In the period between the end of the nineteenth century and the outbreak of the Second World War, there were three main linguistic groups of Roma in Hungary: the Hungarian Gypsies (Romungros), the Boyash, and the Vlach Roma. The Roma population did not live in isolation among the Hungarian majority: processes of their integration and of linguistic and ethnic assimilation were highly varied, resulting in a broad range of identity patterns. For cultural, structural and economic reasons, historical sources have been preserved mainly from Gypsy musicians belonging to the Romungro group. In their case, it is possible to articulate “Roma voices,” examine their agency, and explore their identities in greater depth. The identity of Gypsy musicians was shaped by their Roma heritage, as well as their attachment to their occupation and Hungarian identity. In the period under study, the identity of Gypsy musicians was not static; it changed dynamically, in dialectical relation to both major political events and social changes.

Nincs absztrakt.