Description
The living conditions of Roma are quite precarious, as most of them strive to maintain a permanent job and those who are not that lucky, work in agriculture, being paid by the day. The project aims at improving interethnic relations and develop the quality of life in Corbasca – a rural Roma community. The main objective is to revive Romas’ traditions ensuring social inclusion and developing new opportunities by training the young musicians. There is a great number of gifted children within this community, who, unfortunately were not able to develop their skills due to their low living standards. Education is a key factor in overcoming poverty, so the project is expected to train young children, establish and promote "Fanfare from Bacioiu", revive Romas’ cultural traditions, funding a NGO and the "Fanfare from Bacioiu". The main beneficiaries of the project will be young Roma children and young people ,as well as the entire community.
Summary of project results
The project “Revival of Roma cultural traditions - the path to harmonious development of the local community" addressed the need to restore the "Bacioiu Fanfare", from Bacioiu, Corbasca commune, Bacau County, Romania. To be a fiddler is a well-known and much admired traditional activity of Roma populations since ancient times and it used to bring a consistent income for roma families in the past. Each Roma family from Bacioiu village had at least one member that played a musical instrument (trumpet, clarinet, drum, tuba or dinners). Nowadays, this tradition (and source of income) was lost in Roma families and there are only few practitioners left. So bringing it back can contribute at diminishing the process of losing their identity. Moreover, there is no music teacher in Bacioiu village or in the schools from Corbasca. The main goal of the project was the revival of Roma traditions in order to improve the interethnic relations and contribute to the Roma inclusion process. The musical training sessions and nonformal education workshops for 50 Roma pupils organised during the project contributed at increasing children’s musical knowledge, and at supporting the set up and strengthening of the Fanfare (in terms of team work). The Fanfare developed a repertory, participated at different cultural events and in the same time helped develop children’s social abilities. Most of the project activities have been filmed and photographed and a video clip and documentary film have been edited and disseminated throughout the community, at the final conference, and to different stakeholders from Bacau County. Following a participatory process of informing and consulting the Roma community members, the Bacioiu Fanfare NGO has been set-up. The local NGO will ensure the sustainability of the project by involving the Bacioiu Fanfare in different local and national cultural events and attracting resources for developing the activity of the Fanfare. 15 members of the Fanfare developed their knowledge and abilities by participating at 4 workshops (communication, organisational management, civic participation, means of attracting and motivating community members).
Summary of bilateral results