Reflections on Identity: Roma History Through Art and Language
Ionela Mihaela Cîmpeanu: The Sleep (The Unconscious Memory of the Holocaust), 2017, plaster and metal, 20 x 26 x 30 cm – Photo @Alex Todirica
Chandeliers with Eyes
In memory of Constantin Anica
With my hands, I crush the grain;
Crumbs fall to the ground.
I gather them all in my fist—
The place remains so stark and white.
Buried deep within the earth,
The slaked lime slowly melts,
Mixed with tears that stain my palms.
In my hands, chandeliers grow
With silent eyes.[i]
Following centuries of persecution, including slavery, forced assimilation, and genocide, today’s Roma take recourse from history to better understand the present condition of Roma. The image of the Roma in the collective mindset has been profoundly influenced by the perception of the Gadje world, i.e., of non-Roma people that is often filtered through the lens of stereotypes and prejudice. Over time, Roma have been seen both as symbols of exoticism and objects of rejection, and this duality has led to a complex and often distorted representation of their identity.
In Roma visual art, theatre and literature, recurring themes reflect not only the suffering and struggles of the community, but also the cultural richness, traditions, and a unique identity. Roma authors use these mediums to express their experiences, reveal the realities of their lives, and challenge stereotypes. Many works of visual art capture not only aspects of everyday life, but are also symbols of freedom, and of the desire to be understood. Many works of art are also accompanied by descriptions or explanations written in the Romani language, which help in interpreting the messages conveyed by the artist.
In literature, Roma stories often explore themes such as identity, belonging and resilience. These narratives contribute to a better understanding of cultural diversity and challenge dominant narratives that reduce Roma to mere caricatures.
Theatre, in turn, becomes a space for reflection and the assertion of identity, where Roma can share their stories authentically, bringing to the forefront not only their suffering, but also their joys and traditions. This art form allows audiences to overcome prejudices and engage in a deeper dialogue with the complex realities of Roma life.
We know today that the song, Gelem Gelem, is the international anthem of the Roma, the first official text written by Roma in the Romani language that includes the black page of the history of the Roma, referring to the “final solution” perpetrated against the Roma during the Second World War: “Sasas vi man bari familǐa/mudardăs la i kali legǐa” [I once had a great family/They were killed by the black legion].
In 2017, at the Commemoration of the Victims of the Holocaust event in Bucharest, Constantin Anica, survivor of the deportation during World War II, recounted the suffering she had endured when she, along with her entire family, was deported to Transnistria. Her testimony was deep and reflects the traumas experienced by people during the darkest periods of history. One of the images she recalled from her childhood was of the chandeliers crafted by her father for churches. “Those images have never faded”, she said. At the age of 84, she was still looking for an answer: “Why did we have to endure such pain?”
The testimonies of Roma Holocaust survivors resonate in Roma artwork, serving as a representation of silent memory that seeks inquiry and reconciliation. Roma artists are at the forefront of the process of acknowledging Roma history.
The double meaning of “hakărel”, the Romani for “to feel” and “to understand” , is a road map, a necessary process undertaken by Roma artists, as a strong statement that through art they can heal, they can bridge historical narratives, creating spaces for dialogue and transformation within society. The contemporary art of Roma artists and writers embraces the need to create an artistic act that contains the expression of one’s own sensitivity, strongly anchored in the collective memory of the Roma people.
Centuries of persecution, including slavery, forced assimilation and genocide, are recurring themes in the works of Roma artists – in visual arts, theatre and literature.
Mihaela Cîmpeanu’s I lindri-O bisomgeanimasko seripen e Samudarimasko [Sleep – The Unconscious Memory of the Holocaust] is a significant artwork reflecting the Roma Holocaust. Its striking minimalist design features a plaster pillow accompanied by a piece of galvanized steel barbed wire, serving as a poignant accent that “… evokes a powerful sense of suggestion, inviting contemplation and communication of an idea that is completely out of the ordinary”. [ii]
Prose, poetry theatre, and other literary forms use words as tools to create images, evoke emotions, and construct narratives. Roma writers and poets, through their choice of words and sentence structure, can transform language into an aesthetic experience, capable of inspiring, provoking, and revealing subtle aspects of the human condition. Thus, language becomes not just a means of communication, but also a form of art.
The actor and director Sorin Sandu staged Jekh răt lisăme [A Stormy Night] (O noapte furtunoasă), based on the play written by Ion Luca Caragiale, one of the greatest playwrights of Romanian literature. The show, performed in Romani language, had its premiere in 2010 at the “Masca Theatre”. The play was also published in the Romani language.[iii] 2013, I.L. Caragiale. [O noapte furtunoasă/] Jekh răt lisăme/A Stormy Night], Bucharest: Vanemonde.
The premiere of The Great Shame (Marea rușine), directed by Alina Şerban, the first historical theatre performance presenting the centuries of slavery of the Roma, was a significant moment. The performance was produced by the National Center for Roma Culture – Romano Kher.
Cu moartea-n ochi [With Death in the Eyes][iv], the first autobiographical novel written by Valerică Stănescu, a Roma survivor of the deportation in Transnistria, was the basis for the theatre performance, Kali Traś [The Black Fear], produced by Giuvlipen[v] theatre company, by director: Mihai Lukacs. Cast: Zita Moldovan, Mihaela Drăgan, Marcel Costea, Ninel Petrache, Dragoman Mircea; scenography: Iulia Toma; stage movement: Paul Dunca, Ana Costea.
Kali Traș is a monumental performance that pays heartfelt tribute to the victims in the Roma community. This powerful play presents the historical and on-going injustices faced by the Roma people, whose cultural heritage has often been overshadowed by discrimination and marginalisation.
The translation into Romani of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, as O baro briśind, and the publication of the volume was an editorial event of major significance for the history of literature in general, and a pioneering work connecting the Romani language to the broader canon of universal literature.
In 2024, Giuvlipen Theatre company, founded by Roma actresses, Mihaela Drăgan and Zita Moldovan, developed the idea for a version of The Tempest in Romani. Their bilingual performance, Caliban and the Witch, was showcased at the William Shakespeare International Theatre Festival in Craiova.[vi] Directed by Mihaela Drăgan, this co-production blends Romanian and Romani languages, highlighting the intersectionality of art and identity. The cast, including Zita Moldovan and Nicoleta Ghiță, alongside a dedicated creative team, aims to dismantle stereotypes and foster dialogue through their work.
Almost half a millennium after Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Mihaela Drăgan proposed a novel convention for us to imagine Romani as one of the hegemonic languages, and Roma characters representing power, with Prospero, played by Zita Moldova, and Miranda, played by Anastasia Dade, performed in Romani language on the stage. It was a dazzling madness, an upside-down world allowing us to reflect on how we mirror ourselves in relation to otherness. Nicoleta Ghiță, as Caliban, rapping in Romani language in the Epilogue, presents the notion that it was all just a performance, urging the audience to reconnect with the realities of the present day. Ghiță emphasises her return to Ferentari, an area where many Roma people reside, highlighting their culture, struggles, and resilience. Through her powerful words and rhythm, she bridges the gap between art and life, reminding us that while conventions may entertain, the true history of the Roma community deserves recognition.
References:
[i] Poem published in: The Holocaust Against the Roma People: An Album of Memory and Acknowledgment [O Samudaripen Mamuj e Romenqe: Serimasko thaj Najsarimasko Albumo], The Department of Interethnic Relations, Bucharest: Monitorul Oficial, 2023. [ii] Pavel Şuşară, opening remarks at “The Culture Tent of the Roma” vernissage on the occasion of International Romani Day University Square, Bucharest, 6-8 April 2017, organised by The National Centre for Roma-Culture Romano Kher, Romania. [iii] https://www.targulcartii.ro/sorin-aurel-sandu/o-noapte-furtunoasa-venemonde-2012-6947418 [iv] Stănescu, Valerică. 2007. Cu moartea-n ochi [With Death in the Eyes]. MarLink, Romania.https://www.targulcartii.ro/valerica-stanescu/cu-moartean-ochi-marlink-2007-926432 [v] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2039883392698516&set=a.932907700062763 [vi]Caliban and the Witch, an adaptation of the play, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare. A co-production of Giuvlipen and Marin Sorescu National Theatre, Craiova, 2024. Text and art direction: Mihaela Drăgan; Cast: Zita Moldovan, Nicoleta Ghiță, Anastasia Dade and Iulia Colan; Costumes and art design: Adelina Galiceanu, Zita Moldovan, Andrei Horjea; Choreography: Razvan Rotaru; Technical direction: Cristian Petec, Mihai Manea; Romani language consultant: Isabela Tiberiade.
https://www.facebook.com/giuvlipen/photos/a.920190341334499/2033397390013783/?type=3&rdid=U
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1972125676140955&set=a.1972121502808039 the performance of KALI TRAŠ / FRICA NEAGRĂ [The Black Fear]; Photo: Oana Monica Nae
https://www.facebook.com/reel/3892603764305126 Caliban and the Witch.
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Norica Costache is a prominent sociologist and activist from Romania, renowned for her contributions to the Roma community. A graduate of the “Iulia Hasdeu” High School of Philology-History and the “Faculty of Sociology and Social Work” at the University of Bucharest, she has been a pivotal figure in the Roma militant movement since the 1990s.
Costache has spearheaded numerous projects to combat discrimination and promote Roma culture through organizations like the “Roma Center for Social Interventions and Studies – Romani Criss” and the “Young Generation Society of Roma.” Currently, she serves in the Research and Documentation Department at the National Center for Roma Culture in Bucharest, where she organizes cultural events and edits publications.
She authored the essay collection “Roma Personalities in Romania” and co-authored “O Samudaripen. The Holocaust of the Roma”, among other works. Her poetry, often focused on the Roma Holocaust, features in bilingual publications, and she has translated literary works into Romani, including Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” Her efforts continue to enrich the cultural and historical narrative of the Roma people.
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