Kinga Povedák: Sonic healing in Christian Roma communities

We invite you to a seminar, where Dr. habil. Kinga POVEDÁK from University of Szeged, Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology will present a lecture Sonic healing in Christian Roma communities.

Drawing on ethnographic research among Hungarian-speaking Christian Roma communities in the Gemer region, this talk explores how believers negotiate their religious and ethnic identities through multiple sonic strategies. Examining a range of musical practices—from those that consciously minimize ethnic markers to grassroots original Roma compositions—reveals how Roma participants simultaneously challenge and reimagine social boundaries. This collective creativity functions as a form of sonic healing, addressing wounded collective identities and fostering social recognition. By foregrounding religious musicking as a vital coping mechanism, the presentation underscores its role in reshaping marginalized Roma communities’ self-image and resisting racist stereotypes. Ultimately, the talk posits that investigating musical epistemologies is crucial for understanding the transformative power of religious Roma music in cultivating resilience and cultural affirmation.