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Language, Music, and Culture

Language

Romani Italian mother and daughter (from Abruzzo) at the Bonfadini Street camp, Milan (Italy).
© Alessandro Serranò .

• The Romani language: Even though the Romani language now comprises a number of different dialects, it belongs to the family of Indo-European languages in a group that includes other languages of Indian origin, such as Hindi and Bengali.

Music

Download Interviewee Biographies

Santino “Alexian,” an Italian Roma from the Abruzzo region, is a composer, a songwriter, a teacher, a poet and an essayist.

• Music, song and dance: These are forms of artistic expression linked to the caravan living and family life of the Roma people. They are the chief vehicles for the transmission of Romani culture, or Romanipen.

• Djelem Djelem ('I walked, I walked') by Jarko Jovanović is the Romani trans-national anthem.

• Did you know that…? During the Romantic era, great composers were inspired by the rhythms of Romani music.

Poetry and Literature

• Literature General Introduction.

• Toninato P., “Le mille voci della poesia rom”, in D’Isola, Sullam, Baldoni, Baldini, Frassanito, “Alla periferia del mondo. Il popolo dei rom e sinti escluso dalla storia”, Milano, Fondazione Franceschi, 2003 pp. 79-101.

• Potel J. Y., “Papusza, poète tsigane en Pologne comuniste”, 2011.

• Roma cinema Chansel D., “Roma on the screen”, Council of Europe.

• Like all other cultures, Roma cultures change over time.

Language, Music, and Culture

Language

Music

Poetry and Literature

Further Reading