Roma people (gypsies) of Montenegro
The purpose of this report is to present the life of most Roma people in Montenegro. It is a work that includes photographs from various Roma settlements, along with information I gathered in the field by talking to Roma people about their history, way of life, and the conditions they live in.
About Roma People
The Roma in Montenegro are immigrants who fled the war in Kosovo. Most of them are of Albanian and Serbian origin, but there are also settlements where Montenegrin Roma have lived for many years. One such settlement is in Bijelo Polje, and it is one of the first in Montenegro, established around 1912. Most settlements are mixed (e.g., the Konik settlement in Podgorica). Roma people live together regardless of religion or origin, as these differences do not affect them. They help each other, and conflicts are rare, occurring only for other reasons.
Education and work
Most Roma are poorly educated and are not familiar with their history. Older generations know slightly more, but there are also those who do not know when they arrived or where they came from. This leads to poor transmission of knowledge and history to younger generations. The few educated Roma are aware of their history, study it, and pass it on.
Educated Roma hold good jobs in government institutions, live comfortably, and are materially and financially secure. On the other hand, most Roma who are poor live in difficult conditions without money or shelter. They engage in various activities such as collecting scrap metal and plastic, selling it, and doing other physical work. Age does not matter, as children start engaging in physical labor from a young age. Later, some leave the country for better working conditions offered in the West.
Progress
Until a few years ago, the Roma in Montenegro did not have a representative for their community who would advocate for better living and working conditions. Now that they do, these conditions have slightly improved but are still not on par with those in other countries. Most settlements (houses and apartments) built for them by the municipality with the help of community representatives have been destroyed by the Roma themselves. It is not uncommon for them to lose jobs obtained with the help of organizations that strive for better living conditions for the Roma due to their behavior. A significant issue remains the discrimination and nationalism they face, which makes it much harder for them to find employment.
my work
Through the photographs I have selected, I aim to show a glimpse of the lives, challenges, and conditions faced by the Roma in Montenegro. Do their attitude towards the camera and my presence, as well as the way they present themselves, truly reflect who they are? Are they aware of the challenges they face? These are some of the questions I tried to answer through my photos.
You can view the entire gallery in the portfolio.
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