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Summary for: Khamoro Festival brings gypsy jazz, Romani beats and colorful parades to PragueWhen Roma cultures from all around the world meet, collide and fuse in one place.
Now in its 28th year, the Khamoro (the Romani word for “sun”) World Roma Festival is back in Prague from May 24-30 at the initiative of the Slovo 21 association and Studio Production Saga.
Driven by a mission to bring together Roma traditions from all over Europe and connect the Roma minority with the rest of society through art and music, Khamoro kicks off on Sunday with an open-air launch party on Střelecký Ostrov.
Romani cultures come to Prague
“We want to show that Roma musicians do not stay only with traditional music, but also conquer the fields of pop, rap, funk and other modern musical styles,” explained Džemil Silajdžić, the festival’s producer.
On stage, expect some of the best-known hits from Kaminiko, one of the most popular Romani bands around, the enchanting beats and lyrics of Ladix B mixing rap, pop, electro and funk, experience the enthralling energy of 4Gypsy Soul, or bask in the angelic voice of Chomutov-born Natálie Kuchárová, now the lead singer of the well-known band Kale.
Throughout the whole of next week, multiple concerts are planned in some of Prague’s top venues to present the best of what Romani music – both contemporary and traditional – has to offer.
Jazz, rap, punk and flamenco
Here are some of the best performances to check out:
- Carrying on the legacy of icon Django Reinhardt, the Reinhardt Sinti Jazz Ensemble will fill Jazz Dock with the devilish rhythms of gypsy jazz on May 25.
- Switching genres, world-famous musician Santino Spinelli Alexian is bringing his family ensemble Alexian Group to the storied halls of the Clam Gallas Palace for a classical music concert not to miss on May 27.
- La Fabrika will host two eclectic concerts of traditional Romani music. On May 28, you can look forward to an inspiring mix of performances from the Gipsy Brothers (Czechia), a dose of Eastern Romani culture with the Enigma Romalor ensemble (Moldova) and a show for the ages mixing flamenco with jazz and contemporary ballet by Sangre Gitana (Spain).
- The next day, Khamoro takes us further is our meandering through the diversity of European Roma music. A dance spectacle of csapás by Hungarian group Vojake Shave will give way to Bulgaria’s famed brass band Karandila Orchestra and Lithuania’s Sare Roma ensemble.
The schedule, venues and tickets for all festival concerts can be found here.
Roma minority in Czechia: About 21,000 people declared themselves Roma in the latest 2021 census, but experts estimate their real numbers to be around 250,000, making it one of the largest minorities in Czechia. Present on the territory of the Habsburg monarchy since the 15th century, Czechoslovakia’s Romani population was in large parts exterminated during the Holocaust. From education to employment, housing and political representation, they still suffer from social and economic exclusion as well as entrenched prejudices today.
Art, movies and a joyful parade
But Khamoro is also about much more than music, with a rich accompanying program of art exhibitions, theater, film screenings and discussions planned throughout the week in selected Prague venues.
“I’m Romani. Is that a problem?” will be the theme of Khamoro’s first-ever puppet-debate, an innovative format developed by Prague’s DAMU school and Archa Theater.
Meanwhile, the Goethe Institute will host a play on the famous Romani boxer Johann Rukeli Trollmann in 1930’s Germany, and the Cervantes Institute will screen the movie The Great Gypsy Round-Story of a Genocide on the 18th-century persecution of Roma people in Spain, as well as a documentary exploring the Romani roots of Charlie Chaplin.
Small art exhibitions will also be freely accessible at Kampus Hybernská and WAID Bar & Coffee.
The festival will culminate on Friday, May 29, with the exuberant traditional parade – a beloved staple of the festival – when Romani artists and performers, joined by enthusiastic passersby, will march, dance and sing in a joyous musical procession from Wenceslas Square to the Old Town.
Most of these side events are free to attend. You can find the full list here.
