The Romani People ft. Bre

Today's guest is Bre, whose mother is Romani, from the Balkan Roma. She was born in Sydney, Australia. Her father’s ancestors are Scottish Highlanders. He was also born in Sydney. Bre was born in Eora Nation (Sydney) and lives there still. In this necessary and eye-opening episode, Bre shares her journey of uncovering the mystery behind her maternal family's Romani roots and how she is consciously reclaiming this important part of her heritage. We discuss the centuries of oppression that Romani people have faced, including slavery, the Romani Holocaust, forced sterilization and the societal prejudice which has often denied them access to basic healthcare, water and other human rights. The Romani left India around 1,500 years ago. As an Indian woman myself, whose family left India around a century ago and have been moving ever since, we talk about the flawed, often colonial logic behind this prejudice and how in this increasingly globalised world, there are very few of us who have not migrated. Join us for this deeply personal yet universal episode - we'd love to know what you think.