The aim of my series is to present moments in the lives of children and young people of Roma origin living in Hungary, looking for answers to the external and internal influences that shape their personalities and self-images. Togetherness, family ties and relationships play an extremely important role in the lives of Roma communities. It is essential to observe them as a basis for understanding their values and traditions, which are still strongly present in their culture and which are fundamental to their identity.
Roma communities across Europe face problems such as poverty, exclusion and lack of opportunities within and outside the community. This is also reflected in the coming of age of young people. While there are now many important initiatives to promote integration (education, reproductive health, employment opportunities, etc.), it is important to see that only by taking into account environmental influences, social customs, beliefs and different traditions can help work.
My research focused predominantly on the North-Hungarian region (Drégelypalánk, Recsk, Becske, Őrhalom, Patak, etc.). This region has the highest proportion of Roma in the country. I have been following the daily lives of the families in my pictures since 2016, and in the past years I have been present at many important moments in their lives. In the last year I have visited several settlements in Southern and Western Hungary, and in the spring and summer of 2023 I participated in Roma village days organised by minority self-governments. These are the most awaited events for the Roma.
I was looking for visual motifs that are characteristic of young people’s everyday life: the extended family celebrating their children’s birthdays in lavishly decorated rooms, the beauty contests and dance competitions at the village fairs, young girls putting on their best clothes to take selfies on straw bales or setting fire to tyres just for fun.
I am still photographing my material on Roma youth in the village and plan to continue and expand it in the long term, to show the changing social and family dynamics.