A Canal Plus replay of the movie on the Polska Romni Papusza, a poet.
Category Archives: Poland
Poland, Social Housing, and Roma
Another article in a long series about Roma in the city of Pułlawy, Poland. This time about Roma who illegally live in vacant premises in social housing…
The real questions i.e. why are there vacant premises, and why can’t the Roma get to them legally are not addressed here.
- Puławy: “Dzicy” lokatorzy w mieszkaniach komunalnych. In: 24 WS Polotna. 26.12.2023. https://pulawy.24wspolnota.pl/informacje-pulawskie/pulawy-dzicy-lokatorzy-w-mieszkaniach-komunalnych/Nme5a5Nx33Vw9l4YxBr1
Poland: Interview
An interview with Sonia Styrkacz, a psychologist from a Silesian Roma family married to a Carpathian Polish Rom.On Christmas traditions, she says: “On Christmas Eve, various traditions mix in our house – Romani, Polish, Catholic, Silesian, highlander. I am a Silesian Roma, my husband is a mountain Roma from Podhale, so our family traditions are different. In my family home, holidays were a time of meeting, peace and conversation. Religious aspects receded into the background. For my husband, there are no holidays without mass. We also have different culinary traditions – my husband’s family fasted on Christmas Eve, while mine ate meat. We weren’t preparing maybe 12 dishes, but there had to be a lot of food – stuffed cabbage rolls, pork chops and minced meat, roulades, which we took over from Silesian cuisine.”
- Sonia Styrkacz: Jestem dumna z mojej romskiej tradycji. In: Vogue. 23.12.2023. https://www.vogue.pl/a/sonia-styrkacz-o-kulturze-romskiej-w-polsce
Poland, Prisons, and Roma
Reports and complaints about the improper treatment of Roma in Poland’s prisons have reached the ombudsman’s desk and indicate the widespread use of stereotypes and violations of prisoners’ rights.
Bad, but not surprising.
- Poniżają Romów w więzieniach? Rzecznik praw obywatelskich interweniuje. In: Gazetta Pomorska. 22.12.2023. https://pomorska.pl/ponizaja-romow-w-wiezieniach-rzecznik-praw-obywatelskich-interweniuje/ar/c1-18180553
Romnja in Poland
“Being a Roma woman is being a warrior.” Racism is everyday life for Roma. “We are independent, we are strong and we make our dreams come true” – this is how 28-year-old Olena, a lawyer from Ukraine, replied to the question about what Romani women are like. Olena is one of the 6 heroines of the second instalment of the series of portraits of Roma women prepared by the W Torona Dialogu Foundation. The goal of the campaign is clear – it’s time for Roma women to come out of the shadows and talk about themselves on their own terms and in their own words.
- “Bycie Romką to bycie wojowniczką”. Rasizm jest romską codziennością. In: Noizz. 06.12.2023.. https://noizz.pl/spoleczenstwo/bycie-romka-to-bycie-wojowniczka-rasizm-jest-romska-codziennoscia/qxc9kdp
Sobibor
The Museum and Memorial Site in Sobibór has been nominated for the prestigious title of European Museum of the Year 2024. The competition is organized by the European Museum Forum – an independent, non-governmental organization operating under the auspices of the Council of Europe, whose mission is to promote innovation in museology. The winners will be announced in early May 2024. The European Museum of the Year Award is considered the most important distinction for European museums.
- Muzeum w Sobiborze nominowane do prestiżowej nagrody. In: Wyborcza. 06.12.2023. https://lublin.wyborcza.pl/lublin/7,48724,30473334,muzeum-w-sobiborze-nominowane-do-prestizowej-nagrody.html
Katowice: Festival
For the twelfth time, the “Chemik” Cultural Centre will host the Days of Roma Culture and Tradition organized by Public Primary School No. 1. Dance groups will perform on the stage, and Romanes poems will be recited. The star of the event will be Angelo Ciureja, a Roma singer from Wałbrzych, scholarship holder and winner of the National Competition for talented Roma youth in Poland.
- To będzie festiwal pełen barw, a wszystko po to, by walczyć ze stereotypami. Dni Kultury i Tradycji Romskiej już 30 listopada. In: KK24. 29.11.2023. https://www.kk24.pl/artykul/19866,to-bedzie-festiwal-pelen-barw-a-wszystko-po-to-by-walczyc-ze-stereotypami-dni-kultury-i-tradycji-romskiej-juz-30-listopa#google_vignette
Poland and Roma Refugees
According to the article, roughly 25’000 Roma from Ukraine fled to Poland, and these were overwhelmingly illiterate. This probably means they missed quite of few Roma who did not conform to the stereotypes.
A book on this exodus, called “The War of our Times” was published.
- Z Ukrainy do Polski uciekło 25 tys. Romów. „Większość rodzin była całkowicie niepiśmienna”. In: WProst. 26.11.2023. https://www.wprost.pl/tylko-u-nas/11490139/z-ukrainy-do-polski-ucieklo-25-tys-romow-wiekszosc-rodzin-byla-calkowicie-niepismienna.html
Poland: Roma King
A Rom was crowned as “King” of the Roma in Warsaw in 1937. Well, it was certainly for the gallery, as there is no such thing…
- Ostatnia koronacja w Warszawie. Wstęp kosztował 99 gr. Król Janusz I miał płaszcz z teatru [ZDJĘCIA]. In: Onet Kultura. 25.11.2023. https://kultura.onet.pl/wiadomosci/koronacja-krola-cyganow-w-warszawie-transmitowali-ja-na-caly-swiat-zdjecia/rls4gn6
Poland and Roma
The Pomeranian Voivode invites representatives of non-governmental organizations to participate in the work of the commission assessing applications for 2024 – submitted under the “Program for the social and civic integration of Roma in Poland for 2021-2030”.
Let’s see what the outcome will be …
- Program integracji społecznej i obywatelskiej Romów w Polsce na lata 2021-2030. Zaproszenie do pracy w komisji. In: Pomorski Urząd Wojewódzki. 22.11.2023. https://www.gdansk.uw.gov.pl/6886-program-integracji-spolecznej-i-obywatelskiej-romow-w-polsce-na-lata-2021-2030-zaproszenie-do-pracy-w-komisji
Clichés
An amusing story of a German Gadže family who decided to travel through Europe with horse-drawn carriages. And of course, in the article, the analogy to the cliché of a Roma camp comes up…
- Podróżują w domu na kołach. Innego życia już sobie nie wyobrażają. In: Gazeta Olsztyńska. 19.11.2023. https://gazetaolsztynska.pl/szczytno/990703,Podrozuja-w-domu-na-kolach-Innego-zycia-juz-sobie-nie-wyobrazaja.html
Poland: Conflict
Another article in the Polish press about the conflict between the residents of Koszary, a large village in Limanowa County and its Roma populations, which apparently settled there in the 1970s.
- Wielki konflikt mieszkańców Limanowej z Romami. Mają ich dość. “Miarka się przebrała”. In: Fakt. 18.11.2023. https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/krakow/limanowa-mieszancy-maja-dosc-romow-miarka-sie-przebrala/eckebsn
Poland: Conflict
In the town of Koszary, the conflict between the Roma community and other residents is escalating. The dispute has become so serious that the Ombudsman will look into it.
Let’s see if this brings anything.
- Zarzuty wobec społeczności Romów ze wsi w Małopolsce. „Miarka się przebrała”. In: Wprost. 16.11.2023. https://www.wprost.pl/kraj/11481753/zarzuty-wobec-spolecznosci-romow-ze-wsi-w-malopolsce-miarka-sie-przebrala.html
Poland: Conflict
Koszary is a small town near Limanowa in Lesser Poland. In the 1970s, the Roma settled here. Over time, the Romani settlement began to expand. This sparked opposition from the Limanowa community.
This began to escalate a dozen or so years ago. Cables, electronic waste and started being burnt. These fumes, this smell of plastic in the air quite far. People within a two kilometres radius are complaining. In addition, the soil is being contaminated. Violence is also on the rise.
Bad.
- Wielki konflikt w Romami. Napięcie rośnie. In: Interwencja. 15.11.2023. https://interwencja.polsatnews.pl/reportaz/2023-11-15/wielki-konflikt-w-romami-napiecie-rosnie/
Polish Campaign
An article in the Ukrainian press about the polish campaign calling on tech giants Google, Meta and Netflix to improve their services and products to be more inclusive of Roma people.
- «Meta, где флаг ромов в твоих эмодзи?»: билборды призвали известные компании остановить ромофобию. In: MMR. 07.11.2023. https://mmr.ua/ru/show/meta-gde-flag-romov-v-tvoyih-emodzi-bilbordy-prizvali-izvestnye-kompanii-ostanovit-romofobiyu
Appeal to Google, Meta, and Netflix
Billboards appeared on the streets of Warsaw calling on Google, Meta and Netflix to improve their services and products. So that they are more inclusive and include Roma. The main slogan of the campaign is #StopRomophobia.
A proposal for the design of the first Romani Doodle in the history of Google appeared at Towarowa Street in Warsaw. The drawing could appear on the search engine’s home page on November 5, the International Day of the Romani Language. Doodle’s design was consulted with the famous Roma artist Małgorzata Mirga-Tas.
- Apel Romów przed siedzibami Google, Mety i Netflixa. Nawoływanie do inkluzywności. In: Press.pl. 06.11.2023. https://www.press.pl/tresc/78987,apel-romow-przed-siedzibami-google_-mety-i-netflixa
Ukrainian Roma Refugees in Poland
About three to four hundred Ukrainian Roma refugees are housed in a recreation complex in Poręba Wielka, in Poland’s Gorce mountains. The recreation complex belongs to a controversial entrepreneur who is being accused of making money with the refugees.
The people in the regions complain about these Roma refugees and fear that they will be robbed.
- Setki romskich uchodźców z Ukrainy w Gorcach. Zarabia na nich lokalny przedsiębiorca. In: Wyborcza. 03.11.2023. https://zakopane.wyborcza.pl/zakopane/7,179294,30292029,setki-romskich-uchodzcow-z-ukrainy-w-gorcach-zarabia-na-nich.html
All Saints Day in Poland
An article about Roma celebrations in the cemetery in Wrocław. Polish Roma honour the departed on November 1st, eating drinking, and making music on their graves.
- Muzyka, wódka i biesiada na cmentarzu. Tak dziś wspominają bliskich wrocławscy Romowie. In: Gazeta Wrocławska. 01.11.2023. https://gazetawroclawska.pl/muzyka-wodka-i-biesiada-na-cmentarzu-tak-dzis-wspominaja-bliskich-wroclawscy-romowie/ar/c1-18034387
Poland: Conflict
A conflict is brewing between residents of the village of Koszary in the Limanowa district. Roma illegally burn cables in their housing estate to get metals from them. “The stench is so bad you can’t breathe,” say the residents of Koszary. The residents say Roma react very aggressively to all the comments against them. This is confirmed by the recent situation when the residents of the estate beat up the TVP team that was making a program about the situation in the village.
- Polsko-romski konflikt pod Limanową. “Oni zarabiają, a my wszyscy dostaniemy raka płuc”. In: Wiadomosci. 01.11.2023. https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/krakow/polsko-romski-konflikt-pod-limanowa-oni-zarabiaja-a-my-dostaniemy-raka-pluc/xlyf59l
Slums in Poland
The social housing estate at ul. Sobieskiego in Bielsko-Biała was built in the 1990s. These are five one-story blocks with tiny apartments of a very low standard, where one bathroom and a toilet are shared between several apartments. Something for something, because the rent for the apartments was very low. There are quite a few Roma there too. With such a concentration of poverty, the estate the estate has gained very bad reputation.
- Owiane złą sławą “slumsy”, enklawa biedy w Bielsku-Białej, przestaną istnieć. In: Wyborcza. 30.10.2023. https://bielskobiala.wyborcza.pl/bielskobiala/7,88025,30353537,owiane-zla-slawa-slumsy-enklawa-biedy-w-bielsku-bialej-przestanie.html
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