Í Lögbergi 102 föstudaginn 7. mars kl. 13:15-16:45.

Until recently, Icelandic academics and researchers of Romani Studies alike believed Iceland to be a Roma-less territory with a rather homogeneous and isolated population in which Roma people were unseen until the late twentieth century. Despite this lack of actual contact, an image of the “Gypsies” (“sígaunar” and “tatarar”) has still been present in Iceland, and – similar to everywhere in the Western world – has been shaped by literature, art and folk narratives portraying the Gypsies/Roma between two interrelated extremes: an exotic one and a marginal one.

RomIs: History and Ethnography of Roma in Iceland (RomIs) is a multi-disciplinary research project with two overarching goals: first, to provide the first historical account of Romani presence in Iceland, and second, to look ethnographically into the contemporary Roma community in Iceland.

The participants in the session will present the final results of the project inquiry into the presence and reception of Roma/Gypsies in Iceland as well as groups and individuals believed to be “Gypsies”  in different historical periods from the early twentieth century until today. We will provide an overview of the research questions, outcomes and methodologies in the broader context of Romani Studies and the history of the Nordic region, demonstrating that Romani presence in Iceland is part of the connected histories of Roma as a transnational ethnic community.

The panel will be in Icelandic and English.

 Fyrirlestrar Fyrirlestrar

Á fyrri hluta síðustu aldar urðu Íslendingar varir við nýja tegund erlendra ferðalanga í landinu. Ólíkt venjulegum túristum komu þeir ekki til að skoða náttúru Íslands eða heimsækja sögustaði heldur var markmiðið að safna ölmusum eða skemmta landsmönnum með sýningum. Vöktu þessar heimsóknir nokkra furðu og jafnvel ótta því að bæði áttu menn erfitt með að finna gestunum stað í hefðbundnu þjóðerniskerfi tímans og vildu varast að í landinu settust að nýir hópar flakkara eftir að búið var að uppræta innlent flakk að mestu. Hér verður ráðið í orðræðu blaðanna um „flökkulýðinn“ – hvaðan fengu þau orðin til að lýsa gestunum og hvernig skýrðu þau út tilvist þeirra og áform.

Árið 1926 kom fjölskylda til Íslands frá Danmörku með vísi að dýragarði meðferðis. Þau komu sér fyrir í Laugarnesinu og síðar inni við Elliðaár. Næstu misserin átti fólkið eftir að vekja nokkra athygli Reykvíkinga og raunar víðar um landið. Helstu heimildir eru afar brotakenndar smáfregnir í dagblöðum – raunar furðu fáar miðað við hversu óvenjulegir gestir voru á ferðinni og fáein bréf milli opinberra aðila sem töldu sig þurfa að hafa afskipti af starfsemi á þeirra vegum. Því var slegið föstu að um sígauna væri að ræða en hafa ber í huga að vitneskja landsmanna um Roma-fólk var lítil sem engin og öll hugtakanotkun mjög á reiki. Hvernig stóð á ferðum fjölskyldu þessarar til Íslands? Hvaða upplýsingar - ef nokkrar - er unnt að finna um fólkið? Í fyrirlestrinum verður gert grein fyrir þeim brotakenndu upplýsingum sem fyrir liggja, þar á meðal um tengsl við bæði Svíþjóð og Danmörku og þær settar í samhengi við sögu fjölleikahúsa og förufólks á Norðurlöndum. Auk tenginga við meginefni málstofunnar má líta á þessa litlu fjölskyldusögu sem lítinn kubb í vanræktri sögu sirkuslista á Íslandi.

This paper reflects on Icelandic society’s reactions to the presence of Roma families in contemporary Iceland and highlights some related paradoxes.

On the one hand, the ghost of the exotic Gypsy has continually influenced Icelandic collective imagery, to the point of giving rise to urban legends that ultimately proved to be unfounded. On the other hand, the actual presence of Roma families ‒ particularly in recent years in the Reykjavík area ‒ has been downplayed in media and political debates.

Another paradox lies in the fact that institutional approaches have demonstrated a rare and sincere openness to the cultural diversity represented by the Romafólk/Sígaunar. However, the ghost of the exotic Gypsy has continued to haunt certain encounters with actual Roma families.

This paper proposes analyzing this situation through the lens of Icelandic exceptionalism. The idealized image of Iceland as an anti-racist and tolerant country has positively influenced institutional approaches to Roma families, preventing them from being framed within the blatantly anti-Gypsy rhetoric that characterizes many European countries. Nonetheless, this idealized image is rooted in a national discourse shaped by (neo)colonial premises. These premises risk resurfacing in the form of exoticization processes, which construct the Roma as a radical Other ‒ an alterity that Iceland’s professed multiculturalism may struggle to fully engage with and integrate.

This presentation explores findings from ethnographic interviews with school and welfare staff working with Romanian Roma families. I examine the factors interviewees identified from their experiences, particularly regarding Roma gender identities and upbringing styles that the Icelandic system perceives as problematic. Staff navigate dilemmas shaped by both compassion and frustration, balancing reflexivity in their work and perspectives on Roma people on one hand, and the challenges posed by non-compliance with Icelandic rules and norms on the other. Additionally, I highlight how systemic barriers encountered while working with these families point to a deeper issue—the underacknowledged labor of staff in “women’s classes” (kvennastéttir).

Religious practices among Romanian Roma in Reykjavík primarily reflect Pentecostal Christianity, with some individuals also adhering to Orthodox traditions. Many Romanian Roma in the city are active participants in Pentecostal religious activities, where gatherings include passionate prayer, singing, and a strong sense of community. These communities often convene in private homes or rented garages to pray and sing together, reinforcing their faith and cultural identity. These meetings serve as places of faith and social hubs, offering support and guidance to members facing challenges in a new country. Religious gatherings often reinforce ethnic identity and provide a space for cultural continuity.

The paper will discuss how migration has shaped these practices, leading to adaptations in worship styles and community dynamics while maintaining a strong spiritual foundation.

Romani Studies is an interdisciplinary field exploring the history, culture, language, literature, and socio-political issues of communities united under the umbrella term “Roma” (other denominations include Gypsy, Roma and Travellers in the UK, Gitanos in Spanish-speaking states, Sinti und Roma in Germany speaking context, etc.). Growing public interest in the Roma, the sizeable Romani migrations from Eastern Europe, and the recognition of these communities as minority groups in many countries have been linked to increased academic research and scientific inquiries into under-researched data or overlooked historical and cultural phenomena related to Roma.

This paper examines the methodology and findings of the ongoing research project RomIs: History and Ethnography of Roma in Iceland within the broader framework of Romani Studies and Nordic research on Roma. It situates Iceland in the context of historical Roma mobility in the Nordic region and evaluates how our research aligns with, or diverges from, prevailing methodologies in the field. I discuss how our findings also highlight the invisibility and lack of recognition of Roma as subjects of historiographical inquiry. This raises broader questions about the representation of diversity in Iceland and the implications for Romani Studies as a discipline.
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