Shuto Orizari, the promise land of the gypsies.

In the suburb of Skopje, Shuto Orizari, is the single autonomous Romacity in the world, with a Roma mayor, some Roma medias, and romanilanguage as official one. Here gypsies are at home. But this example,between ghetto and model of self-management, clarifies hopes anddifficulties related to the evolution of the gypsies.

Photos and text ©Fabrice Dimier/Librearbitre/Lightmediation

Contact -Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email: thierry@lightmediation.com

525-01/Fabrice Dimier/librearbitre/Lightmediation/Shuto Orizari, the promise land of the Gypsies / 525-01:Shuto Orizari counts today 40000 inhabitants, including 75% of roms, 8% Albanian Macedonians and 15%.In Macedonia the romas are sedentarized since centuries. Macedonia has always been a refuge for those

525-02/Fabrice Dimier/librearbitre/Lightmediation/Shuto Orizari, the promise land of the Gypsies / 525-02: /Macedonia /

525-03/Fabrice Dimier/librearbitre/Lightmediation/Shuto Orizari, the promise land of the Gypsies / 525-03:Home in Shuto Orizaro / Macedonia /

525-04/Fabrice Dimier/librearbitre/Lightmediation/Shuto Orizari, the promise land of the Gypsies / 525-04:Home in Shuto Orizaro / Macedonia /

525-05: Shuto Orizari 525-06: Shuto Orizari

525-07: "When you dance, you're less hungry", said Esma Redzepova", the most famous roma singer ofMacedonia, called "the gypsy queen".

525-08: Shuto Orizari is a town of music, festive. Concerts are in the street. Organized, with the favour of amarriage, or a baptism, the concerts are also spontaneous. The music resounds permanently everywhere inthe city.

525-29: Garbage dump around Shuto Orizari. Children are collecting iron, plastic or paperboard to sell it. In year 1963, an earthquake destroyed the dwellings of Skopje. Migrants and disaster victims weredisplaced.The authorities allocate ground and residences to them on the site of the garbage dumps. Here come from the nickname of Shuto Orizari : "Shutka" (dustbins in romani). These garbage dumps are

525-09: When you dance, you're less hungry", said Esma Redzepova 525-10:

525-11: Marriage in the streets of Shuto Orizari. For those occasions, Money appears from everyinhabitants pockets. Those unofficial marriages (the stained cloth of blood is often enough to officialize the union during a family

525-12: Marriage in the streets of Shuto Orizari. For those occasions, Money appears from any inhabitantspockets

525-13: 525-14: Marriage in the streets of Shuto Orizari. For those occasions, Money

525-15: 525-16:

525-30: "Of course that it is important to be together, speaking romani, keeping our habits, having roma medias. But it is also necessary to eat, and it is almost impossible to find a work here" relativizes Aliev,70 years old.This economic context is inspiring nostalgia of the communist time to the old inhabitants.

525-17: Electoral poster in the streets of Shuto Orizari for Esma Redzepova, the former vice president ofthe roma party.

525-18: Erduan Iseni, the roma mayor of Shuto Orizari in his office, between the roma flag and theMacedonian one. Today there are many roma political party including 4 dominant ones. There are also tworoma deputies at the Parliament of Macedonia."Shuto Orizari is the promised ground of the romas. We have

525-19: Esma Redzepova. The most famous gypsy singer is ambassadress of the roma culture." The gypsyculture was born here in Macedonia: The alphabet, the music "specifies Esma who was the first singer whosung in romani. She lived in the largest roma shanty town, before being discovered for her talents when she

525-20: Ferus Mustapha, called "The King", the famous clarinetist."The Music which floods the streets ofShuto Orizari represents a hope to bore for people. But we are few to succeed ".

525-21: Recording of a musical show in the studios of ShuttleTV, one of the twice roma channels of thecity. Greedily watched by all the inhabitants of Shuto Orizari and Macedonia, Shuttle produces musicalshows, but also news, with roma news.

525-22: Recording of a musical show in the studios of ShuttleTV, one of the twice roma channels of thecity. Greedily watched by all the inhabitants of Shuto Orizari and Macedonia, Shuttle produces musicalshows, but also news, with roma news.

525-23: Musafa Bedim at his home of Shuto Orizari.Musafa spent 20 years of its life to produce a Romani-Macedonian dictionary. He translated 25000 words atthis day. Macedonians strongly contributed to the development of the language romani at the international

525-24: Gypsy song. School preparation of the roma NGO IRHOM. Families speak romani at home. It's theofficial language of Shuto Orizari. Also roma children arrive in first class with big handicap, which, veryoften, add to the financial difficulties, condemns the studies of the child. The NGO provides macedonian's

525-14: Marriage in the streets of Shuto Orizari. For those occasions, Money

525-25: Shutka bazaar, the (black) market of the city is the only possible source of income for inhabitants.Because of lack of employment, everyone is making his own trade. 70% of the employable people do nothave work.

525-26: Aurora, 65 years old, jobless, is collecting plastic in the garbage around the city, helped by her son.She received 2,5 Euros for one two hundred plastic bottles.

525-27: Roma children begging on Moter Theresa's (Native of Skopje) tom in Skopje. 525-28: Roma children begging in the streets for Skopje, the capital of Macedonia.

525-29: Garbage dump around Shuto Orizari. Children are collecting iron, plastic or paperboard to sell it. Inyear 1963, an earthquake destroyed the dwellings of Skopje. Migrants and disaster victims weredisplaced.The authorities allocate ground and residences to them on the site of the garbage dumps. Here

525-30: "Of course that it is important to be together, speaking romani, keeping our habits, having romamedias. But it is also necessary to eat, and it is almost impossible to find a work here" relativizes Aliev, 70years old.This economic context is inspiring nostalgia of the communist time to the old inhabitants.

525-31: Garbage dump on a play-ground in Shutka. "You should not speak about that, Shutka must not berepresenting as this nauseous image", inveigh the inhabitants.

525-32: Kosovo roma refugees. Driven out by Albanian who accuse them to have taken part, in 1999, onthe ethnic cleaning with serbians, Roma Kosovo people are more than 4000 to have taken refuge inShutka, since 1999.The city, in spite of the medical and financial problems, faithful to its tradition of

525-35: Kosovo Roma family. "I could speak 19 days long and that will not be enough to express our sorrows", says Regip, the father. "Integration is difficult here for us. "We have many problems with theowners. We are Kosovo roma, but especially "Egyptians". A category which occupies a special place in the Roma identity. More than 3600 Macedonian Roma assert there membership of this ethnic group.

525-33: Hava, 19 years old is Albanian. She arrived with her family in Shutka 13 years ago. She is teachingto the kosovo refugees in Shuto Orizari. "We, romas Albanian are not really appreciated here. It issometimes difficult, but I hope that the things will remain peaceful ".

525-34:

525-35: Kosovo Roma family. "I could speak 19 days long and that will not be enough to express oursorrows", says Regip, the father. "Integration is difficult here for us. "We have many problems with theowners. We are Kosovo roma, but especially "Egyptians". A category which occupies a special place in the

525-36: Regip shows the act of purchase of his house, and the picture of his broken house in Kosovo.

525-37: 525-38:

525-39: 525-40:

525-01: Shuto Orizari counts today 40000 inhabitants, including 75% of roms, 8% Albanian Macedonians and 15%. In Macedonia the romas are sedentarized since centuries. Macedonia has always been arefuge for those stateless peoples

525-41: Rufet appeared in Emir Kusturica's "Black Cat, white cat" movie. This movie was recording andcasted in the city. Now he names himself Alfonso, as the name of his character in the movie.This discolover and former textile worker, still lives on the memories of this time. "There was music and dance all the

525-42:

525-43: Dervish ceremony. The majority of the romas are Muslim. They considered themselves as romas,and after that, as muslims. But "happy muslim" they often specify .Following their wandering traditions,gypsies are demonstrating, in Shutka as elsewhere, a great adaptability to religions. In fact in Shutka, all

525-44: Mosquee. The majority of the romas are Muslim. They considered themselves as romas, and afterthat, as muslims. But "happy muslim" they often specify .Following their wandering traditions, gypsies aredemonstrating, in Shutka as elsewhere, a great adaptability to religions. In fact in Shutka, all kind of beliefs

525-45: Dervish ceremony. The majority of the romas are Muslim. They considered themselves as romas,and after that, as muslims. But "happy muslim" they often specify .Following their wandering traditions,gypsies are demonstrating, in Shutka as elsewhere, a great adaptability to religions. In fact in Shutka, all

525-46: Dervish ceremony. The majority of the romas are Muslim. They considered themselves as romas,and after that, as muslims. But "happy muslim" they often specify .Following their wandering traditions,gypsies are demonstrating, in Shutka as elsewhere, a great adaptability to religions. In fact in Shutka, all

525-47: In the smart district of Shutka, named "Beverlly Hills", mixed colors houses offer big contrast withthe modest housings of the city. "Here people respect me because I'm financially helping them. But I hide myself while returning from the market, cause I don't want that my neighbours see all I bring back

525-48:

525-28: Roma children begging in the streets for Skopje, the capital of Macedonia.

525-49: 525-50: Youngness of Shuto Orizari

525-51: Very few Romas are studying in secondary school. Since 2000 in Macedonia, only 47 Romastudents were graduated, including 45 inhabitants of Shuto Orizari.Albert, rap singer in the group "Majorque". "I do not have money problem, I manage myself. My wife is

525-52:

525-53: 525-54:

525-55: 525-56:

525-56:

525-57: 525-58:

525-59: Shuto Orizari 525-60: Because of lack of diplomas, others are choosing to work in less conventional and more dangeroussectors. Jahir, 31 years old, is probably the only Roma in the Macedonian special forces. Educated withoutfather, he used to work as a waiter in Skopje, before joining the army two years ago. "Even if I earn money

525-50: Youngness of Shuto Orizari

Shuto Orizari, the promiseland of the gypsies.

In the suburb of Skopje, Shuto Orizari, is the single autonomous Romacity in the world, with a Roma mayor, some Roma medias, and romanilanguage as official one. Here gypsies are at home. But this example,between ghetto and model of self-management, clarifies hopes anddifficulties related to the evolution of the gypsies.

In 1963, an earthquake destroyed the dwellings of Skopje, the capital ofthe Macedonian's republic. The migrants and disaster victims aredisplaced. The authorities allocate ground and residences to themigrants and disaster victims on the site of the garbage dumps, 3kilometers far from the capital. Roma people gather. Quickly, thesuburb is transformed into a city with its administrations, its cinema, itsstores. In 1996, Shuto Orizari becomes officially the first Romaself-managed town.

The city, called "Happy valley", is compared at a world gypsy capital.Here Roma's heart breathes, and traditions remain. Kusturica wasfilming and casting part of "black Cat, white cat" and "the time of gitans"in the city. However, in spite of this political and cultural recognition, thecommunity faces enormous difficulties. With 80% of unemployment,medical problems due to the polluted environment, and a big rate ofilliteracy, the population suffers from a condemnatory insulation. "Wehave all the rights, but we cannot emancipate because of lack ofmeans", summarizes the mayor of the city.

"This Roma laboratory could be useful for Europe, if it agrees toconsider the question. Better is worth to solve the problems here, atEurope's doors ", estimates Mgr Cirimotic, president of CaritasMacedonia NGO. In fact, if Macedonia is candidate at the entry in theEuropean Union only in 2010, the question of Roma's place in theEuropean union remains a key for the integration of the EasternEuropean countries. With the entry in European community of Romaniaand Bulgaria, more than 2 million of Roma people more, will be part of

the community.