On the waves of communication: gypsies and Podcast

Abstract

This article is the result of the integrated actions of the extension project “Gypsies and Podcasts: Anthropology as an Instrument for the Democratization of Knowledge”, carried out in collaboration with the Cultural Studies Group (GEC) of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), and presents and reflects the effects of these actions among young gypsy participants.The project offered workshops for young people from the Gypsy community in Sousa-PB, integrating studies on Gypsy culture and identity with local knowledge, in addition to associating the practice of podcasts with the daily needs of the community. This was a qualitative research that involved readings and debates on important themes about the construction of Gypsy ethnic identities. The project, which was implemented over 12 months, was structured in four phases: bibliographic research and study on themes related to Gypsy history and identities; the basic concepts that permeate such stories and identities; attentive listening and debates with young people from the community; and coordination with local institutions, training in digital media and the planning and production of the first podcast. The data collected indicated a growing interest and engagement of young Roma in the creation and dissemination of media that promotes knowledge and appreciation of their culture in society, facilitating the fluidity and mobility of identity boundaries between Roma and non-Roma. They also indicated that the young Roma involved in the project, in the context of “content creators”, faced with the possibility of choosing the platform used, most often opted for digital media that yielded more views, and thus better monetization.