Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - The Legend of Sara the Black

The legend of Sara the Black is central to understanding the Romani pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Sara is revered as a patron saint of the Romani people and her story is passed down through generations. According to myth, Sara was an Egyptian servant who accompanied Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, Mary Jacobe, Lazarus, and Martha to southern France after being cast adrift in a boat with no oars or sail.

Sara is believed to have been of Egyptian descent, leading to her nickname "the Black." Some legends claim she was a daughter of joy, meaning a prostitute, while others say she was a servant of honor and wisdom. Regardless of her origins, Sara became an integral part of the group, using her fortune-telling abilities to help the refugees avoid capture and persecution.

When the group arrived on the shores of what is now Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Sara chose to stay behind when the others continued their journey. She is said to have spent her remaining years in a cave as a hermit, living off the land. The cave, known as the Sainte Sara cave, can still be visited today.

After her death, Sara was buried in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Her devotion to the group and sacrifice in helping them escape safely cemented her status as a saint. She is now revered as a symbol of protection, freedom, and acceptance by the Romani community.

The legend holds great meaning for Romani pilgrims today. As a patron saint, Sara represents the persecution their people have faced for centuries. Her strength in the face of adversity resonates deeply with a marginalized community that still faces discrimination. Visiting her supposed cave and tomb allows Romani people to connect with their heritage and pay homage to this iconic figure.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Arriving by Sea and Land

Each May, the otherwise sleepy seaside town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer explodes with activity as Romani pilgrims arrive en masse for the annual celebration honoring Saint Sara. For Romani people scattered across Europe, this tiny French village becomes the epicenter of their world for several days. The landscape transforms from salt flats and windswept beaches to a vibrant tent city populated by vardos, the traditional horse-drawn wagons used by Romani travelers.

The Romani diaspora converges on Saintes-Maries by every imaginable form of transportation. Many still embrace the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors, piloting vardos hitched to horses for lengthy overland journeys from as far away as Poland, Romania, and Spain. The clip-clop of hooves heralds their approach as families travel together in intricately carved wagons passed down for generations.

For Romani people less tethered to the old ways, cars, buses, and campers now eased the long trek. Traffic crawls at a snail's pace for miles as an unorganized caravan overwhelms the two-lane highway into town. Makeshift campsites mushroom around parked vehicles once families reach the sacred site.

While the roadways remain jammed with arrivals, the sea also swells with ships embarked on a spiritual voyage. Romani riders saddle up their Andalusian stallions and thunder across the shoreline to enter the water. Evoking the refugees' first salty steps on the saint's eventual resting place centuries ago, riders urge their steeds into the waves, crossing from sea to sand in a ritual cleansing.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - A Melting Pot of Cultures

The crowds flocking to Saintes-Maries are a melting pot of Romani clans hailing from different regions and walks of life. What unites them is a shared heritage and veneration of Saint Sara. However, each group contributes unique traditions, backgrounds, and perspectives to the pilgrimage.

The wide representation reaffirms the diversity within Romani culture. There are at least four major groupings differentiated by occupations, dialects, and customs. This includes the Kalderash, renowned for their skills in metalworking copper and gold. The Lovari speak their own language and produced famous musicians Django Reinhardt and Matelo Ferret. The Machvaya thrive on horse trading and bridal dressmaking. The Romungro hold tightly to Romani law and customs.

Yet even within these distinctions exist nuance. The Kalderash in Spain, for instance, differ from those in Romania. A Caló-speaking Gitan might have a distinct experience from a Sinti man conversant in Romani. They embrace individualism within a cohesive identity.

Vivid colors splash the landscape as pilgrims don their traditional dress. Women drape themselves in swirling skirts, embroidered shawls, and vibrant headscarves representing their origins. Styles range from the flounced dresses of Spanish flamenco dancers to the coin-bedecked attire of women from Romania and Moldova. Gold coins passed down from generation to generation reflect both beauty and wealth.

The men express pride in bespoke suits cut from rich fabrics in emerald, ruby, and sapphire hues. Their wide-brimmed hats are artfully shaped to convey personal style. These elegant threads turn the gathering into a glorious fashion show unmatched in diversity.

Food also expresses regional flair. Over open fires, pots bubble with curries and vegetable stews called ratatouille that reflect Indian and French influences. Polish families proffer kebabs and cabbage rolls. Dutch pancakes sizzle on griddles alongside Spanish paella loaded with saffron rice. Though recipes differ, an openness to share is universal.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Venerating Saint Sarah

For Romani pilgrims, the focal point of the gathering in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is paying homage to Saint Sara. Her crypt in the medieval stone church provides a place for devotees to express their devotion. Pilgrims stoop to slide notes, photos, and other mementos through gaps in the crypt’s protective metal grille. Coins, flowers, candles, and rosaries pile around the shrine, tangible tokens of Sara’s importance.

Many pilgrims express their reverence through prayer and song within the crypt. Their melodies resonate hypnotically off the old stones as candles cast flickering shadows. While Sara has come to symbolize Romani identity, pilgrims also petition her for everyday miracles just as Catholics entreat other saints. Some seek good health, others guidance or luck. Parents whisper requests for their children’s future. The shared hope is that this symbolic matriarch will intercede on their behalf.

When pilgrims emerge from the dim candlelit crypt into the brilliant Provençal sun, the mood shifts dramatically. The church fills with raucous music as tambourines jingle and fiddles slice through the chaos. Exuberant dances turn the solemn ritual inward. Suddenly sorrow explodes into joy. Sara’s sacrifice enabled these inherited traditions to survive and thrive.

While most pilgrims spend only minutes in the crypt, some elders stay for hours. An ancient Romani tradition called the Patrin involves divination through running your fingers across lines in Sara’s palm. It’s believed she will guide your hand and reveal what the coming year holds. Different clans pass down varied interpretations of the palm reading ritual. Some keep the knowledge restricted to certain families.

For the elders allowed to access this sacred knowledge, reading Sara’s palm represents a profound experience. They emerge from the crypt transformed, as if given knowledge from beyond the grave. Of course, skepticism exists around how much up to individual interpretation this mystical divination becomes. But its continuing practice underscores Sara’s role as a conduit between the earthly and spiritual for her people.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - An Explosion of Music and Dance

The streets of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer swell with suffocating crowds, but step into the crypt beneath the medieval church and a hushed reverence descends. The candlelit atmosphere muffles the murmur of hushed prayers and patients lining up to have their palms read. Once pilgrims reemerge, blinking against the dazzling coastal sunlight, a dramatic mood shift occurs. What was somber ritual explodes into unrestrained music and dance.

While devotion draws Romani people to venerate Saint Sara, exuberance bubbles up in celebrating their cultural heritage. Nowhere is this catharsis more visible than in the crowds that spontaneously erupt into song and movement. The gathering becomes one massive party at times. Anyone is invited to join as dancers link arms, kicking their legs to pounding drum beats. Tambourines jingle a steady rhythm as fiddles cry plaintively. Harmonicas wheeze out soulful melodies.

In the moment, troubles vanish for people often relegated to society's edges. They bask proudly in music and traditions stretching back generations to origins in Rajasthan. Dance styles reflect the breadth of Romani culture, from the shoulder shimmies of Turkish and Middle Eastern communities to the heel stomping gritos of Spanish flamenco. Feet flick, skirts swirl hypnotically, palms connect in snapping choreography. It matters little if steps are remembered perfectly. Sheer exuberance trumps precision.

While older women relax in the shade, the young kick off their shoes to dance barefoot on the hot packed earth. Gangly teenagers self-consciously mimic their elders. Tykes with short chubby legs waddle into formation behind a dancing parent. No one sneers if a dance sequence unravels into giggling chaos. There is simply joy pulsing through the crowd.

As evening approaches, guitars emerge to strum lively folk songs. Throats open in full-voiced harmonies. Couples whirl in impromptu dances, their eyes locked. For a few days, lives upended by discrimination fade away. In its place arise freedom, acceptance, and fierce cultural pride. Sara's devotion let these traditions flourish.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Ritual Bathing in the Mediterranean

Among the most iconic rituals of the Romani pilgrimage is the sight of riders urging their horses into the Mediterranean. To understand the significance of these ritual baths, we must first look back centuries to mythic origins. Legend holds that Sara the Black and other refugees arrived at Saintes-Maries floating on a rudderless boat. Once ashore, Sara stayed behind alone when the rest continued their journey. Reenacting that pivotal landing lets today's Romani connects with this origins story.

As the pilgrimage falls each May, the Mediterranean waters remain frigid compared to the heat of the Provençal sun. Yet every year, Andalusian stallions ridden by Romani men thundered across the beach and straight into the surf without hesitation. Neither man nor beast flinches as waves slop against their knees. The horses toss their elegant heads, nostrils flaring and muscles rippling as they plow further out. Giving these majestic animals free rein to lead honors the bonds between Romani culture and horsemanship.

While the breathtaking sight of horses immersed up to their withers hypnotizes crowds onshore, the deeper spiritual impact belongs to the riders. Participating links them to generations of ancestors who undertook the same bracing plunge. Elders speak of the ritual's cleansing power, not just of sand and sweat but also of spirits. The saltwater renews faith and washes away pain. Floating weightless for those moments erases the burdens nomadic Romani have shouldered for centuries.

Skeptics viewing the elaborate baths may see only tourist performance or spectacle. However, when gazing into the eyes of elderly riders dismounting dripping after crossing, their solemnity dispels doubt. One German Rom told journalists, "As soon as the horse's hooves touch the sea, you get goosebumps all over.” Others speak of trembling hands on the reins, overcome with emotion. While difficult to fully explain its mystical impact to outsiders, the meaning resonates deeply for those who participate.

For community elders, the baths symbolize a living chain back to Saint Sara herself. Youth carry on traditions she would still recognize centuries later. Passing down these rituals helps cement Romani identity against the outside pressures. Safeguarding their heritage matters when many pressures still conspire to dilute or destroy their culture. While details shift, these symbolic reenactments reinforce bonds.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Feasting on the Beach

The crowds spilling through Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer surge and recede like a living tide. Yet as the afternoon sun sinks toward the sea, a new rhythm takes hold. A pilgrimage fueled by faith transforms into one fueled by festivity. Scents of sizzling kebabs, stewed chickpeas, and woodsmoke rise in the dusty air. The shoreline becomes one massive picnic as families feast beneath brilliant magenta sunsets.

Sharing meals outdoors has always been an integral act of fellowship in Romani culture. Sitting shoulder to shoulder on the sand, plates balanced across knees, reaffirms age-old bonds. Generations dine together, bolstered by a sense of belonging. For communities long shunned in cities, this affirmation holds power. Atmospheres of acceptance matter when so many still face alienation.

Romani culinary traditions also receive a chance to shine. "Being Romani is all about the food," explains Magdalena Kwich as she stirs a bubbling pot of goulash. Her family traveled from Poland, bringing hand-rolled cabbage rolls called gołąbki. She laughs, admitting no pilgrimage would feel complete without a steaming plate. Recipes painstakingly preserved despite upheavals bind the diaspora together through shared experience.

Certain dishes have become pilgrimage staples, like chorizo roasted over open fires. But cooking methods reflect ancestry. Muslim Roma families from the Middle East heap rice pilaf onto platters for all to share. Indian influences emerge in fragrant curries ladled over steamed rice. Those with Spanish roots rely on paella, the saffron-hued rice dish. Regardless of entrees, fruit, wine, and sweets overflow tables to complete the feast.

Yet culinary traditions also evolve, embracing innovation. The French setting inspires locally caught seafood. Bouillabaisse fish stew bubbles alongside Dutch pancakes. And Roma youth add modern twists, like meatballs with Indian spices. "It's about celebrating food as the heart of our culture," explains Mario Bijelic between bites of pizza. "But also making space for something new." The ability to maintain traditions while incorporating fresh perspectives has kept Romani culture alive.

Beyond taste, sharing food fosters human connection. Neighbors offer samples to passersby. Elders are ferried plates heaped with favorites. Musicians wend between picnics, pausing for refreshment. The commensal nature reinforces bonds critical for communities long denied stable homes. For a people whose fates were once tightly intertwined, this casual generosity reawakens tribal instincts of reliance on extended family for support and survival.

Once in a Blue Moon: The Mysterious Romani Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer - Keeping Traditions Alive

For the Romani people, the annual pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is more than just honoring Saint Sara. It represents a celebration of cultural traditions passed down through generations despite systemic marginalization. Many outsiders are unaware that Roma have faced centuries of persecution across Europe. Estimates indicate that during World War II alone, 25% of Romani people were murdered in the Holocaust. Discrimination and violence have continued in recent decades through forced sterilization, school segregation, bans on wearing traditional dress, and even evictions.

Against this backdrop of oppression, gathering in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer takes on even deeper meaning. Every song sung, dance danced, and dish shared keeps Romani culture alive. It reaffirms a identity and kinship ropes to withstand external pressures to abandon heritage. Many participants emphasize that neglecting these traditions risks losing history.

Seventy-eight year old Adél Farkas adamantly maintains that forgetting the old ways leads to dissolution. She grew up wandering countryside in a vardo before settling in a tiny Hungarian village. Despite stigma against her Romani roots, she proudly remembers the community that once embraced her. She passes on embroidering, fortune telling, and folk songs so new generations understand where they come from. "Without our traditions, who are we?" Adél muses as she deftly twists wool dyed with herbs.

Others echo Adél's emphasis on tradition even while acknowledging the need for change. Music has long been integral to Romani culture, but 19-year-old Viktor Balašev has updated the medium. Still inspired by the brass band songs of elders, he blends in modern hip hop influences. Yet the lyrics rap out in Romani tongue. "We need to take our traditions into the future, make them feel relevant today without losing their essence," Viktor explains between sets at the pilgrimage festival.

Notably, the pilgrimage itself has shifted shape over time while retaining meaning. Horses splashing into the sea remain an iconic sight. However, concerns about pollution now find riders wading in on foot to lead steeds partway. Plastic has replaced newspaper lining cookpots. Yet recipes endure unchanged. Elders may snap pictures on smartphones rather than ward off the evil eye. But traditional dresses still swirl in formals dances. Adaptability strengthens resilience.