Performance of Romani ethnicity in Klenovec: The pariahdom boundary and its markers

Abstract:On the basis of long-term ethnographic research (2013–2019) with the community of Romani musicians in Klenovec (Slovakia), this article develops an inductive theoretical model explaining distinct features in the local performance of Romani ethnicity. It discusses the theory of ethnicity construction through the lens of exclusion processes involving the non-Romani majority – the pariahdom boundary – and the Romani adaptation to the conditions of this boundary. Through this theoretical model, the article aims to answer two central questions: (1) How is the pariahdom boundary in Klenovec constructed and maintained from the perspective of non-Roma? (2) Which common strategies do Roma use to adapt to the condition of the pariahdom boundary? The article shows that Romani musicianship in Klenovec is a special form of ethnic performance that allows for the effects of the pariahdom boundary to be minimized without sacrificing individual Roma-ness.