One of the events at this year’s 15th DocudaysUA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival was the presentation of the film “Seven Stories of Successful Romani Women” in Kyiv on March 28. The discussion that followed the screening revolved around the question of whether the image of Romani women has changed – and how – in the modern media landscape and in our consciousness.
The full version of the documentary project about contemporary Romani women, realized by the civil organization Re:Design Platform for Change with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, is not yet available for free access. However, the film has already had over a dozen closed screenings: at Book Arsenal-2017; at the Publishers Forum in Lviv; in Zakarpattia, Prykarpattia, and Odesa, where “Seven Stories” traveled with media tours in the fall of 2017; in Kremenchuk, where the film was brought by local Romani activists, and in Kharkiv – screened as part of this year’s DocudaysUA.
The audience that gathered this time was quite diverse: Romani and non-Romani people, human rights activists, civil activists, researchers, journalists, young and mature individuals, women and men (although the latter were significantly fewer), interested festival guests.
All of them agreed with the proposal of the discussion moderator, Halyna Yurchenko, a young Romani activist from Lviv, to talk about how the image of Romani women has changed in the media landscape and in the consciousness of each of us.
From the Romani themselves, guests learned that gender issues and superstitions are just as painful in the Romani community as they are worldwide. Romani people adhere to a patriarchal structure. But even in that structure, roles are changing in the direction of global trends. In the past, a Romani woman was born with a predetermined fate and was exclusively the one who created a cozy home, protected the family hearth, and raised children. She possessed exceptional hospitality, talents in culinary arts, Romani dance and song, respect for traditions, the community, elders, men, and herself. At the same time, Romani people recognize that today’s Romani women deserve to step out of the shadows. Discussions also touched on gender roles in the Romani community and the stereotypes that exist, both among men towards women and among women themselves.
Romani Women on…
…Combining Humility and Warrior Spirit
This question was posed to one of the film’s heroines, poet and community activist Raïsa Nabaranchuk. Her creative pseudonym, “Rani Romani,” signifies that this woman is respected, admired, and sought after for advice. And indeed, she is. But a Romani woman is also humble. Mrs. Raïsa has been involved in Romani women’s community activism in Ukraine since the 1990s, having participated in over 10 academic conferences on Romani history preservation, commemorative events, and events honoring the Romani genocide. How does she manage to combine humility and a warrior spirit in the public sphere?
– I love my nation very much. And I will fight for my nation until the end of my days so that it doesn’t fall silent, disappear, or get lost – but so that people truly understand its best side, so that they become fascinated by the Roma… Every nation has its mistakes, and may God help us change opinions about us as soon as possible, so that we respect each other; all nationalities should live in unity. After all, we are all children of this land. Regarding the role of Romani women, I think: don’t be afraid, don’t be ashamed – if God gave you a rose, then your intellect should work for the benefit of people. If someone aspires to something and has the desire and opportunity, they should learn, – Raïsa Nabaranchuk responded.
…Independence and Achieving Goals
The parents of another film heroine, Marina Kazanska, supported her unusual interest (especially for a Romani girl) in shooting rifles. This shattered stereotypes not only about Romani women but also about women in general. Mrs. Marina traveled, studied, engaged in business, earned the title of Master of Sports in rifle shooting, and became the head of a public organization in Chernihiv.
– From childhood, I loved being financially independent. It was hard for me to take money from my parents. One day I heard that the shooting range gives money for hitting targets. I latched onto this idea to earn money without asking – things were tough for everyone back then. That was my character. After school, I visited all shooting ranges and earned. One of the employees advised me to approach the head of the shooting club. In 3 months, I became a Candidate Master of Sports (a title just below a Master of Sports). But I was 12-13 years old, and my family didn’t allow me to go to Romania to get the title – Romani girls were not sent that far. But I went to school, finished 11 years, attended technical school, studied in university before getting married… With our lives, we set an example for our children. They follow the example of both father and mother. The example that we shouldn’t fear, that we should move forward and achieve our goals.
…Romani Identity, Gender, Education, and What Makes Romani People Stronger
Another heroine of the film is Yulia Kondur, president of the International Charitable Women’s Foundation “Chirikli.” Her daughter, well-known Romani community activist and vice-president of “Chirikli,” Zemfira Kondur, was a guest at the discussion. Both mother and daughter have represented Romani interests internationally for many years. All six of Mrs. Yulia’s children have higher education and engage in business, despite their Romani ancestors having been nomadic. When asked if there were difficulties for her regarding gender discrimination in Romani community activism, where men are predominantly represented, Mrs. Zemfira shared:
– Romani communities and families adhere firmly to tradition; according to tradition, a woman should be at home, raise children, and do everything for her husband. When I began working in a Romani NGO at 19, I faced discrimination based on gender and age… Even now, there are men who can’t accept that there are women among the Romani who truly work and can sometimes do more than men. However, I believe with time they will get used to and perceive us as partners in our work.
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…Education or community activism changes a person, their attitude towards life. But at the same time, we still remain Romani. All of us Romani activists, despite being so active and engaged in various things, we combine them with our Romani traditions, making us even more Romani. Therefore, I want to say to the parents of young girls who are afraid to let them go somewhere: your daughters will become even more Romani and even more traditional than those who stay at home and don’t know what to do with their time since they’re not allowed anywhere.
Education won’t make us less Romani or Romani. It will give us even more opportunities for self-development and confidence to do things that benefit our families and communities. I don’t agree with the notion that if you’re educated, you lose your roots. It can depend on the family, how you were brought up, and how strong your Romani identity is. If it’s strong, then education won’t change who you are… Romani parents shouldn’t be afraid to provide education to their children. Education won’t uproot the Romani aspects within us. Blood is thicker than water.
…Modern Romani Women and the Future
– Romani women today still remain the hearth keepers of their families, the heart and soul of their families. Yet, they are capable of breaking stereotypes, achieving personal goals, motivating their families and communities, gaining trust by stepping out of the shadows, said Halyna Yurchenko. Today, as a representative of Romani youth, I’m confident that we have it easier because these women (heroines of the film) have paved the way, and we now know the path that’s open for us. And I promise personally, that for your grandchildren, we will turn this path into a real road – to make it easier for them to walk, to achieve something for themselves personally and for the entire Romani ethnicity.
Discussion Participants – About the Film
Anzhelika Kruhliak, Romani activist, NGO “Lacho Drom” (Zaporizhia):
– The film creates a friendly atmosphere. You watch it, and it feels like you’re having a conversation with friends. For the Romani audience, it’s a great example of the path to take, and for Romani parents, it’s an important film to motivate them to let Romani girls pursue their dreams. Because that’s the path to a better future. This film is already doing a crucial job and addressing significant issues for both Romani and non-Romani audiences.
Olena, Romani activist (pictured on the left):
– I really liked the film. It gives Romani women a hint: don’t stop. You watch it and understand that you also have a chance; you need to keep moving forward, not being afraid of obstacles. If you see the goal, you need to strive for it.
Valeriy Sukhomlyniv, co-chair of the “Association of Roma of Ukraine” (center):
– Regarding Romani traditions and romaniipe. I want to say that a lot depends on how a woman conducts herself… Their support from men, the ability not to give up in the face of challenges, intelligence, and flexibility played a significant role in the establishment of the Romani community movement in Ukraine. So, hats off to our women!
Diana, viewer:
– From my personal perspective. I’m not Romani by nationality. Romani, for me, are those whom we mostly see on the streets. Since childhood, I’ve heard warnings to always be afraid of Romani people because they might steal something from your pocket and similar things. It was essential for me to watch this film, to see it from the perspective of my interest in Romani culture, and to understand the origins of those stereotypes that are often imposed on us. So, thank you for my personal discoveries, for the deep personal stories of the heroines.
Olena Orlova, journalist:
– Even though I know quite a bit about Romani people as I’ve been working with representatives of Romani community organizations for about 5 years now, I was curious to learn about how Romani people protect their personal space. Our heroines have emphasized more than once that in the film, they share a lot of personal details – well, I wouldn’t say a lot. Now, through the words of the heroines, I know that Romani women are not inclined to talk about their achievements or boast. Romani girls are taught traditions, respect for their elders, but it’s not common to talk about personal matters. A Romani woman is supposed to be as quiet as water, lower than the grass. Being active, being “ahead” of a man is mostly considered embarrassing for Romani women. These are my personal revelations. Now I understand what a significant step it was for the heroines of the film to tell about themselves on camera, to a wide audience.
Reference
*Romaniipe – a term from Romani philosophy, roughly translated as “Romani spirit,” “Romani culture.” In reality, the meaning of this word is broader. Romaniipe is a combination of Romani spirit, Romani essence, Romani law, awareness of belonging to Romani society, a set of Romani character traits, and more.
Live video coverage of the discussion.
Continuation of the conversation about equality and success stories of Romani women – on UA:Ukrainian Radio – here’s the link.
