes by donating to NGOs or participating in human rights events centered on Romani rights. There are numerous existing organizations that help Roma around the world. However, some of these organizations struggle to receive proper funding, or are promised funding that becomes tied up and “lost” by incompetent politicians.  For a list of Romani NGOs, click here!

8. Learn Our History

Learning about the history of our people and culture allows you to better appreciate it. Sometimes, history can help put culture into context. Why people continue to practice certain traditions can be as important as the tradition itself. Learning about the history of Romani people can also give non-Roma perspective as to why we keep certain aspects of our culture guarded. Understanding closed versus open cultures, and what that entails, can be a great way to show appreciation for a particular culture.  To learn more about Romani history, click here!

9. Listen to Music

Romani music is both diverse and beautiful. We have a rich musical history and our contributions to modern music genres are often underappreciated. We had a great influence in European classical music, as well as Jazz and Flamenco. Listening to Romani music is a great way to appreciate Romani culture. Some excellent musicians are Ando Drom, Esma Redzepova, Via Romen, and Gipsy Kings, among others. Check out this page for some more Romani musicians by country!

10. Lend an Ear

Sometimes the biggest appreciation we can give is to listen to people speak about their own culture. If we say something misrepresents us, or is offensive, it’s probably because it is. There are many depictions of Roma that are steeped in racism, whether we realize it or not. If members of the Romani community ask you to respect our culture, the biggest appreciation you can give is just listening to us. Listening to ethnic Roma speak about our culture, or reading and sharing articles written by ethnic Roma are both ways of appreciating Romani culture.

The Chauvet cave, France, the art of prehistory.

In 1994, three friends discovered in the south of France a cave with magnificent cave paintings, more than 30,000 years old.

Under the ground of the Ardèche region, an invaluable treasure is hidden for its antiquity, its conservation and the pictorial quality of the representations; one of the oldest and most splendid examples of Arieñaciense parietal art, dating approx. between 40,000 and 30,000 B.C.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWfRerMFMCO/?igshid=yqzbqgvny71t

Summer swimming tip for trans guys and Non binary folks!

I almost didnt go swimming or to the beach all summer because of how anxious and uncomfortable just thinking about being in a wet t shirt and sports bra would make me.

But this company saved me. They’re called Outplay and seem to be mainly advertised towards females but not to the point where navigating the website is unbearable. The flatsea compression shirt is the most comfortable binder I’ve ever worn. Its thicker than a bathing suit but doesnt make you overheat and you dont stay wet longer than normal after getting out of the water either.

I got a size small and with high compression and couldnt be more happy with the results. Its comfortable enough to wear all day at the beach and is more comfortable to wear as a regular binder. My weight has also fluctuated while I’ve owned this binder and when my stomach was bigger the material didnt roll at all. It will run you about $65 (shipping included)for a great transitional binder and it seemed worth it to me.

Happy Lesbian visibility day to:

🌈 Butches, studs, and masculine lesbians

🌈 Lesbians who are big, loud, hairy, tall, muscular, unfeminine and described as too much and stereotypical

🌈 Femmes who hear "men don't like girls like that" often because people assume they are doing femininity "wrong"

🌈 Gold-star lesbians

🌈 Lesbians who are not gold-star

🌈 Lesbians who are man-hating feminists

🌈 Lesbians who experience dysphroria, who are or have been on T, and lesbians who have reidentified and detransitioned

Constant visibility is hard, homophobia is exhausting, and political and moralizing baggage pushed upon our very existence can drag you down. Sometimes we feel like we could use a break from being so visible all the time.

This day is about solidarity and strength within our community. We stand up tall to support others, to lead the way, to prove that is possible to live like we do.

To exist openly as a Lesbian is brave and revolutionary. Never forget that you are a beacon of hope to others like you.

save for yourself and for future generations