Daily Archives: October 16, 2022

Hungary: Fekete Vonat

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Hungary: Fekete Vonat

The music group “Fekete Vonat” [Black Train] has reunited and released a new album. They played together for only five years, and it has been twenty years since the band broke up.

The band was founded in 1997. It got its name from the train transporting workers during the Kádár era. The black train brought and took workers from Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county to the capital and the country’s major cities. Among the passengers there were many unskilled Roma helpers living in segregation.

With this choice of name, the Fekete Vonat band announced their support for the Hungarian Roma and the importance of the fight against segregation and racism. That is why around the turn of the millennium they enjoyed huge popularity among the Roma in Hungary and abroad, and the whole country was in love with their songs and soundscape.

Bulgaria: OMG!

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Very recently, a discussion started in Bulgaria as to whether the singer Preslava, who is famous in Bulgaria might be a part or fully Romani. She did not comment on it …

And frankly, so what?

Hungary: Teachers Protests

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Katalin Törley, a teacher in the Ferenc-Kölcsey High School is one of five teachers who were recently fired for having circumvented a right to strike that had become impossible to exercise. These firings prompted unprecedented protests in Hungary.

What is less known is that Katalin Törley, on a part time basis is providing school support for young Roma.

French Chronicle …

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Not many news this week about Roma in France, which is not surprising, as there are more pressing subjects in France right now such as the strike in the oil refineries which are causing real problems …

First a reportage in a Roma camp on Paris’ outskirts and with the people helping the residents. Then, an article about ca. 10’000 children who are not enrolled in schools in France, in spite of the law requiring it. This led some Roma last week to sure mayors of towns who refused to enrol their children. Finally, the announcement of a festival in Toulouse.

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