Music as an important ‘language’ Tabor

[TABOR Gypsymusic]

TABOR: Music as an important ‘language’ to pass a message 10/02/12
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Music as an important ‘language’ to pass a message 

Opening up 2012 the Sinti band Tabor released its new album ‘Teli Lichta’ (under the light, in Romani-language). Eleven beautiful tracks , for the first time nearly all sung in Sinti-Romanes, with its text written down and translated into English in the accompanying stylish booklet. Recently, a first proper occasion for a CD-hand out arose. The two leading musicians of the band, Roger Moreno Rathgeb and Piroschka Triska, accepted the invitation to meet with the Council of Europe delegation on its country visit to the Netherlands (25th of January, at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Hague).
The meeting took place on the occasion of the fourth monitor of the Dutch implementation of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. The Netherlands recognizes Romani-chib as one of the languages to be looked after, as part of the European cultural heritage. As usually is the case a Sinti and Roma delegation discussed with the Committee of Experts the state of the art of the Romani-language: how vital as means of communication, in daily speech or in public education; whether the public authorities stimulate and facilitate its use, for example in media, by procuring a dialogue with the speakers of this language. 
With this respect, Roma as well as Sinti all agreed that there is certainly ‘room for improvement’. Roger and Piroschka took the opportunity to join in the frank exchange, together with the other Sinti and Roma speakers, showing that music is not their only driving force but a vehicle - a beautiful one - for promoting Sinti and Roma culture. Language experts, the speakers themselves, as well as the deputies of departments were happy to get that message.

Peter Jorna

www.tabor-music.nl