AnÂnaÂbelÂla GecÂse: From the hard-ÂworkÂing vilÂlage to the virÂtuÂal BaraÂca
The goal of the study is to anaÂlyze the life of a vilÂlage, as a comÂmuÂniÂty – that from difÂferÂent aspects is strongÂly liÂmiÂted -, in time includÂing hunÂdred years. The first, short part (broadÂly) sumÂmaÂrizes the basic charÂacÂterÂisÂtics of the vilÂlage’s comÂmuÂniÂty in the first third of the 20th cenÂtuÂry. This introÂducÂtion showÂing conÂcrete measÂurÂaÂble results is necÂesÂsary because the reaÂsons of the pheÂnomÂeÂna that the non-Roma resÂiÂdents of the vilÂlage in the secÂond part of the 20th cenÂtuÂry moved to the neighÂborÂing cities, stem from this periÂod of time. In the secÂond part the author deals with exterÂnal politÂiÂcal interÂvenÂtions in 1920 and their effect that strongÂly influÂenced the life of the vilÂlage. In the third part deals with the forÂmaÂtion of the presÂent ethÂniÂcal picÂture of the setÂtleÂmenÂt, takÂing into conÂsidÂerÂaÂtion the co-exÂisÂtence of the both ethÂnic groupÂs. AccordÂing to the study the effect of moÂre facÂtors is where the reaÂson of the vilÂlagerÂs’ movÂing away stems from.
There is only a small comÂmuÂniÂty conÂsistÂing of 61 peoÂple now livÂing in BaraÂca. Their famÂiÂly relaÂtionÂships are rather towards those who moved away and the RoÂma peoÂple livÂing in their neighÂborÂhood do not mean a comÂparÂaÂtive point to them. Their valÂues, life style have no effect on the vilÂlagerÂs.
On the other hand, it is true for the RoÂma peoÂple that they are influÂenced by the valÂues of non-Roma peoÂple. It is eviÂdent not only from their non-Roma peoÂple-Âlike lifestyle, decreasÂing numÂber of chilÂdren, but they emphaÂsize it durÂing their disÂcusÂsionÂs, meetÂings. It can be explained by the effect of decades of co-exÂisÂtence – in conÂtrast with the RoÂma inhabÂiÂtants of other vilÂlages – that they disÂavow, they do everyÂthing in order not to welÂcome forÂeign RoÂma peoÂple.
Decades spent in one setÂtleÂment – in case of BaraÂca – have not led to open ethÂnic conÂflictÂs. In the picÂture of each other of the two ethÂnic group not the negÂaÂtive motives have been strengthÂenÂing, but their mutuÂal knowlÂedge. This, obviÂousÂly, does not mean an idylÂlic picÂture with no probÂlemÂs, it only means that everyÂbody knows where are the borÂders and nobody wants to cross them.
It seems that it is not acciÂdenÂtalÂly that some of the ideas of solvÂing the RoÂma issue by the state are „gone“ from BaraÂca. HeÂre we are faced with such a fineÂly elabÂoÂratÂed pracÂtice of co-exÂisÂtence, and with such a versÂion of „not solved, but still funcÂtionÂing“ that canÂnot be moved (eiÂther to a posÂiÂtive or negÂaÂtive direcÂtion) withÂout physÂiÂcal force of exterÂnal interÂvenÂtion. The inhabÂiÂtants of the vilÂlage – that is from the point of view of an exterÂnal viewÂer conÂsidÂered to be in an immenseÂly disÂadÂvanÂtaÂgeous posiÂtion – are well aware, know, and feel the difÂfiÂcult and alÂmost helpÂful sitÂuÂaÂtion of their vilÂlage. NevÂerÂtheÂless, it is unique that they have comÂmuÂniÂty expeÂriÂence unreachÂable for othÂerÂs, and this is why nobody can say about them that they have prejÂuÂdice in conÂnecÂtion with anothÂer ethÂnic group. Their more-decade long expeÂriÂence in co-exÂisÂtence excludes this.