While flamenco's birthplace isn't Bilbao, the Gure Golé choir, comprised of women from the Association of Basque Gypsy Women (Amuge), possesses undeniable 'duende'. "Flamenco runs through our veins," states Tamara Clavería, Amuge's vice-president. The choir, established in 2017 within the association, aims to create a space for Romani women through music.
The name Gure Golé blends Euskera (Basque) and Romani, meaning "our voice". Its founders seek to "strengthen community ties, promote women's participation, use art as a tool for expression, and generate a space for collective empowerment". Clavería highlights music's historical presence in Romani family life, and how the choir adapts this rich musical heritage with a feminist and Romani perspective.
The choir consists of 15 Romani women aged between 19 and 57. They rehearse every Friday morning at the Amuge headquarters in the Otxarkoaga neighborhood of Bilbao. Vocal coach is singer-songwriter Eder Portolés from Portugalete. "For us, rehearsal is not just a musical moment, but also a space for encounter, trust, mutual support, and coexistence among women," Clavería explains.
In June 2018, the choir presented its debut recording of five songs. Notable performances include their participation last year at the Assembly House of Gernika for the International Day of the Romani People. They also performed "Zutik emakumeak", the Basque version of the feminist anthem, at the conclusion of the 2022 March 8th demonstration in Bilbao.
Currently, a four-song EP titled "Coro feminista de mujeres gitanas" is available on Spotify, featuring flamenco-infused sounds. "Zutik emakumeak" and "Agate deuna" can also be heard. The EP highlights a stripped-down version of the popular "Aldapeko", accompanied by flamenco guitar and the choir's clapping, and "Ni en la noche más oscura", which celebrates female empowerment.
Gure Golé's lyrics invoke the memory of the Romani people and emphasize the demands of Romani women. Tamara Clavería firmly believes in music's power to break stereotypes: "It reaches places where speeches or data cannot. When a Romani woman takes the stage and tells her story through a song, she is showing a reality that shatters many existing stereotypes about our people and Romani women."
The phrase "May our voice have the softness of a whisper and the strength of a shout" encapsulates the choir's spirit. Clavería describes it as a statement of intent: "It's not always necessary to shout for a voice to be strong, but we also know that sometimes it's necessary to raise it to denounce injustices." She adds: "We want our voice to move, accompany, discomfort when necessary, and open paths for other Romani women."
While a single song may not change the world, Gure Golé aims to "open conversations, transform perspectives, and sow small seeds of change" through its music, contributing to a more just and egalitarian society. The power of a melody-wrapped lyric is a force not to be underestimated.
