+ March 2005
PHOTO MYTHOLOGY
by RANA HALPRIN


Text and images from Photo Mythology, by Rana Halprin, copyright 2003.

THE ROMANI (Gypsies) from California to Camp Land
There is a Romany saying –
“Dance in your own circle - where ever you go learn a new step. Make the best of where you are, not to be like them, but to know."
Mary, American Gypsy ( Romni) California -USA

This series of photographs is a visual story of the Romani I have known and their struggle to maintain their traditions in the face of modernity. Highlighting children from California (USA) to Italy, these images represent twenty–five years of photographic research and oral history. My intention has been to see beyond the stereotypes of “Gypsy,” which limit our understanding of the Roma. In the subjects of my photographs I experience the human paradox and a beauty tinged with sorrow. People without a homeland, the Roma have survived slavery, Hitler’s death camps, and racial discrimination. They have been victimized in other people’s wars. Because of their strong social tenets and loyalty to family and clan, for the Roma, although they have settled in communities worldwide, home is truly where the heart is.

The Roma are a people of Diaspora historically settling as outsiders in other’s countries. The Roma tenaciously have maintained their culture, language, and strong family ties throughout generations. Cultural survival has also come with a huge price. The Roma are the largest minority in every country in Europe, the most persecuted, and have the lowest standard of living in every country in Europe.

Most Romani are settled in houses in communities and counties throughout the world. Historically, however , Roma have been forced to migrate, viewed with suspicion, and treated with discrimination because of their “dark skin”, unusual dress, and foreign language.

The Romani –Gypsy culture is especially family centered: loyalty, devotion and love to family is a dedicated core value. Marriage to other Roma is preferably essential and most often marriages are pre-arranged by the parents although “elopements” between Romani do take place (the muse for much poetry and song.)

Currently, Roma migrating from Eastern Europe and elsewhere are frequently fleeing hate crimes, victims of other people’s wars, including the current war in Iraq. The struggle for refugee status or even global awareness of “Gypsies” as refugees is highly problematic since the Roma do not have citizenship as a “Nation” and are not seen as a Nation by the global community. This is slowly changing through delegations of Romani scholars and activists world wide.

As Dr. Hancock eloquently states:
“The Romani wander because they have nowhere to settle and when they settle they are forced out so they wander.”

The Roma have remained purposefully self-contained and separate: paramount is the necessity for self-preservation and past experience. Social laws, and requirements for moral order and cleanliness, spiritual, moral, and physical, involve complex and strict laws.

Due to lack of open space, globalization, and an ever mechanized world – the Roma have been forced to give up much of their lifestyle and work as migrant farm workers (both in the US and Europe a traditional livelihood). However they are unusually skilled at adapting Metal working in Europe turned to fixing cars in the US, horses and caravans to trailers and or homes nestled in close proximity to extended family members (kumpanis). In the United States the almost one million Roma are barely known to live; they remain invisible due to historical persecution.

Romani society is hidden behind layers of stereotypes which play on our collective fantasies. It is my hope to raise awareness, activate communication and respect for the Romani in their struggle for Human Rights, dignity and support the unique educational, environmental needs worldwide. Living in almost all countries across the world, the Romani are truly an international people; the Roma are the only people society living without a homeland. Symbolically they represent a “global village” interacting throughout cultures of the world and incorporating (not assimilating) numerous world.religions. Romani children, to me – embody and signify Children of the World.

READ MORE ABOUT:

MUSIC AND DANCE
Throughout the world, Romani musicians and dancers are gifted and inspired artists, honoring individuality, creative talent and personal expression. The arts of music and dance of the Roma ranges from India to the famously provocative flamenco puro to...
Read more by clicking here:
http://www.photomythology.com/pages/music.html

ORIGINS AND THE HOLOCAUST
The Roma (Gypsies) are one of the worlds least known and most misunderstood people. Based on linguistic research of the origins of language of the Roma (Sindhi –Multani /Hindi Punjabi) scholars agree the Romany originally came from North Central India in about 300 BC. According to prominent scholars in the field, Romani migrated in various time periods...

During WWII a huge percentage (it is currently believed more than half a million) Roma of Europe were murdered in Nazi concentration Camps -the Romany Holocaust or Devouring Romanes (the Romany language). The Roma were the only other peoples besides the Jews targeted for annihilation based on their race. Unlike the Jews, who found a Homeland in Israel, the Roma had nowhere to find refuge after WWII...
Read more by clicking here:
http://www.photomythology.com/pages/origins.html

ABOUT RANA'S PROJECTS
Recorded from 1974 – 2000, I was privileged to be a part of the Romani community in California. These photographs are of Machwaya /Kalderasha family of the lineage of the great California ”Rom Baro” (loosely translated as chief or big man) Stele Costello taken over three generations. In 1997 I was invited to “Saintes Maries de le Mer“ in France during the celebration of the "Black Madonna"...
Read more by clicking here:
http://www.photomythology.com/pages/about.html

For the Rom, the arts of music, song, poetry, and dance are an expression of emotion, placing high value on improvisation, intensity, and originality. The expressive arts in turn, act as a system for teaching oral history and serve as a collective healing. It is expression of talent and sublimation, a manner of enduring and transcending life’s emotional repertoire of sorrow, grief and pain, as well as a celebration of life’s beauty, love, joy and vitality. The arts are a highly regarded force and discipline in many cultures. For most Romani, music and dance are “food for the soul”, an integrated and cherished aspect of life.

Rana Halprin, a Biography

Rana Halprin has been closely involved with the Romani (Gypsies) for over 25 years. On tour in Yugoslavia as a child dancer- performer she first made contact with Romani children. In the early 1970’s she went to Southern Spain to study ‘flamenco puro” or “Gypsy” flamenco with the now legendary Gastor–Amaya family with whom she lived and danced for over a year. She returned to California to complete her studies in Visual Ethnography (UC Berkeley.) She met this Kumpania or extended family during this period while teaching at "The Romany School", a private school for Romani families initiated by the late great Rom Baro (Chief) Stele Costello with J. Thompkins. Rana has maintained an intimate friendship with this Kumpania, photographing between 1975 to present, providing four generations of family visual and oral history. She recently traveled back to the flamenco centers of Sevilla, Jerez and Moron de la Frontera.

Rana is a rare outsider allowed genuinely into the customarily private Romani culture, due the length and depth of friendships and her grasp of the Romani language. Ms Halprin is member of Patrin (an International Romani coalition) as well as numerous Romani and human rights organizations throughout the world. She is in contact with Dr. Ian Hancock, UN Representative of the Roma and on the Board of the Holocaust museum in Washington DC. Ms. Halprin continues working to bring awareness to the universal concerns facing the Rom,

Halprin has also worked with the Northern Cheyenne (1978-79) in Lame Deer on the film, "Land of the Morning Star" under the auspices of NEH for PBS and has photographed in Lame Deer, as well as her own children. She has an office in San Francisco, is a Licensed Therapist and Art Therapist, and has taught and performed nationally and internationally. She has exhibited “The Romani “ photographs at Galleries throughout the United States. Rana has donated her images to various groups working for the Roma, rights of the child, human rights, and global peace.

“ Rana has captured the soul of every human being in her luscious photos of Romany children.”
Deborah Santana
Milagro Foundation
Deborah and Carlos Santana

"Rana Halprin is a rare outsider who has been intimately involved with the Romani community for over thirty years . I am pleased to support any assistance she seeks with the aim of resuming her mission, of publishing and exhibiting her work, which I believe will be of great value to creating tolerance and understanding of the Romanies"
Hon. Ian Hancock, Ph.D Professor University of Texas, Austin, author.
Director : The Romani Archives and Documentation Center E Rromane Arxivura Thaj Hertijengo Centro

"Rana Halprin offers us the eye of a keen observer who has been invited into the private Romani community. Her work is culturally informative as well as visually evocative."
Catherine Wagner
Internationally renowned artist - photographer

"Ms, Halprin has documented the often misunderstood "Gypsy" or Romany culture of California and elsewhere, with great clarity, compassion, and intelligence… Ms Halprin’s work is of museum quality.”
David Haberstich
Head of Photographic Collections
Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Acquisitions for individual photographs and exhibitions are available by request. FUNDING: Grants and personal contributions will allow for further exhibitions, and other visual modalities that highlight the dilemma and talents of the Roma, who for the most part are overlooked by the world community. A mission for the images and stories is to improve tolerance and understanding creating a bridge for multi –cultural respect. Concurrently it is essential to respect the Romani aspiration for security and privacy. If you would like to contribute your donations will support this ongoing work.

Photograph prints are for sale: $250 -500
Posters $25 -35 for selected prints of which  a percentage will go to the ERRC (European Romani  Rights Congress) as well as setting up a youth community camera project with Romani children  called "Singing to Survive" as part of a video project.

Contact
Rana Halprin
rana@infoasis.com
©2003 Rana Halprin. All rights reserved.
All written and visual images in this article ©2003 Rana Halprin.
They may not be copied, reproduced, published, downloaded,
or otherwise distributed without written permission from the artist.

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