Tradition Food and Music
Unlocking the rich history of Romani music Its cultural significance and artistic value
by Paolina Elezi
many waves and on which a great emphasis is placed. Generally, sources state that it developed around the 15th century using Roma music is a category of its own and there stringed instruments such as the lute in Italy is a separate term for it, as it comes from the and Hungary (Rombase, 2021). Roma or Gypsies. It is about nomadic people “Guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt with roots from Northern India. Due to the frepioneered this type of music.“ quent movements, their music has been influenced by different peoples and cultures, resulting in diversity and different musical colors. The Roma are known for working professionally with music. They played at important cereThe music of the Roma is challenging to find monies, such as weddings, christenings and fuas a prototype, since, as mentioned above, it nerals. Since they did not have their place, they was influenced due to their migration. How- created their own spaces in each country they ever, it is characterized by fast or slow mel- settled. Their music, therefore, comes from odies and, of course, the voice that presents countries where they lived and incorporated musical instruments and linguistic elements. The Romani language dominates their songs. Roma music includes a diverse variety of musical genres and categories. Some of the most important categories will be analyzed below.
Rewind
Lute
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© The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Members of a French-Hungarian Romani musical band pose for a photograph with their instruments.
© United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Rita Prigmore
