Bronisława Wajs (born 1908 or 1910, died 1987), better known by her Romani name Papusza (meaning ‘Doll’), was a Polish-Romani poet from the Polska Roma group of Roma people.
Never schooled, she learned reading and writing all by herself, both in Romani and Polish, and became one of the most known, if not THE most known Romani poet. She wrote her poetry in Romani, and the prose in Polish.
Read more about her HERE.
2nd edition of the Open-Air plenary Romani Art - International Dialogue "Jaw Dikh" project in Czarna Góra village in South of Poland (Djelem Djelem) →
Harangos Roma Educational Association invites you to the 2nd edition of the Open-Air plenary Romani Art - International Dialogue “Jaw Dikh” project in Czarna Góra village in South of Poland.
This project aims at establishing a dialogue between the Roma artists from Europe. The first edition took place in August 2011 and it’s success convinced us about the need of continuity of this initiative. In attachment you will find a publication from the event in 2011.
My name is Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, and I’m a Roma artist from Poland, initiator and coordinator of this project. Below you will find a short description of the project - main themes, aims and some of the activities planned. I will be happy to answer all your questions regarding the project.
We are looking forward to your participation in the project. Please inform us if you would be interested in participating in this event:
01st of September till 10th of September 2012
Legendary Roma Gypsy poet set for silver screen →
Veteran film-maker Krzysztof Krauze, who describes the project as “an epic story,” has cast amateur Roma actors for the film.
“They are fantastic actors,” he told Polish Radio.
“They are very friendly, full of life and open-minded,” he enthused.
“We tried to treat the Gypsies as a nation in this film, and not as just a source of colourful folklore,” he added.
The drama will move between the poet’s birth in 1910 to her husband’s death in 1970.
“We will show pogroms, war, forced settlements, and harassments by the police,” Krauze revealed.
“Such a tale about the Gypsies has never been told before,” he said.
Papusza (Bronislawa Wajs-Papusza) was discovered by writer Jerzy Ficowski, who spent time living among the Roma following World War II.
As a veteran of the official WWII Polish underground army, Ficowski was at risk of arrest by the communist authorities, and between 1948 and 1950 he travelled with the Roma.
Ficowski is being played by Polish actor Antoni Pawlicki in the film, while celebrated poet Julian Tuwim, who helped promote Papusza, is being acted by Andrzej Walden.
“Pabów, Pabów” from the album Cygański Zespół Pieśni i Tańca
Hopre phirdem me intrego luma
Aj, či arakhlem me kasava ša
Kasava šukara luludja
Ke naj majbut aj kaver pe lumaPhabov, phabov jilo romnjako
Jilo šukara šejako
Aj, del o Del radži taj bišena
Aj o djes luludi ande barLake jakha si bare sar puna
Aj, lake bal kale sar fibura
Kana dikhel paj tuke kam pekel
Kana sovel e lumba samberelPhabov, phabov jilo romnjako
Jilo šukara šejako
Aj, del o Del radži taj bišena
Aj o djes luludi ande barŠunen, šunen muře manuša
T’ avela šej de mange bilaša
Go, go la šukara luludja
Ke naj majbut aj kaver pe lumaPhabov, phabov jilo romnjako
Jilo šukara šejako
Aj, del o Del radži taj bišena
Aj o djes luludi ande bar
No translation, because I wrote the lyrics myself and I got a bit tangled up in some spots, so…
Anyway, it’s a love song, and I love this version of it. I have another version by a Hungarian Roma band, titled “Opré Phirdémè”.
I think this is some Vlax-Romani language, maybe even Kalderash, because I know Polska-Roma is really similar to Ruska-Roma and I have a really difficult time with that. Interesting!
A Romani (“Gypsy”) being searched.
His disheveled appearance suggests that he was forced to pull his pants down to prove that he was not a Jew. (Poland around 1940.)
(source: Part I - Holocaust Introductory Background Information)
Equality Summit opens in western Poland →
Roma children, photo:A.Skieterska
The delegates will be debating equality as a factor in regional development, developing regional and local partnerships and the use of EU funds for the implementation of anti-discriminatory policy in relation to minorities, including the Roma and Sinti communities.
Elzbieta Radziszewska, the Polish Government’s Plenipotentiary for Equality, has said that the Roma population in Poland numbers some 12, 000 people. Most of the Roma families are in the low-income bracket.
The parents want to send their children to special schools for children with learning problems in order to get financial support, even though they should attend ordinary schools. According to Radziszewska, this is a major problem in Poland.
The Equality Summit is one of the events of the Polish presidency in the European Union. A joint declaration is to be adopted tomorrow, in which EU countries will commit themselves to introduce anti-discriminatory measures at regional and local level.
The summit is attended by delegations from the 27 member EU states, representatives of the European Commission and of NGOs. (mk)
(source: News from Poland)
A Gypsy Family at a Campfire
Thadeusz Rybkowski
Polish artist (1848–1926)
Oil, canvas. 1894.
Sketch for oil painting in watercolour.
(source: Paintings with Roma. Gypsy tambourine)
Roma minority attacked with Molotov cocktails →
The incident occurred at about 10 pm on Friday night, when two flaming bottles of petrol landed on property belonging to members of the Roma community.
One bottle fell onto grass and the flames quickly petered out. The second landed on the roof of a house, and the inhabitants swiftly extinguished the flames.
No one was injured in the assault.
Police believe that the crime was carried out by someone driving through the village.
Roma inhabitants of Krosnica told the Gazeta Krakowska daily that they are regularly intimidated by drivers, whether it be with empty cans or stones.
However, this is the first time that a home-made bomb has been used.
“Up until now its just been stones and insults that have been thrown at us,” said one resident.
“But now, if someone wants to go as far as to set us alight, we’ve reason to fear for our lives.”
The resident underlined that the Roma community did not suspect other inhabitants of the village.
“They’re good people, we manage to get along with them,” they said.
In January this year Roma from the western city of Poznan complained that they were being banned from bars and clubs simply because they were members of the Roma community. Prosecutors opened an investigation after local authorities and the Interior Ministry became involved to solve what Roma said was a case of “blatant racism”.
(source: TheNews.pl)
The Gypsy Girl; Papusza →
Salih Kocatepe
(Burry Me Standing-Gypsies and Their Journeys-Isabella Fonseca)
FONSECA; author and journalist. She lived between Gypsies like a Gypsy for 4 years and wrote this book. She tells the story of a forgotten society. She explains how could Gypsies survive despite they face discrimination and oppression for centuries.
The most interesting part of the book for me is about lifestory and struggle of the Gypsy girl, Papusza.
PAPUSZA was a member of a Gypsy family travelling with caravans. She had a strong passion to be educated. She learned reading and writing from someone in exchange of a stolen chicken. She had a secret library in process of time. One day, her family saw her reading a book. They beat her… However she didn’t give up. She continued to read and write. She wrote about places they travelled around; about interesting incidents they lived. (Bloody tears) (Our experiences under German oppression). She told about porrajmos and jews who share a similar destiny with Gypsies. Her poets were published in a newspaper named (Problemy).
FICOWSKI, a polish author. He is author of one of the most important books written about Gypsies. He was one of the supporters of the goverment policy to settle 15000 Gypsies after the war. Ficowski knew Papusza and according to him, she was an ideal for all Gypsies. She was a participant and supporter of changing process of Gypsies according to Ficowski. Polish socialists wanted to creat a nation state ethnically homogeneous. This was the reason why they founded an office to solve “Gypsy” question. The office worked until 1989. They started a program named “Big Stop” which targets to settle down Gypsies. However most of Gypsies were against the program. Because they believed that their trational life will dissappeared with the program. Papusza was one of the people who want to change tradional life of Gypsies according to many conservative ones. This was the reason why she was declared a traitor. However, she targeted happiness of Gypsies. Each sides of the discussion misunderstood her. Papusza burned most of her poets and articles. She sent a letter to Ficowski to stop publishing her writings. However her writings continued to be published.
The highest authority of Polish Gypsies Baro Şero judged her. She was stigmatized as mahrime, unclean. She was expelled from society.
Papusza lived in a bedlam in Silesia for 240 days. Then she lived alone without communicating with people for 34 until she died in 1987.
I closed the book angrily when i read these sentences. I dreamed Papusza. I cried thinking the Gypsy gir alone, with her terrible pains.
My dear brother Ali Mezarcıoğlu. My mind is confusing about the sides of this story. Which Gypsy is right Papusza or Baro Şero as the leader of a society which was planned to be assimilated?
With my best wishes my dear brother.
(source: Çingenelerin Sitesi)
A Roma girl at the Roma music concert, Olsztyn, Poland, August, 2011
[Source: Anna Sakin / Flickr]
Warszawa z czasów okupacji: Cyganki
Warsome during Worl dWar II: Romani Women
Hugo Jager
September 1940
Poland
(source: Romani Literature)
Gypsy Wedding in Targowica in Bolechów.
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