A few words about Roma music...
A few words about Roma music...
"They sing about us."
Roma music is in an unbreakable embrace with the Roma soul. A Roma orchestra is present for every wedding, birthday celebration, and welcoming of a new child. A powerful sound system is a mandatory fixture in every household and is regarded as the most valuable possession. Music is always played as loud as possible, almost shifting you into a state of trance.
For over 10 centuries, Roma music has been recognized and celebrated for its unparalleled vitality. Roma musicians have been invited to Persian, Arabic, and Byzantine weddings, noble courts, and celebrations. Even anti-Roma racists can't help but feel drawn by the wild and intense Roma songs, and would often say "I like their music, but..."
Roma songs are usually either very jubilant, almost demanding of you to dance, or they are profoundly poetic, often sorrowful, but always capturing one unique human experience at a time and surrendering to it entirely. The Romani sing about love and loneliness and also about letting go of your grown-up children, being estranged from your sibling, taking care of a dying parent, working hard to feed your family. Every song is a poem that has risen from the fires of life.
In our Roma Music section, we are publishing one Roma song at a time: an audio recording, the lyrics in Romanes, and their translation in English.
The more important heads of families wound then sing wild sad songs to each other in Romanes, their eyes closed in deep emotion, while their listeners silently nodded their heads with approval, lost in contemplation.
When I asked Putzina what the Rom were singing about, he would grope for adequate words or he would say, "They sing about us."
Jan Yoors, "The Gypsies"