A False Dawn: Volume 16: My Life as a Gypsy Woman in Slovakia

by Ilona Lackova

"The future of the Gypsies of the Czech and Slovak Republics does indeed look dark. But the indomitable spirit of Ilona Lackova is an inspiration for her fellow Roma." "Her life spans the century. One of the nine children born in a Gypsy settlement in Slovakia where they grew up, despised and mocked by the peasants on whom they depended for work, she was married early and at the outbreak of war was a mother herself. Fear of the fascist Hlinka Guard who shaved the heads of Gypsy girls and sent the men to labour camps dominated their lives." "New opportunities came with the arrival of the Russians and the hope of a new life in a socialist society where all were equal. She wrote a play about life in a Gypsy settlement during the war and toured the country with a theatre company of family and friends. Education and appointment as a party official gave her a chance to help her fellow Gypsies whose conditions were even worse than before the war. But the socialist state was a false dawn, the Roma were discouraged from using their own language, began to lose their self respect and were sometimes starving." "This is the fascinating story of a woman whose life has been an exercise in building bridges to span the chasm of misunderstanding between two worlds." "Romipen - Romani tradition, culture and language - has been the guiding force of her life, a source of strength and independence whatever the circumstances. Here is the world as seen through the lucid and critical gaze of Gypsy eyes. Scathing irony gives the reader an insight into Romani social and cultural life, its joys and sorrows, festivals and crises, the troubles associated with finding a place to live, with work, with school, the Second World War and the politics of racism and rejection."--BOOK JACKET.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I felt like Lackova jumped around a great deal in the first half of the book, her narrative became more focused and organized in the second half. I also came to very much admire and respect Lackova because she dedicated herself to helping her people.

The question is who are her people? She calls them the Vlax Romani. I read on a website dealing with the tribes of the Romani that the Vlax aren't part of these tribes. Judging from what I've read, they are probably descendants of Romani who inter-married with the local Eastern Europeans. This would explain why Lackova had a fair skinned sister. Fair skin is a recessive gene, but it will show up in a minority of the descendants if there was intermarriage. Romani tribes ostracize those who inter-marry. Another guess is that they were ostracized by the Kalderesh because Vlax families and social organization sound similar to the Kalderesh. The Kalderesh were slaves in Rumania for centuries. Slavery influenced their culture and psychology on a very profound level. If the Vlax are related to the Kalderesh, this would explain a great many things about their attitudes. This is just a theory. I could be completely off-base. I am not an expert on Romani cultures.

[Jana Hronec Haraksim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One the best of the book I read this year if not even best book I’ve read.

Elena is inspiring person not only for Romani people but also for Slovaks people. She was fearless and where many people see obstacles, she see path.
Her autobiography it’s a stunning piece of work but also heartbreaking reading showing what Roma people experienced in the past, during World War II.

‘Still, I think that I was born under a lucky star - uľiľom tel bachtaľi čercheň. If I could be born all over again, I’d like to bee born again as a Romani woman, to live the way I’ve lived, and to do what I’ve done. I hope that before I die I’ll manage to do some more good for the Roma and for people in general. I’d like to write a good word about the truth of the Romani heart, and I believe that I’ll live to see the day when that heart will win a good word from the rest of the world. ‘

I’m glad that finally after more than 20 years, Elena’s book has been translated into Slovak language, too.

[Ibis grafika · Rating 5 out of 5]

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