Saint Sara: Patron saint of the Romani people

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 28 June 2024

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Roma photographer Artúr Čonka joins the annual Romani pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the south of France. Thousands of Romani from across western Europe gather in the small town in Provence each year to honour their patron saint, Sara-la-Kâli, who represents motherly love, is a protector of the oppressed, and is even said to help couples conceive. It is Artúr's first time on the pilgrimage and is keen to uncover the legends behind this enigmatic saint and what she represents to the Romani community today. The streets are packed with musicians playing rumba, flamenco and manouche jazz. Artúr meets writer and scrap metal dealer Kerensa Smith, film-maker and journalist Jake Bowers and Dutch pilgrim Kali Van Esch who has been coming every year since she was a baby.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Sarah, Sarah's Sarah's saint and friend.
0:07.0	Listen to me, I beg you.
0:10.0	Sarah, Sarah,ainte in front.
0:14.0	He may voice my voice to praise.
0:17.0	Come on a line.
0:20.0	You're listening to the documentary from the BBC World Service. I'm Artachonka and this is heart and soul.
0:28.0	Exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.
0:33.0	As a Roma and a Christian, I've always wanted to join the pilgrimage to the south of France for Saint Sarah, the patron
0:45.6	the saint of the Romani people.
0:47.6	In Romineers, Serra Gai, which means Sarah black or dark.
0:55.0	St Marie de la Mer is a small town in the south of France
0:59.0	where every year the Romani community gather in their thousands to honor St. Sarah.
1:05.0	Tomorrow, Friday, her statute is carried out by the members of the Romani community in a huge procession.
1:14.0	You walk that way?
1:16.0	It's nice to see
1:20.0	very many people just enjoying themselves and just spending their money.
1:26.0	And there's on top of that you've also got tourists or just fascinated with our culture.
1:32.0	My name is
1:33.2	name is Tadaki. Tadaki.
1:35.0	Nice to meet you.
1:36.0	Nice to meet you.
1:37.0	We are from England.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.