Khamoro - Romany musician Harri Stojka: "Roma in the Czech Republic need to integrate"
The Khamoro world Roma festival is once again under way in Prague. For the
eighth year running Roma musicians have been flocking to the Czech capital
from all over Europe and the United States to perform everything from Gypsy
jazz to traditional Roma folk songs. The festival has also been offering
film screenings, book readings, and an exhibition of photographs. It all
culminates with a gala concert of traditional music and an international
seminar - a tribute to Milena Hubschmannova, who founded the Romany
studies department at Prague's Charles University and died last year.
While the festival's main goal is to introduce Roma culture and traditions
to the rest of society, it also hopes to bring the different Roma
communities from around the world closer to one another. Viennese
guitarist Harri Stojka presented his project "A Tribute to
Swing" at Prague's renowned jazz club Reduta. He may live just a few
kilometres away from the Czech-Austrian border but believes the lives of
the Roma in Austria and those in the Czech Republic are worlds apart. Dita
Asiedu met up with him after the show:
"I grew up in Vienna in what you would call a gypsy ghetto. We were
very depressed and suppressed and it was horrible for us all at school.
The only way to get out was through sport, music, or any kind of art. My
father always said to me that I need to leave the place. He would say:
'become a musician, famous, and be good and then you won't have to come
back here'."
You'll be turning fifty next year. How have things changed in Vienna since
your childhood?
"We are very close to the east and many gypsies, Turks, Latinos,
blacks, and many Asians are in Vienna now. It's an absolutely
multi-cultural place now. When I was a child we were the gypsies onto whom
the whole 'power' and depression concentrated on. Now, you should see how
everything has completely changed. So, it's good for us."
Do you ever hear about the Czech Republic being criticised about the way
it treats its Roma community? Is there any advice that you would give to
the Roma here?
"All I can say is don't isolate yourself. Go to the people, talk with
them, be friendly, and try to integrate. When I went to New York, I had to
look at the way the people are and could not be the 'loud Austrian with
the beer'. I had to look at how people there reacted and viewed things.
The Roma here should do the same. Just as we do in Vienna. We are very
integrated in most ways but we also have our traditions without disturbing
anyone. In Austria, it works."
For more information on the Khamoro festival, please visit its official
website: www.khamoro.cz
| 
"We are very close to the east and many gypsies, Turks, Latinos,
blacks, and many Asians are in Vienna now. It's an absolutely
multi-cultural place now. When I was a child we were the gypsies onto whom
the whole 'power' and depression concentrated on. Now, you should see how
everything has completely changed. So, it's good for us."
Related articles
Also in section "News"
Most popular articles