Several songs in this project have touched on the importance of family in Roma culture. The lifelong bond between parents and their children is essential to Slovak Roma, so it’s no surprise so many of their songs are about this very bond – giving thanks for parents,...
“I’m black,” declare the singers from the first bars of this lively song. It’s a bold declaration that carries racial connotations: “Black” is a term used to speak of Roma in both the Slovak and Romani languages… not always positively. But rather than irony or...
When asked about their favorite songs to perform, most members of the Luna Kecerovce band answered this one, Phen mange mamo (Mama, Tell Me). This was obvious during the recording session – all the musicians lit up when they played it. “I love the bossa nova jazz...
When asked about the meaning of this song, the members of Luna - usually a lively bunch - suddenly become quiet and thoughtful. “It's complicated, it’s all about death and sadness,” says Patrik Ferčak, one of the vocalists on this track. The song expresses itself with...
Only a few generations ago, many Roma lived a nomadic lifestyle. They moved in camps from one village to the next, repairing metal tools, training horses, doing odds and ends… and of course, entertaining the locals with their music. Today, very few Roma still travel...
