Roma Lament Songs in the Past and Today

Rok, strany: 2014, 259 - 282

The layer of lament songs plays an important role in the repertoire of Slovak Roma. Either they are songs of the old layer phurikane giľa or in the new layer neve giľa. Laments songs were called by interpreters also čorikane giľa (poverty songs) or žalosno giľa (lament songs). Their singing has often been connected with memories of sad or tragic events in the life of a singer and both singers and listeners experienced strong emotions during their performance. Singing, often connected with crying, used to release sadness, tension, sometimes helped to express things which were hard to say. In the field research we find only a few such songs. Usually they are sung by older people, because the younger generation cannot fully identify with them. Their function is taken over by a part of the new layer of songs called neve giľa, which Roma usually entitle slaďakos (sweet songs). Many are about love, but the lyrics of some sweet songs – slaďakos remind us of čorikane giľa. We find in them eternal themes, such as sickness, death, abandoned children, hunger, poverty, imprisonment and unhappy love. Singers use exclamations, they address God, mother and thus they look for an answer to their bad luck. From a musical point of view these songs are totally different. Melodies are inspired by pop music of various genres and so also a young generation of Roman can identify with this layer of songs. One of the aims of this contribution is to show in lyrics samples the most frequent themes of lament songs and how they are transformed from older into newer song layers and how they reflect the life of Roma in a poetical way. The cathartic function is in many cases preserved, but as models of behaviour are being gradually changed, also the expression of emotions during singing of these songs is more restrained. Lament songs in Roma ethnic do not need a special occasion. They reflect a momentary mood of a singer and thus they can be sung whenever; at a funeral, a wedding, at a dancing party and also during a week day. They help Roma cope with a hard life.

ISO 690:

Belišová, J. 2014. Roma Lament Songs in the Past and Today. In Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, vol. 62, no.2, pp. 259-282. 1339-9357.

APA:

Belišová, J. (2014). Roma Lament Songs in the Past and Today. Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, 62(2), 259-282. 1339-9357.