Paper short abstract

In Brazil’s religious movement Vale do Amanhecer (Valley of the Dawn), mediumship enables shifts toward Romani identity and reshapes activism, representation, and political legitimacy through spiritual practice and state interaction.

Paper long abstract

Some leaders and followers of the Brazilian religious movement Vale do Amanhecer (Valley of the Dawn) have raised awareness of Cigano (Brazilian Romani/“Gypsy”) social challenges, fostered activism, and influenced political decisions. In this syncretic Christian and Spiritist karmic movement, founded in 1959 by Tia Neiva in Planaltina, Brazil, mediums incorporate Cigano entities, including those of the working line of Ciganas Taganas. Mediums who incorporate Cigano spirits—also known as 'ciganos de alma' (Gypsies of the soul)—often shift their ethnic identification toward Romani/Cigano, drawing on ancestral narratives such as family stories and inherited rituals. How do these “Gypsies of the soul” come to be accepted or tolerated as representatives of Romani culture by state institutions and activist networks? How does their visibility affect the politics of representation and recognition of Romani communities? This theoretical discussion is situated at the intersection of the anthropology of Brazilian religions related to Vale do Amanhecer and the “Gypsies of the soul” (Pierini 2023; Maia 2014, 2015, 2018; Madureira 2010; Bomfim 2002), debates on passing and the construction of identity in Romani Studies (Wakeley-Smith 2023; Styrkacz 2024), and methodological analysis of categorization and taxonomies (Yanow 2016; Roth 2005). This case study contributes to understanding how mediumship functions as a catalyst of ethnic conversion and how identity claims reshape political legitimacy. The presentation is based on multisited ethnographic fieldwork (Brasília, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro), digital ethnography, and media analysis of the YouTube channel of the first Cigana Tagana.