Saintes Maries de la Mer, a nice town in the Camargue (southern France), colors of nomadic music and dances every May in honor of the saint of the travelers, Saint Sara. Rom, Sinti, Gitanos and Manouches arrive from all Europe, with their guitars and violins in order to render homage to their protecting, acting a ceremony always in balance between sacred and profane. The 24 of May, the statue of Saint Sara is advanced towards the sea, by the nomadic people. The statue of the saint is preceded by horsemen, musicians and a car with loudspeaker that diffuses the history of the persecutions against the Rom people, from nazism to social neglection. As soon as it arrives on the beach, a crowd of persons follows it in the water, singing “Vive Saint Sara!”. The ceremony that follows the religious celebration continues until latest night and involves anyone.
An unforgettable occasion in order to enter in contact with an extraordinary culture, often ignored because of the mutual distrust.