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Roma: how we see ourselves

by
09 February 2010

A photographic exhibition in east London aims to increase understanding of Roma culture, says Jacob Garber

ROMA originated in India about 1000 years ago, and are the largest ethnic minority in Europe. The European Commission estimates that between ten and 12 million Roma live in the EU today.

A group of teenage Roma women from east London, led by the photo­grapher Manuela Zanotti and the Children’s Society, were trained in photo­graphy in order to document the experience and environment of Roma living in London.

Roma living in the UK consider themselves the same as everyone else, but, in the countries they come from, that was often not the case.

The Government has no idea how many Roma live in the UK. The best estimate they have is based on count­ing caravans twice a year, but, given that hardly any Roma live in cara­vans, this does not seem very rele­vant. The Government estimates that 300,000 Gypsies, Roma, and Travel­lers live in the UK, but the Children’s Society estimates that there are about 8000 Roma families living in the Lon­don borough of Newham alone.

In 2003, Stonewall con­ducted a sur­vey of public prejudice, and found that more than one third of respondents admitted to feeling negative towards Roma.

THESE attitudes, to­gether with much sensa­tionalist media cover­age, clearly have an adverse affect on young Roma grow­ing up in the UK. The Department for Children, Schools and Families reports that about 75 per cent of Roma have dropped out of school by the age of 13. Yet the young Roma the Children’s Society works with are clear that their situation is much better than the one they faced in Eastern Europe.

The culture of the Roma is largely oral. Stories, songs, and dances are passed down through genera­tions, but little has been recorded. This makes it harder for non-Roma to understand and appre­ciate their culture — a culture that has influenced mainstream Euro­pean culture for centuries. From the music of Haydn, Schubert, and Brahms, to the fashions of today, Roma have been an inspiration to the arts, often with no recognition of their achieve­ments.

In this project, participants recorded their own lives, both for themselves and for their families. The exhibition of their work helps to bridge the gap that can exist between them and the people of other cultures.

MANY Roma have lived in London since the early ’90s, but other urban centres are in­creasingly becoming hosts to com­munities of Roma, in­clud­ing Not­tingham, Shef­field, Car­diff, Man­chester, and many more.

One common assumption about the Roma is that they travel. While it is true that the Roma used to be a nomadic people, very few Roma travel today, and almost all live in houses.

One common assumption about the Roma is that they travel. While it is true that the Roma used to be a nomadic people, very few Roma travel today, and almost all live in houses.

Over the past 500 years, Roma have often been rejected by the dominant powers in European society. From Queen Mary I, who condemned all Gypsy men, women, and children to death in 1554, to their extermination in the Holo­caust, in the same proportion as Jews, Roma have been system­atically persecuted in Europe by the authorities and by mainstream society. The Roma involved in the Children’s Society’s project, however, want to assimilate into British society, and to share their unique culture with others.

Roma are a distinct ethnic group, but they do not all share the same reli­gion. Many Roma families are deeply religious, and practise the faiths of the countries in which they settled be­fore coming to the UK. There are Christians of many de­nom­ina­tions, as well as a small number of Muslims who are Roma.

YOUNG Roma follow a dif­fer­ent pattern to that of most other young people in the UK as they grow up. They are considered adults from the age of about 12, and are often expected to marry young. For girls, virginity is very important. Parents will there­­­fore often take them out of school when they reach puberty.

Long skirts are a symbol of wo­man­hood among the Roma. Many sporty girls, who wore tracksuits when they were younger, wear the long skirts that the culture considers more mod­est when they come of age.

Sindy, aged 15, said of the project: “It’s been really nice to be part of the group, because I had an opportunity to make new friends and make nice photos.

“The future for Roma in London is that they will be as equal as every­one else. At the moment, they’re not. There are some parts of the UK where they are racist to Roma people.

  “In the future, that will be all gone.”

The Children’s Society’s exhibition “Roma Lon­don” at the Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, London E3, opened on Wednesday and runs until 19 Feb­ruary:

www.childrenssociety.org.uk/romalondon. Jacob Garber worked for The Children’s Society on the project.

The Children’s Society’s exhibition “Roma Lon­don” at the Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, London E3, opened on Wednesday and runs until 19 Feb­ruary:

www.childrenssociety.org.uk/romalondon. Jacob Garber worked for The Children’s Society on the project.

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