How a young Roma woman fosters the Romani language in Kosovo

DW (English)

Prizren has the largest Roma community in Kosovo. Roma teacher and activist Urma Menekshe teaches the Romani language at four schools in the city. She set up the first Roma library in Kosovo several years ago.

Transcript

00:00Even when I told you that I don't know what to do,

00:04I'm from Urma.

00:06I'm Urma Menexhe, and this is my story.

00:30It's true that the Roma aren't intelligent,

00:35we have returned to an informant of the Roma,

00:39in the village of Urma.

00:42The Roman community is a very important issue

00:46due to the population of the inundryshme,

00:50and in the Balkans,

00:52the Roman community is very important,

00:56due to the fact that we have to work with 2-3 jobs

01:01for us to show the work and other communities.

01:08It's normal that we have some discrimination or stereotypes

01:12because we don't know much about the Roma community.

01:17The discrimination in Kosovo can be adjusted.

01:20It's normal that we don't have a lot to do with them,

01:25but we have some other offenders.

01:28We have some other communities,

01:30or the other communities,

01:31or the other communities are far away from them.

01:34We have some other things

01:37that we have a lot of people in the community.

01:41This is based on stereotypes

01:46or what they have understood the wrong communities.

01:55But Urma's parents wanted her to have a good education.

02:00We have a lot of children in Asajna,

02:03and as a family,

02:04because Urma has taught us that

02:07all Urma has taught us the school.

02:09We have taught us the school.

02:11But we have taught us the school in Asajna

02:15to do something like this.

02:18The rest of the school is not just.

02:20Urma now teaches at the school

02:21she herself attended as a pupil.

02:24Her former teacher is now her colleague.

02:27She teaches children between the ages of eight and thirteen.

02:31Although these classes are optional,

02:33they are crucial for the self-esteem of Romani children.

02:38The main reason why Romani children drop out of education is poverty.

02:47However, this number has decreased in recent years.

02:51But Urma isn't only a teacher.

02:54She's also a well-known Romani activist.

02:57Urma was just six years of age when she first performed in a Romani theatre production,

03:02feeding her love of the Romani language.

03:04As an adult, she set up the very first Roma library in Kosovo.

03:26The Roma community is the smallest minority in Kosovo.

03:34Most Roma in Kosovo live in Prizren.

03:40But despite the small size of the community, the Romani language has a long tradition in the city.

03:45This is why the municipality of Prizren recognized Romani as an official language in 2022.

03:53Urma's father was her biggest inspiration.

03:55He was also the first Romani language teacher in Prizren and one of the founders of the Roma theater in the Balkans.

04:03It was his place that Urma brought to life on stage.

04:06Aja e ka kep gjuhën Rome në trupin tonë, të fëmive vetë,

04:14për mos me asimilu fëmit,

04:16po edhe me kultivu me qëtë gjuhë,

04:19të mos praktisin edhe të punoj me gjuhën Rome.

04:22Aja më kanë zirë të gëthënë mu,

04:24unë një ditë do të mbarëj punën ti me këtu,

04:28dhe ti më basë me e do të marëjshë profesionin tim.

04:31Urma me të vërtet është bërë njeri për e personaliteteve femra, gra,

04:37ose si një vajzë e re më e njohur në Kosovë,

04:41duke u për edhe mësuesi e par në historinë e Komitetit Romë

04:44si më simëtën se gjuhën së Rome,

04:46edhe nga në tjeder si kryuëse vetëme e par e bibliotekës

04:50së Komitetit Romë në gjuhën Rome,

04:52që nuk i kemi pasur këto asete më heret,

04:54andaj jam shumë, shumë, shumë kërënar me Urma në motërën timë.

04:57Only 18% of women in Kosovo work outside the home.

05:03Urma is one of them.

05:08Si në nëzdo familje në familje Rome,

05:11kanë përshmeri që vajzat mu më martu më heret,

05:14edhe familje jeme ka pasë përshmeri shumë,

05:16për me i kryu familje në vetë vajzat,

05:19ose me pasë shpijën e vetë të saktune,

05:22që shë thonë shpija jote është e buri.

05:24Mirë po, unë më ndoj që komë më thyrë qëta barjerat,

05:29e kom kryu vetë njëhe standartin tim të jetës time.

05:33Kom kryu karjerën time, mund të them,

05:35jonë për mi, kom të mia.

05:38As a child, Urma dreamt of becoming a police officer or lawyer.

05:43Today, she's happy with the choices she made.

05:45Nëra mesajji, bash e nëve gëneracijënge të e nëve çavorengësit të garav gëllë romani qip,

05:53të vakar gëllë romani qip,

05:55të të janën kë eoliengo barvalipësit të romani qip.

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