Іn the exhibition space «My Homeland in the Portrait of My Ancestors» (Exhibition Centre of the War Museum), a public discussion will be held: «Çingene in Crimean Tatar Lists – from Rescue to Deportation: Little-Known Stories of the Roma of Crimea».
We will talk about the dramatic fate of the Crimean Roma Çingene (literally from Crimean Tatar – “gypsies”), who were partially assimilated with the Crimean Tatars – the Qırımlı. The Çingene are considered the keepers of the Crimean Tatar musical tradition. During the Nazi occupation of Crimea and the genocide of the Roma, the Çingene presented themselves as Qırımlı, who in turn tried to save them by including them in Crimean Tatar lists. After the de-occupation of the peninsula, on the basis of these same lists on 18 May 1944, the Çingene were deported together with the Crimean Tatars to Central Asia, the Urals, and Siberia.
After gaining the opportunity to return to their historical homeland, the Çingene returned to Ukraine together with the Crimean Tatars, continuing to cultivate the musical tradition of Crimea – they played at weddings and ethnic festivals of the Qırımlı.
The history of the Çingene, as well as why there is a parallel name “daifa”, and how the Çingene differ from the Qırım Roma, will be presented by Roma scholar Nataliia Zinevych, ethnologist Oleksandr Rybalko, and researcher of Roma culture and literature Yanush Panchenko. The moderator is Museum researcher Roman Kabachii.
