Romanistan

Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens

The authors of Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling present: Romanistan! Do you love rebels? Do you want to live in a place where outcasts shine their brightest? Welcome to Romanistan! We're your friendly neighborhood Gypsies, celebrating Romani identity and outcast culture, and practicing good diplomatic relations with other marginalized communities.We love the rebels who are living their truth, even if it clashes with tradition. We also love tradition and honoring our roots. This podcast is for everyone who loves and supports Roma & related groups, and anyone who feels like a misfit and wants to uplift others to create a beautiful community. We feature pioneers in culture, fashion, art, literature, music, activism, cuisine, and everything good. We adore the intersections of gender, sexuality, spirituality, ability, and identity. We cover all topics, from the difficult to the glorious. Let's sit crooked and talk straight.Hosted by Paulina Stevens and Jezmina Von Thiele. We reclaim the slur Gypsy, but if you aren’t Romani, we prefer you don't use it. xoxo. P.S. The Romani people are a diasporic ethnic group originally from northwest India, circa the 10th century. Now, Roma live all over the globe, and due to centuries of oppression, slavery, genocide, and other atrocities, Roma are still fighting for basic human rights. We seek to raise awareness of who Roma are, and highlight Romani resilience, creativity, & culture. 

  1. 3d ago

    Rootless: a Romani and South-Asian fusion band

    Rootless are a Glasgow-based collective of Romani and Indian musicians united by a shared mission: to honour the deep historical bond between Roma and Indian cultures through music. The band was created by producer Janos and Sodhi, drawn together by the ancient migration story that connects both communities. Their sound fuses Bhangra rhythms with Romani instrumentation, blending folk, Sufi and South Asian influences into something entirely their own. Their debut single "RakiTakitaNana" was covered by EarMilk, Plastic Magazine and Magnetic Magazine among others. Their new single "Dam Mast Qalander" releases June 19th, 2026. Born of the Ando Glaso Collective. Follow @ando_glaso and @rootless64 We spoke to Janos Lang - Founder of the band (AG Productions - Roma led multicultural production company), Sarmad Ghafoor - British - Pakistani Music Producer for Rootless, and Matus Jaco ( Guitarist ) . The Romani crushes for this episode are Lulo Reinhardt, Tcha Limberger, Taraf de Haidouks, Roby Lakatos, and Gipsy Kings. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. Please subscribe, rate, + review, + share with your friends!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @romanistanpodcast. Subscribe to our Patreon to join the conversation and our private community for just $5 a month. Or donate any amount to Ko-fi.com/romanistan. We depend on your support to keep going.  You can book readings and events and take workshops with Jez at jezminavonthiele.com, and book readings and holistic healing sessions with Paulina at romaniholistic.com. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic.  Get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling wherever books are sold. If you love it, write us a review.  Visit us at romanistanpodcast.com and email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas Music by Viktor Pachas Artwork by Elijah Vardo Support the show

    40 min
  2. Apr 29

    Jeanette Kerttu on Romani Women's Magical Practices

    Jeanette Kerttu is a Romani (Kalderash) scholar and teacher of religion based in Sweden. She holds a Master’s degree in Religious Studies, with a specialization in esotericism, historical magic, occult traditions, and so-called rejected knowledge. Her research focuses on Romani women’s magical practices, both historically and in contemporary contexts, with a comparative perspective between Sweden and the United States. Her work examines the persistence, meaning, and functions of these practices, highlighting their role in shaping cultural identity, empowerment, and social positioning. She argues that such practices have enabled Romani women to transform marginalization into forms of authority, leadership, and economic agency. Follow Jeanette on Instagram @jeanettekerttu The Romani crush for this episode is Carmen Amaya. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. Please subscribe, rate, + review, + share with your friends!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @romanistanpodcast. Subscribe to our Patreon to join the conversation and our private community for just $5 a month. Or donate any amount to Ko-fi.com/romanistan. We depend on your support to keep going.  You can book readings and events and take workshops with Jez at jezminavonthiele.com, and book readings and holistic healing sessions with Paulina at romaniholistic.com. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic.  Get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling wherever books are sold. If you love it, write us a review.  Visit us at romanistanpodcast.com and email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas Music by Viktor Pachas Artwork by Elijah Vardo Support the show

    47 min
  3. Mar 23

    Mark Baillie on his novel, Salvage

    Mark Baillie’s debut novel Salvage was published by Tippermuir Books in 2024 and featured in Book Week Scotland’s debut showcase. Mark’s short fiction has appeared in Livina Press, Analogies and Allegories Literary Journal, Zin Daily and Bubble Magazine. His non-fiction has featured in History Scotland, Travellers’ Times, and Mark's research into press bias against Travellers was published in the Journal of Media Ethics. Our Traveller crushes this episode are Dr. Lynne Tammi-Connelly and Shamus McPhee. Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. Please subscribe, rate, + review, + share with your friends!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @romanistanpodcast. Subscribe to our Patreon to join the conversation and our private community for just $5 a month. Or donate any amount to Ko-fi.com/romanistan. We depend on your support to keep going.  You can book readings and events and take workshops with Jez at jezminavonthiele.com, and book readings and holistic healing sessions with Paulina at romaniholistic.com. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic.  Get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling wherever books are sold. If you love it, write us a review.  Visit us at romanistanpodcast.com and email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas Music by Viktor Pachas Artwork by Elijah Vardo Support the show

    57 min
  4. Mar 1

    Tarot Guidance for March

    We pull cards for March—Three of Cups for love, Nine of Pentacles for money, Six of Pentacles for guidance—and map out how friendship-first relationships, receptive wealth, and mutual aid shape the month. Come hang out with us and get some guidance for the month ahead. • friendship as the core of all love • the “best friend” test for dating choices • small celebrations and leaving the house to connect • Nine of Pentacles as earned comfort and smarter work • receiving without guilt and avoiding overspend • mutual aid, equity, and balanced giving • community raffle for rent relief in Minneapolis • Romanistan Patreon for Q&A and private chats • tarot education on Immaterial World, follow on Instagram, YouTube, and Patreon and wherever you get podcasts Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast. Please subscribe, rate, + review, + share with your friends!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @romanistanpodcast. Subscribe to our Patreon to join the conversation and our private community for just $5 a month. Or donate any amount to Ko-fi.com/romanistan. We depend on your support to keep going.  You can book readings and events and take workshops with Jez at jezminavonthiele.com, and book readings and holistic healing sessions with Paulina at romaniholistic.com. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic. You can also read Jez’s monthly tarot column in Bustle. Get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling wherever books are sold. If you love it, write us a review.  Visit us at romanistanpodcast.com and email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries.  Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina Stevens Conceived of by Paulina Stevens Edited by Viktor Pachas Music by Viktor Pachas Artwork by Elijah Vardo Support the show

    19 min
4.8
out of 5
70 Ratings

About

The authors of Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling present: Romanistan! Do you love rebels? Do you want to live in a place where outcasts shine their brightest? Welcome to Romanistan! We're your friendly neighborhood Gypsies, celebrating Romani identity and outcast culture, and practicing good diplomatic relations with other marginalized communities.We love the rebels who are living their truth, even if it clashes with tradition. We also love tradition and honoring our roots. This podcast is for everyone who loves and supports Roma & related groups, and anyone who feels like a misfit and wants to uplift others to create a beautiful community. We feature pioneers in culture, fashion, art, literature, music, activism, cuisine, and everything good. We adore the intersections of gender, sexuality, spirituality, ability, and identity. We cover all topics, from the difficult to the glorious. Let's sit crooked and talk straight.Hosted by Paulina Stevens and Jezmina Von Thiele. We reclaim the slur Gypsy, but if you aren’t Romani, we prefer you don't use it. xoxo. P.S. The Romani people are a diasporic ethnic group originally from northwest India, circa the 10th century. Now, Roma live all over the globe, and due to centuries of oppression, slavery, genocide, and other atrocities, Roma are still fighting for basic human rights. We seek to raise awareness of who Roma are, and highlight Romani resilience, creativity, & culture. 

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