Romanistan

Here's the edited release of Tales from Romanistan: A Night of Romani Storytelling, our first live show, in New Orleans, LA at Cafe Istanbul, 3/28/2025! Hosted by Paulina Stevens [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic/] and Jezmina Von Thiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele/], Produced by Bimbo Yaga, Cast includes Tsarina Hellfire [https://www.instagram.com/tsarina_hellfire/], Moonbear [https://www.instagram.com/oh_moonbear/], Milly Raccoon [https://www.instagram.com/millyraccoon/], Bimbo Yaga [https://www.instagram.com/bimboyaga/], and our editor and musician, Viktor! Photos by Arian Aragon [https://www.instagram.com/notsohumblecuba/]. Special thanks to our cast, crew, and everyone who attended! Special shoutout to the sweet couple who flew in from Ohio! And thank you to our sponsors for this event, Weiser Books [https://redwheelweiser.com/] and Emerald Comics Distro [https://emeraldcomicsdistro.com/].  Jezmina's poem "White Caravan" [https://www.zoeglossia.org/zgp66-jessica-reidy]first appeared in Zoeglossia. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcast/?hl=en], and on Twitter @romanistanpod [https://twitter.com/romanistanpod?lang=en]. To support us, Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/romanistanpodcast] for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan [https://ko-fi.com/romanistan], and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much.  Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele?igsh=MWo2NWhzZHhkdDUxdA==] & Paulina @romaniholistic [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic?igsh=MXhrMm05MDR6bGVkbg==].  You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://redwheelweiser.com/book/secrets-of-romani-fortune-telling-9781578638581/], online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser [https://gofund.me/681f8e97] if you can.  Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com [romanistanpodcast@gmail.com] for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas With Music by Viktor Pachas [https://victorpachas.bandcamp.com/] And Artwork by Elijah Vardo [https://www.instagram.com/elijahvardo/]

Welcome to our teaser for our first live show recording, and a recap! We hosted our first Welcome to Romanistan Festival in New Orleans, featuring six events that brought together incredible queer and trans Romani performers from across the country. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME! The festival showcased Romani culture through academic panels, live performances, fortune telling, ancestral rituals, and traditional cuisine. It also celebrated the release of our first book, Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://redwheelweiser.com/book/secrets-of-romani-fortune-telling-9781578638581/]! • Kicked off with "Romani Tropes and Contributions in Pop Culture" panel at the Hotel Monteleone as part of the Tennessee Williams Festival • Hosted "Tales from Romanistan" live show featuring Millie Raccoon (fiddle/vocals), Moon Bear (drag), Serena Hellfire (burlesque), and Ylva/Bimbo Yaga (ritual performance)-- soon to be released! • Conducted "Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling" pop-up at the Mystic Resource Center • Led "Stewarding Traditions" with Lilith Dorsey, featuring a literary panel and blessing ritual with a community fire • Taught our "Tarot and Ancestor Communication" workshop! You can take more workshops online and/or in person here [https://jezminavonthiele.com/classes-and-workshops/]! • Concluded with "Bibi's Kitchen" featuring traditional Romani cooking, music, and tea leaf reading as part of the Tennessee Williams Festival Special thanks to our sponsors: Weiser Books, Emerald Comics Distro, Cottage Magic, and especially to Bimbo Yaga (Ylva) [https://www.instagram.com/bimboyaga/]who was instrumental in making the festival happen. AND THANK YOU TO DONORS AND ATTENDEES! Photos from the events are available on our Instagram @romanistanpodcast Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcast/?hl=en], and on Twitter @romanistanpod [https://twitter.com/romanistanpod?lang=en]. To support us, Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/romanistanpodcast] for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan [https://ko-fi.com/romanistan], and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much.  Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele?igsh=MWo2NWhzZHhkdDUxdA==] & Paulina @romaniholistic [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic?igsh=MXhrMm05MDR6bGVkbg==].  You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Romani-Fortune-Telling-Divining-Palmistry/dp/1578638585], online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser [https://gofund.me/681f8e97] if you can.  Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com [romanistanpodcast@gmail.com] for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas With Music by Viktor Pachas [https://victorpachas.bandcamp.com/] And Artwork by Elijah Vardo [https://www.instagram.com/elijahvardo/]

Orhan Tahir is a Romani lawyer, scholar and journalist, originally from Bulgaria, who has lived in Western Europe for the past 10 years. He is currently engaged as a PhD researcher in Political Science at the Heidelberg University in Germany. Orhan's focus is on the construction of "Gypsies" as an outcast "Pariah people" in European imagination in line with the Orientalist narratives of colonial India, and the impact of this concept on modern perceptions of Roma. He is among the first scholars in Europe to examine the situation of the Roma from the perspective of "caste" - a new approach still unpopular in European academia. Orhan's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/orhan-t-a75254108/] Our Romani crush is the artist and anarchist, Helios Gomez [https://www.heliosgomez.org/ ] Some information about enslaved African's language heritage https://wordscr.com/what-language-did-slaves-speak/ [https://wordscr.com/what-language-did-slaves-speak/] https://www.nps.gov/ethnography/aah/aaheritage/sysMeaningA.htm [https://www.nps.gov/ethnography/aah/aaheritage/sysMeaningA.htm]  Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcast/?hl=en], and on Twitter @romanistanpod [https://twitter.com/romanistanpod?lang=en]. To support us, Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/romanistanpodcast] for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan [https://ko-fi.com/romanistan], and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much.  Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele?igsh=MWo2NWhzZHhkdDUxdA==] & Paulina @romaniholistic [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic?igsh=MXhrMm05MDR6bGVkbg==].  You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Romani-Fortune-Telling-Divining-Palmistry/dp/1578638585], online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser [https://gofund.me/681f8e97] if you can.  Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com [romanistanpodcast@gmail.com] for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas With Music by Viktor Pachas [https://victorpachas.bandcamp.com/] And Artwork by Elijah Vardo [https://www.instagram.com/elijahvardo/]

Klaudia Farkas is a Romani woman, Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) since 2010, a self-taught herbalist since 2014, and an esthetician since 2020. She is the founder and owner of Romani Roots and Romani Roots Skincare and Herbal Remedies, based in the heart of Noe Valley, San Francisco. With a passion for holistic wellness, Klaudia blends her extensive knowledge in healthcare, natural remedies, and skincare to empower others on their journey to health and self-care. Visit her website https://romani-roots-skincare.chrone.work/ [https://romani-roots-skincare.chrone.work/] and follow her at @romaniroots [https://www.instagram.com/romaniroots/] on Instagram.  Romani crushes this episode are Meghan Ores [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romani-bath-and-beauty-with-meghan-ores-of-luludi/id1553360160?i=1000586989246] of Luludi [https://www.luludisoap.com/]and Jennileen Joseph [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/herbal-medicine-with-jennileen-joseph-of/id1553360160?i=1000599263534] of Sastimos Holistic Health [https://www.sastimoshealth.com/] (listen to our interviews with both of them!) Also shoutout to ally and poet Liv Mammone [https://livmammonepoems.com/] who writes powerful poetry about disability, werewolves, and more. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcast/?hl=en], and on Twitter @romanistanpod [https://twitter.com/romanistanpod?lang=en]. To support us, Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/romanistanpodcast] for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan [https://ko-fi.com/romanistan], and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much.  Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele?igsh=MWo2NWhzZHhkdDUxdA==] & Paulina @romaniholistic [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic?igsh=MXhrMm05MDR6bGVkbg==].  You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Romani-Fortune-Telling-Divining-Palmistry/dp/1578638585], online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser [https://gofund.me/681f8e97] if you can.  Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com [romanistanpodcast@gmail.com] for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas With Music by Viktor Pachas [https://victorpachas.bandcamp.com/] And Artwork by Elijah Vardo [https://www.instagram.com/elijahvardo/]

"Seeking Warmth," an art exhibit curated by artist Sharon Svec, held at Art At The Cave in Vancouver, WA running March 4-29, 2025 [https://artatthecave.com/calendar-1], aims to explore humanity's need for emotional and physical warmth, especially during times of extreme circumstances such as those caused by genocide, war, oppression and neglect. Ceija Stojka [https://www.ceijastojka.org/] (1933-2013) was a child survivor of the Romani Holocaust (Samudaripen) who began sharing her experiences in written and painted format in 1988 at age 55. She is recognized as a bold activist of Roma, who continue to face persecution today. Sam Marroquin [https://www.smarroquin.com/confronting-the-madness/] works in collage and paint to expose current and historical trauma within society, emphasizing systems that mask the atrocities against humanity. Daniel Baker [https://danielbakers.weebly.com/] examines the role of artistic practice as a form of social agency with a focus on Roma aesthetics.  Read The Memoirs of Ceija Stojka, Child Survivor of the Roma Holocaust, translated by Lorely French [https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/memoirs-of-ceija-stojka-child-survivor-of-the-romani-holocaust/C9D230A17067338662B5858A3BCD83C9] Follow @sharonimous [https://www.instagram.com/sharonimous/], @cave.gallery.vancouver [https://www.instagram.com/cave.gallery.vancouver/], @ceijastojka_int_association [https://www.instagram.com/ceijastojka_int_association/], @danielbakerarts [https://www.instagram.com/danielbakerarts/] Our Romani crush is Susie.  CN: from minute 42-44 we discuss a story involving suicide. Skip ahead if you don't want to listen. Reach out for support if you feel vulnerable. You are not alone. Here are Crisis Hotlines That Don't Call The Cops [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/blog/suicide-and-mental-health-crisis-resources-that-don-t-involve-the-police-911-or-988] Welcome to Romanistan Festival [https://www.romanistanpodcast.com/romanistan-festival-neworleans] March 28-30, 2025 in New Orleans! Visit our website for tickets and events! Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/romanistanpodcast/?hl=en], and on Twitter @romanistanpod [https://twitter.com/romanistanpod?lang=en]. To support us, Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/romanistanpodcast] for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan [https://ko-fi.com/romanistan], and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much.  Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele [https://www.instagram.com/jezmina.vonthiele?igsh=MWo2NWhzZHhkdDUxdA==] & Paulina @romaniholistic [https://www.instagram.com/romaniholistic?igsh=MXhrMm05MDR6bGVkbg==].  You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling [https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Romani-Fortune-Telling-Divining-Palmistry/dp/1578638585], online or wherever books are sold. Visit romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Please support our book tour fundraiser [https://gofund.me/681f8e97] if you can.  Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com [romanistanpodcast@gmail.com] for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas With Music by Viktor Pachas [https://victorpachas.bandcamp.com/] And Artwork by Elijah Vardo [https://www.instagram.com/elijahvardo/]