Festival Akaname 2010
Vidéo, photos JM Delage - AKANAME 2010, LETANOVCE, Slovaquie
Hello,
We’ve just finished our little inter-camp festival in Letanovce. Everything went very well - you’d almost think it was a professionally organised event. Our input and that of Les Ogres de Barback were essential, not to mention the help given by the co-organisers in Letanovce. The inhabitants of the area, led by Milan, coordinated logistics and organisational matters on site, as well as making sure the event was covered for safety purposes. And, for that matter, there was not a single safety incident to report. All of the locals, gathered in huge crowds in front of us, were
exceptionally well-behaved and, in spite of a punishing sun, literally devoured the show that we had organised for them. Avid spectators packed in around the stage area cordoned off with barrier tape, like masses of bodies pressed together at rush hour in the Paris underground. Others gathered on roofs of shacks all around the area, which somehow managed to stay in place under the weight of the people in these makeshift ‘stands’. There was even a group of French people there who’d heard about the event on our MySpace page and who’d decided to travel to
this ‘middle of nowhere’ to attend it. Their friendliness and good spirit were much appreciated, and their attendance was rewarded with spontaneous thanks from Milan, the local authority: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming – that way, if nothing else, people can see that we’re not some kind of savage people...".
It’s true that not many positive things happen here, so it was a real pleasure for everyone. As it was election day, the police were patrolling the entrance of the battered road leading to the camp, but they were kind, just checked my identity, and didn’t bother us further. The elections inspired me in my final speech to the public, where I suggested that perhaps in twenty or thirty years’ time I would be going to the urn to vote for one of them, insisting on the fact that one of the young people gathered there in their masses could become president one day, just like Obama.
The message was understood, but it gave way to chants of “On with the show” for the dance finale, with all performers gathered on stage. In other words, it’s better to have a great song than tons of speeches and mirages, even if they have the best of intentions…
All’s well that ends well, except for the financial situation, where we all find ourselves on an equal footing – the camp, performers, and other participants – united in destitution given the absence of institutional support. But we can’t complain, because we didn’t ask anyone for anything. When it came to choosing between investing time and effort into requesting funding for organising the event, which would have take up all of our time, we opted for the second solution – to organise it using our own funds. That meant on nothing at all – only on the friendship and 300 euros brought by our friends Johann and Sébastien of Yepce, who managed, by some miracle, to raise this sum on their two thousand-kilometre journey, the famous Cycling Challenge, conceived to support our event. And let’s not forget Gabi Jimenez, who put one of his paintings up for sale, with all proceeds going to the festival.
So a big thanks is due to Johann and Seb, as well as to Les Ogres de Barback, Gabi and everyone else who, through their dynamism, helped us to continue this improbable adventure, which ended well, as it has in the past. And let’s not forget that through the images of Alain Keler and the drawings of Emmanuel Guibert, our adventures will be recounted in the next issue of XXI magazine, which served as an intermediary with Milan in Letanovce. It just goes to show that sometimes you have to take a few detours to finally reach the right place at the right time… somewhere between the deluge of floods we had last week and the tropical heatwave we
experienced on the day of the festival itself.
We also visited a new village not far from there, which is practically ready to house all of Letanovce’s inhabitants. It was quite impressive, as are all new accommodation units which lie empty before becoming invested by their future inhabitants. Of course, there’s also a vague impression of a military camp about it (we won’t mention the word gulag…), with lines of huts, all in a perfect geometrical order, whose design couldn’t be farther from that of their current dwellings, built using any old materials found lying around. Who knows, perhaps this Cartesian alignment will bring about the change in mentalities much hoped for by those who conceived of
this “mini migration of people”, or, on the contrary, this will be just another try to change the façade, without asking questions about the content…
Whatever you wish to call it, we’re glad to have been able to come and organise the event while there’s still time in these places which are destined to disappear.
And we’re prepared to do the same thing again in the new location, so that a spell can be cast over it and it can be transformed into a magical place, and so that the change to this new accommodation goes as smoothly as possible. And let’s not forget that within these new walls made of concrete and indestructible, as per the wishes of the brave designers of this humanitarian project aimed at cleaning up the areas around the Slovakian National Park, people must treasure the memory of their houses made from logs and corrugated metal sheets. Misery and desperation aside, these dwellings gave birth to all of these magnificent, beautiful songs, splendid in their simplicity, which gives us all so much joy and which we are delighted to be able
to share with you. So let’s hope that even within these rectangular slabs of concrete, the soul will also find its place, and that music will be never be absent… Fortunately, I believe that there’s no fear of that happening…
Warm greetings,
Ivan Akimov
KESAJ TCHAVE
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The purpose of this event is to serve as a springboard for creativity within the Gypsy community, to strengthen the position of KESAJ TCHAVE within this community, and to gather the communications material which will serve to organise concert tours abroad in the future.
YEPCE has lent its support to the inter-slum festival AKANAME every year since 2007:
Kesaj Tchave - Akaname Festival 2008 - Photo: Rada Kikelj - YEPCE Video
Kesajtchave -Akaname Festival 2007 - vidéo YEPCE: Sebastien Fraboulet
Every year, in late May or early June, at the foot of the Slovakian Tatra mountains, the inter-slum festival Akaname! takes place. «Akana me!» means «Now it’s my turn!” in the Romany language. This illustrates that even in the unattractive exterior of Rom camps and slums, there can still be a time and place where everyone can get up in front of their families and friends and take part in a cultural and social programme which is far removed from the ordinary everyday life which is not conducive to this type of event. That is not to say that culture is something that is absent from these places outside the majority society – in fact, quite the opposite is true. The slums, so destitute as to be almost regarded as picturesque in appearance, are often a source of immense creativity, where moments without music are practically inexistent. Music constantly resounds from all directions – it is everywhere, omnipresent, and created and consumed without moderation, far from
the conventions of concert halls.
The festival «Akana me!» provides a platform for the inhabitants of these «zones outside the influence of the majority» to play and develop their music in their usual surroundings, yet in an unusual context – that of a cultural event designed and organised for the good of all. Its key purpose is to ensure all participants have a festive time together and to attract as many people as possible from the area and neighbouring areas.
Such a festive atmosphere can also be found at parties and in Gypsy discos, but here, priority is given to those who do not necessarily have access to the latter places. Discos are expensive and younger people are not allowed entry.
The festival focuses primarily on children and young people, but also gives older people the chance to display
their talent, skill and courage in front of their people.
It is also an artistic platform for soloists and bands which do not often have the opportunity to play in front of audiences. The group Kesaj Tchavé not only takes part in the festival as an organiser, but is also one of the main performers. Hotly awaited by an impatient audience full of highly critical spectators, each show they perform in front of their own people is such a test that there is no room for error – it must be perfect.
Popular culture goes hand in hand with sport, and football is a key part of that. So from now on, before the artists gather in the afternoon, football-related events are held in the morning – a wonderful introduction to the cultural festivities which make up the bulk of the festival.
In 2010, the fifth edition of the festival will take place. Apart from the group Kesaj Tchavé, many other local Gypsy bands have performed at the event and several foreign bands have also played there since 2008.
The event is organised by the group Kesaj Tchavé and its foreign partners, primarily YEPCE. Up to now, the Department for Culture of the Slovak Republic has also lent its financial support to the project.
