Author: Emilie HorackovaLocation: PragueThis is the story of my daughter, whose nickname is Cíca.She was born in Prague in an ordinary Romany family. Her childhood was almost carefree, although she was ill. She started elementary school with symptoms of epilepsy, a permanent physical handicap, and a speech impediment. Her first days at school were traumatic. […]
John Erwin
We stopped playing there
Author: Martin CichyLocation: Usti nad LabemOne day I met a friend I hadn’t seen for a long time. His name is Chumaj. When I asked him where he had been for so long, he told me this story."I’ve been playing guitar since I was little boy. I used to play with the Roma folklore ensemble […]
I didn’t want my family to live the way I had to
Zdenek RidajNove StraseciJuly 2000My father-in-law was born in Slovakia in the village of Cicmany. He is one of thirteen brothers and sisters, and the oldest of the boys. He is now sixty-three, and doesn’t like to recall his childhood. It was very difficult.Recently he paid us a visit. I told him I was recording stories […]
Since then I’ve been known as a fast and reliable worker
Author: Martin CichyLocation: Usti nad LabemI recorded this story in the town of Rehlovice with Jozef Pohlod, a Rom from Usti nad Labem. I went to see him on a Saturday when he and his wife and kids were working in the garden. It was a beautiful day, so we sat down and began talking […]
I know that he is near
Eva RidajovaNova Straseci7 July 2000Many Roma believe in the "mula”: the supernatural. Many of us were given an ability to penetrate the secrets of the supernatural and to read the future, from cards or in some other way. That has been my luck too, as I discovered not long ago.I come from a Romany family […]
How strong is her need for human dignity
Author: Verka Dudi K’otoLocation: OstravaThis story was told to me by Eva, a twenty-five year-old nursery school teacher."Our school primarily focuses on working with Romany kids. There is a saying that every person is about his or her own story. In our school, this is really true. Each and every kid is a story of […]
She really put all of herself into it
Author: Martin Zaplatilek, BrnoLocation: Stories Exchange Project Workshop #4EastWest InstitutePragueThe lady in Hradec Kralove who told me this story died two weeks after she told it to me. That was really strange. When she was telling me the story, I could feel that she really put all of herself into it. I could see that […]
Roma are at home all around the world
Eva RidajováPragueWhen we were kids we loved to spend our summer vacation at our grandparents´ house in Slovakia. They lived right under the slopes of the Malá Fatra mountains in a beautiful little village called Malinová. My grandpa was both very clever and very wise. Strangers might have considered him an ordinary Rom, but in […]
Whoever rested even for minute got yelled at
Author: Jan Horvath Jr.Location: KolinMy visit to Khamoro 2000 began when the founder of our school, Dr. Emil Scuka, arranged for us to be the ushers at the week-long festival. For the whole week we lived at the Na Zapoli hostel in Michle.In the morning we had to be in Parliament, where there were seminars […]
Don’t hit it!
Author: Martin CichyLocation: Usti nad LabemMilan told me this story at his parents’ flat in Usti."Who am I? What do I look like? My name is Milan D. I’m 28 years old and I have black hair like all Gypsies. I’m 172 cm tall and I weigh 102 kg, so I’m a little heavyset. I […]
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