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March 23, 2007, 4:43PM
Giving it a whirl
Folkloric dancers from Rajasthan showcase Colors of Gypsy traditions By EILEEN MCCLELLAND Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle The global dance and music extravaganza Gypsy Caravan of 2001 was the most popular show ever hosted by the Indo-American Association of Houston. The show traced the folkloric dance traditions of the Romas, or Gypsies, who began migrating westward from India in the 11th century. As they moved, their style evolved, eventually becoming flamenco in Spain. Hari Dayal, president of Indo-American Association of Houston, decided to try to replicate Caravan's electricity, but with a narrower focus. He recruited 20 dancers and musicians from Rajasthan in western India, thought to be the original home of the Gypsies. Dayal then brought the performers together for rehearsals in India. The resulting show, Colors of Gypsies of Rajasthan, will be performed in Houston, Austin and New York. "The dance is sinuous, very vibrant, and there's a lot of circling, a lot of whirling, almost like whirling dervishes at times," said Robert Browning, executive and artistic director of the World Music Institute of New York, who organized the first show. "It's brilliantly costumed. Very exotic." Folk dancer Gulabo, known as the Desert Rose, will direct the ensemble. Gulabo has traveled the world showcasing her art since she first performed in the United States in 1986. She was 17. Gypsy Carvan included dancers from Rajasthan as well as Russia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Spain. "The two biggest hits in the program were the Rajasthan and the Romanian groups," Browning said. "The group from Romania has since played at Carnegie Hall. It was a great tour." Browning said he had been inspired by the 1992 film Latcho Drom (Safe Journey), directed by Tony Gatlif, who was born in Algeria and is of French and Gypsy descent. The musical documentary not only traces Gypsy migration, it addresses centuries of persecution of the Gypsies. "That movie profiled a whole lot of Gypsy troupes, from Rajasthan through Spain," Browning said. "We obviously couldn't present all the groups in the movie, but we did six groups." In 1999, Gypsy Caravan had a migration of its own, visiting 18 cities in the United States and Canada, where it sold out 1,000- to 2,500-seat halls. The tour was repeated in 2001, when it came to Houston as Gypsy Caravan II. Americans of all backgrounds continue to be interested in Gypsy folkloric traditions, Browning said, particularly those from South Asia, who want to reclaim that distinctive part of their culture. "Many of them were musicians to the court and so their tradition combines classical traditions of India with various folk forms. To say they are Gypsies is a little confusing because nobody knows who the Romany people were originally," Browning explained. "We know they came from Rajasthan, though. " Also interested are practitioners of Spain's flamenco traditions. "This is a romantic thing, a romantic idea of the Gypsies coming out of India and ending up especially in Spain, where they are best known as dancers. Tracing the roots of flamenco back to Indian dance. Many dancers do both Indian traditional dance and flamenco." That appeal has translated to tourism as well. "Rajasthan is perhaps one of the most colorful states in India, and tourism-wise, Rajasthan is the No. 1 destination right now," Dayal said. "It's desert, arid and dry but the people are very warm. They open their hearts to visitors." RESOURCES COLORS OF GYPSIES OF RAJASTHAN • WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday • WHERE: Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas • TICKETS: $20-75; 281-648-0422 or www.iaahouston.comeileen.mcclelland@chron.com Labels: Dance, Gypsy, Gypsy Carvan, Rajasthan, Roma
COUGAR FUND ACTION ALERT - Nevada Cougar Bill
COUGAR FUND ACTION ALERT STOP PROPSED NEVADA BILL A.B. 259 Bill A.B. 259 declares open season on cougars, with no restrictions on how, when or how many cougars can be killed. This bill also allows the hunting of cougars from an aircraft, the use of spring guns, set gun or "other device for destruction"! To learn more about Bill A.B. 259 and to check agenda updates for the hearing on A.B. 259 click on the links below: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/Bills/AB/AB259.pdfhttp://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/reports/committeeindexAssembly.cfm?ID=10Let the committee members know how preposterous this proposed bill is and that allowing for the open killing of any species is an antiquated and irresponsible way to manage a species - especially one that is "extinct" in the eastern United States! Demand that all changes made to the mountain lion management plan be based in peer-reviewed science! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE & STOP THIS BILL NOW! A.B. 259 has been referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining - which is chaired by Jerry Claborn. This committee meets at 1:30 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays in Room 3161 Send your letters to: Assembly Members at this address: c/o Nevada Assembly 401 S. Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701 Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee Members: Jerry Claborn - Chair Phone 775-684-8569 EMail jclaborn@asm.state.nv.usJoseph Hogan - Vice Chair Phone 775-684-8541 Email jhogan@asm.state.nv.usKelvin Atkinson Phone 775-684-8577 EMail katkinson@asm.state.nv.usDavid Bobzien Phone 775-684-8559 EMail dbobzien@asm.state.nv.usRuben Kihuen Phone 775-684-8553 EMail rkihuen@asm.state.nv.usJames Ohrenschall Phone 775-684-8819 EMail johrenschall@asm.state.nv.usDebbie Smith Phone 775-684-8841 EMail dsmith@asm.state.nv.usJohn Carpenter Phone 775-684-8831 EMail jcarpenter@asm.state.nv.usPete Goicoechea Phone 775-684-8573 EMail pgoicoechea@asm.state.nv.usTom Grady Phone 775-684-8507 EMail tgrady@asm.state.nv.usJohn Marvel Phone 775-684-8851 EMail jmarvel@asm.state.nv.usYOUR LETTERS AND COMMENTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! THROUGH PUBLIC INPUT WE ENABLE OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MANGMENT WILDLIFE FOR THE BENEFIT Labels: Cougars, Nevada
COUGAR FUND ACTION ALERT - Oregon Bill 702 & 2971
COUGAR FUND ACTION ALERT Help Save Oregon's Cougars Three new bills have been proposed in the state of Oregon that would allow hunters the opportunity to kill even more cougars. Supporters of these bills claim, once again, that public safety is their concern, yet all these bills do is simply increase sport hunting opportunities. Science has proven that the random killing of cougars does not increase public safety! Oregon hunters are already allowed to kill over 500 cougars each year and the Cougar Management Plan calls for the killing of an additional 782 cougars each year by any means necessary. House bill 2971 would deputize sport hunters as agents of ODFW to officially kill cougars on behalf of the Cougar Management Plan. Despite voters banning hound hunting in both 1994 and 1996, Senate bill 702 will allow sprot hunters to use hounds during the final three months of cougar hunting season. The third bill is yet to be announced. Demand that these senseless bills be stopped. A management plan that is not based in peer-reviewed science will have disastrous results for Oregon's cougar population! The House Agricultural and Natural Resources Committee will hear HB2971 on Tuesday, April 10th at 3:00 PM. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BY APRIL 10TH AND STOP THIS BILL! Attend this hearing or write a letter of opposition to this plan to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the governor, newspapers and this committee! Contact Information: Governor Ted Kulongoski 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-404 Phone: 503-378-4582 Fax: 503-378-6827 House Speaker: Representative Jeff Merkley Phone: 503-986-1200 Address: 900 Court St. NE., 269, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.jeffmerkley@state.or.usHouse Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee: Representative Arnie Roblan, Chair Phone: 503-986-1409 Address: 900 Court St NE, H-292, Salem,, OR, 97301 Email: rep.arnieroblan@state.or.usRepresentative Patti Smith Phone: 503-986-1452 Address: 900 Court St. NE., H-291, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.pattismith@state.or.usRepresentative Brian Boquist Phone: 503-986-1423 Address: 900 Court St NE, H-290, Salem,, OR, 97301 Email: rep.brianboquist@state.or.usRepresentative Ron Maurer Phone: 503-986-1403 Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-391, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.ronmaurer@state.or.usRepresentative Jackie Dingfelder Phone: 503-986-1445 Address: 900 Court St. NE., H-377, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.jackiedingfelder@state.or.usRepresentative Greg Macpherson Phone: 503-986-1438 Address: 900 Court St. NE., H-385, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.gregmacpherson@state.or.usRepresentative Brian Clem Phone: 503-986-1421 Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-278, Salem, OR, 97301 Email: rep.brianclem@state.or.usYOUR LETTERS AND COMMENTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! THROUGH PUBLIC INPUT WE ENABLE OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MANGMENT WILDLIFE FOR THE BENEFIT Labels: Cougars, Oregon
The Bush administration is weighing a proposal that would allow oil and gas development and off-road vehicle use in critical grizzly bear habitat in Wyoming's Shoshone National Forest. We need your immediate online action to protect grizzly bears from this destructive activity. Please act quickly. The deadline for public comments is Wednesday, March 28! Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/bears/takeactionright away and urge the Bush administration to adopt a revised management plan for the Shoshone that protects the forest's remaining wild expanses and declares it off-limits to destructive oil and gas drilling. The vast forests and alpine slopes of the Shoshone supply abundant quantities of army cutworm moths and whitebark pine seeds -- two of the most important foods for grizzlies in our Yellowstone/Greater Rockies BioGem. Pressure is mounting to expand oil and gas development and off-road vehicle use in this key grizzly bear habitat. And scientists predict that global warming will further shrink the bear's habitats by pushing whitebark pine and moths to ever higher elevations. The tall mountains of the Shoshone forest are likely to sustain healthy whitebark pine longer than other parts of Greater Yellowstone and will be essential to the survival of the region's imperiled grizzly bears. Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/bears/takeactionand tell the Bush administration to protect this vital grizzly bear habitat from destructive development. Thank you for defending America's grizzly bears, one of the last wildlife icons of the West. Sincerely, Frances Beinecke President Natural Resources Defense Council Labels: Animal Alerts, Grizzley Bears, Wyoming
Racist discrimination - ugly reality in the EU. Two generations of gypsy representatives take part in the fourth of five 'Crossed Portraits', a series marking 50 years of the EU 2007 is the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. A European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) was created in Vienna at the beginning of the month, complementing the work of the European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia founded in 1998. The gypsy community is the EU’s most important minority and they are struggling hard to put an end to prejudice. January’s Eurobarometer, dedicated especially to the issue of discrimination in honour of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, says that two-thirds of Europeans see discrimination based on ethnic origin as the most wide-spread form in the Union. Also, although 65% of Europeans believe that the presence of different ethnic origins can enrich national culture, 64% believe that ethnic discrimination has increased in the last 5 years. The study also shows that most Europeans believe that gypsies are at a social disadvantage, although the percentages vary from country to country. (MORE)
Labels: Discrimination, Fundamental Rights Agency, Gypsy
By: Hungary Around the Clock 2007-03-14 10:21:00 Lungo Drom chairman Flórián Farkas vowed to take legal action on Tuesday after the inaugural session of the National Gypsy Authority degenerated into a debacle, prompting Lungo Drom representatives to walk out of the meeting held at Duna Palota. The storm erupted when Lungo Drom representative János Kozák was elected National Gypsy Authority leader, rather than the expected Farkas, after the 25-strong Forum of Hungarian Gypsy Organisations nominated the former. The meeting was adjourned and Lungo Drom deputies walked out of the hall. Forum officials and two Lungo Drom members continued proceedings and elected Kozák. Outgoing chairman Orbán Kolompár said "Farkas left because he could not accept someone else being nominated as chairman." Farkas threatened to take legal action and said he expects the public administrative office to void the decisions made at the meeting. Labels: Gypsy, Hungary, National Gypsy Authority, Roma
HSUS to Consumers: Beware of Dog
The HSUS escalated our campaign to protect animals and consumers from widespread abuses by the apparel industry. We filed a legal petition with the Federal Trade Commission seeking to enforce the Fur Products Labeling Act against 14 major retailers and designers concerning false advertising and false labeling of garments with fur trim. And this morning, a day after the "Today" show aired a story, "Good Morning America" also reported on our investigation that turned up products made with fur from dogs and other species -- products that were sold as either fake fur or other types of animal fur in violation of the Federal Fur Products Labeling Act. In response to our investigation, many retailers and designers acted to put customers and animals first -- notably Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, which have both pledged to go fur free within a year. But a disappointing number of stores and designers did not take appropriate action and are listed in our petition. Click here to watch this morning's "Good Morning America" show segment. Or Click here to watch yesterday's "Today" show story. And I want to thank you contacting your U.S. Representative about the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act, which will close the loophole that allowed this deception. Please urge your friends to take action, too. Labels: Dog, Fur, HSUS
80 ethnic Roma women are claiming that they were conned into sterilisation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. While some were forced, others were offered financial incentives to get sterilised in hopes of reducing the fertile Roma population. One woman, Elena Gorolova (37) explained how she joked with the doctor saying they can keep her baby boy at hospital because she wanted a baby girl and how he replied that she better take it because she has been sterilised at the age of 21. While it is believed that the practice ended in 1990 after the end of communist Czechoslovakia, human rights groups say it happened as recent as 2003. According to the Czech embassy in London, sterilisation was not targeted at specific ethnic groups. Source: news.bbc.co.ukLabels: Czechs, Gypsy, Gypsy Children, Gypsy Women, Roma, Slovenia Europe, Sterilisations
EU, 13.3.2007, 10:10, (Blogcritics)
Occasionally a filmmaker succeeds in capturing an authentic aspect of human life and culture. That's always a triumph in this age of formulaic plots and endless sequels. The obscure and intense movies of Tony Gatlif certainly qualify as modern screen gems. Gatlif weaves colorful and musical tapestries of European Gypsy life that are powerful portrayals of one of the oldest and most misunderstood cultures on the planet, the Roma. Gatlif's 2000 film, Vengo, is set in a dusty Gypsy village in southern Spain. Almost all of Spain's passionate flamenco music is performed by Gypsies. And Vengo is notable for the abundance of raw, authentic flamenco performances that are showcased in the film. Even grandma, La Abuela, gets into the act with an a capella performance that couldn't possibly be any more emotional. The rhythms of flamenco come from the soul of Spanish Gypsies, and this movie gives viewers a glimpse of what that really sounds, looks and feels like. Vengo is a powerful exploration of the role of family honor and the age-old practice of blood feuds among ancient cultures that disdain modern law and authority. The Spanish title of the movie, in a classic play on words, suggests that "vengeance" is "coming." Gatilf's early work includes two films that are often cited as the definitive cinematic reflections on Gypsy zeitgeist, Latcho Drom and Gadjo Dilo. Latcho Drom charts the journey of the Roma from their beginnings in the state of Rajahstan in India; through the Middle East, up the Balkans to Central Europe, and ending in France and Spain. Understanding this journey, and the role of music in the lives of the travelers, is key to appreciating the roots of Gypsy culture. Gadjo Dilo, literally translated as "crazy outsider," centers around a story of a young man who embarks on a journey from France to Romania to try to find a singer that he discovers on one of his late grandfather's tapes. In the process, he learns a lot about the life of Gypsies in Central Europe, the cultural bias and ghettos; falls in love, and discovers the full range of Romanian Gypsy music. An examination of European Gypsy life couldn't overlook the famous Manouche Clan of French Gypsies. This clan forever changed the face of jazz with the musical improvisations of Django Reinhardt and his group, The Hot Club Quintet of France. Gatlif's Swing introduces Max, a well-off traditional Parisian sort who encounters an engaging young woman who introduces him to a new world of life, love, music and culture. Both Gadjo Dilo and Swing employ the device of a "stranger" falling in love with an exotic, young Gypsy woman. The Gypsy culture is very different from traditional western societies, and must be understood outside of that context. The persistence of young love provides a mechanism for unfolding the process, level by level. Not for the easily distracted, these movies are highly recommended. Labels: Gypsy, Movies, Roma
Experience gained in combating the Gypsy nuisance, and knowledge derived from race-biological research, have shown that the proper method of attacking the Gypsy problem seems to be to treat it as a matter of race. Experience shows that part-Gypsies play the greatest role in Gypsy criminality. On the other hand, it has been shown that efforts to make the Gypsies settle have been unsuccessful, especially in -the case of pure Gypsies, on account of their strong compulsion to wander. It has therefore become necessary to distinguish between pure and part-Gypsies in the final solution of the Gypsy question.---From Himmler's Circular of Dec. 8, 1938: "Combatting The Gypsy Nuisance" Roma were the only other population besides the Jews who were targeted for extermination on racial grounds in the Final Solution. Determining the percentage or number of Roma who died in the Holocaust is not easy. Much of the Nazi documentation still remains to be analyzed, and many murders were not recorded, since they took place in the fields and forests where Roma were apprehended. The Sinti and Roma of Germany were systematically placed into municipal camps and subjected to forced labor in 1935. Gypsy camps, or Zigeunerlager, usually located on the outskirts of cities, were guarded by the SS and were centers for sterilization and forced labor. These evolved into assembly centers for the systematic deportation to concentration camps. Between June 12th and June 18th 1938, Gypsy Clean-Up Week took place throughout Germany which, like Kristallnacht for the Jewish people that same year, marked the beginning of the end. By the end of the war, between 70% and 80% of the Romani population had been killed by Nazis. Yet Romani were conspicuously absent at the war crimes trials after the war. The extermination attempts of the Roma in the Czech protectorate by the Nazis is one of the underreported features of WWII. One of the reasons given for that is that the Roma concentration camp near Pilsen was mostly staffed by Czechs. To add insult to injury there is now a pig farm on the site which the Czech government has so far failed to relocate. The following is from Romea.cz. Activists want to compensate more Czech Romany Holocaust victims
Prague Ten Romany activists want to re-open the issue of compensation to Czech Romanies who were persecuted during WW2 on racial grounds and had to hide, since the state has not compensated all of them, Cenek Ruzicka, head of the Committee for Compensating the Romany Holocaust Victims, told CTK today. The Romanies have sent their statement to Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, the chairmen of the parliamentary parties and the Government Council for Romany Issues. Ten renowned Romany activists, who met in Karlovy Vary, west Bohemia, on Saturday, say in their statement that the government does not promote Romany integration, and that Romanies themselves want to help improve the situation of their minority. The text was signed, among others, by Ruzicka, Karel Holomek from the Romanies' Association in Moravia, Ladislav Bily from the Board of Romany Regional Representatives and Ondrej Gina who represents Czech Romanies in the European Roma Forum. The statement also mentions the pig farm on the premises of the wartime internment camps for Czech Romanies in Lety, south Bohemia. According to historical documents, some 1,308 Romanies were deported to Lety during WW2, while 326 people perished there and more than 500 of its inmates ended up in the extermination camp in Oswiecim (Auschwitz). A similar internment was also in Hodonin u Kunstatu, south Moravia, where 207 prisoners died and 800 were sent to Auschwitz. At present there is a recreational facility at the same place. "The Romany Holocaust is unfortunately not perceived properly in society, the state and governmental institutions, and consequently concrete steps to redress the wrongs have not been taken," says the statement. According to activists, the law enabling compensation to Romany Holocaust victims determines too strict criteria. Romanies must for instance prove that they were in hiding for at least three months during WW2, Ruzicka said, adding that the law does not reckon with the fact that a number of elderly Romanies are illiterate. A couple of years ago some 8,000 Romanies asked for compensation for wartime sufferings, but only some 300 received it, Ruzicka recalled. "If the proceedings were just, some 30 percent of the applicants should have been compensated," Ruzicka claims. Romany activists have also agreed on concrete steps to improve the situation of the Romany community in the Czech Republic. They insist of Romany representatives working in a new agency to prevent the existence of Romany ghettos. According to an analysis, there are some 300 such deprived localities with predominant Romany population where up to 80,000 people live in the Czech Republic. According to official estimates, there are 200,000 Romanies in the 10-million Czech Republic, however Czech Romanies put the total number of Romanies in the country at about 300,000. Nevertheless during the latest census in 2001, only 11,746 inhabitants claimed to have Romany nationality. Labels: Czech, Gypsy, Holocaust, Roma
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