The Musical Status of the Roma in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (Republic of Croatia)

Abstract

The Roma are the most populous minority group in Europe and have lived in the territory of the modern-day's Republic of Croatia for 700 years. This study is based on cultural and musical research in the area of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, with an emphasis on the conurbations of Rijeka, Delnice, Crikvenica and Novi Vinodolski. This paper asks what the musical position of the Roma in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is and how this is reflected in their music and in musical interaction with other Roma and non-Roma. The work gives an overview of the musical life of the Roma and takes us through several musical events that are very important to the lives of the Roma in this area. Their interactions with the majority population and many ethnic groups in the area of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County are described through the prism of their personal vision and notion of relations. The work takes a look at the musical life of the Roma and contributes to the better understanding and coexistence of bearers of different cultural identities in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.