Јulijana Baštić, Mark Forry

Romani Tamburaši in Yugoslav Black Wave Films: A Turning Point in Visibility, Recognition and Agency

Introduction

Romani tamburaši in yugoslav black wave films: a turning point in visibility, recognition and agency. Explore how Romani tamburaši gained visibility & recognition in Yugoslav Black Wave films (1965-78). Examines their agency & commodification of "Gypsyness" in a socialist context.

Abstract

Romani musicians in Serbia are masters of tambura ensemble playing – a multiethnic band practice rooted in Central and Southeastern Europe. Through an analysis of Yugoslav Black Wave films and commercial recordings from 1965 to 1978, this study demonstrates how these musicians gained visibility and recognition both as individuals and as Roma within a specific socialist framework. To achieve this, they developed presentational skills in addition to participatory ones, effectively becoming bi-musical. This transition involved the commodification of their “Gypsyness,” which was ultimately leveraged to their advantage by both the musicians themselves and non-Romani cultural gatekeepers.

Review

This study promises a timely and significant intervention into the under-researched area of Romani cultural production and representation, particularly within the complex socio-political landscape of socialist Yugoslavia. By focusing on Romani tamburaši during the era of Yugoslav Black Wave films and commercial recordings from 1965 to 1978, the article's central thesis – that these musicians achieved a crucial turning point in their visibility, recognition, and agency – is compelling. The proposed analysis of how this occurred, framed within a specific socialist context, suggests a nuanced exploration of Romani identity, performance, and cultural negotiation. The abstract highlights several promising methodological and conceptual strengths. The interdisciplinary approach, combining film analysis with an examination of commercial recordings, offers a robust framework for understanding the multifaceted ways Romani musicians engaged with and shaped popular culture. The concept of "bi-musicality," emphasizing the development of both participatory and presentational skills, provides an insightful lens through which to examine their strategic adaptation and artistic evolution. Most intriguingly, the discussion around the "commodification of their 'Gypsyness'" and its strategic leveraging by both the musicians themselves and non-Romani cultural gatekeepers suggests a sophisticated understanding of agency and power dynamics, moving beyond simplistic narratives of exploitation to explore active negotiation. While the abstract lays out a strong foundation, the full paper will undoubtedly benefit from further elaboration on the specific mechanisms and implications of this commodification. For instance, a deeper dive into the precise nature of these "presentational skills" and how they were perceived by different audiences (Romani vs. non-Romani) would be valuable. Moreover, exploring the potential tensions or complexities inherent in leveraging cultural stereotypes for visibility, and how Romani musicians navigated these ethical and artistic dilemmas, would enrich the analysis of their agency. Nevertheless, this work appears poised to make a highly original and important contribution to studies of Romani culture, musicology, film studies, and the history of socialist Yugoslavia.

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