Children's collection

Poetry and Prose

From Romano Suno (translates as Romany Dream)

Romano Suno is a collection of Romany Children's Writing and Artwork.

The following are from the book Romano Suno that is a compilation of work from its first five years. We've included the original language as well!

Romano Suno (Romany Dream)

This book is a compilation of essays, poems and drawings published in the booklets Romano Suno 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. In this book they are published for the first time in English for an international audience.

Romano Suno (Romany Dream) is a program of Nova Skola o.p.s.. It is an annual literary and illustration "contest" in the Romany language for children and young people from 6 to 25 years old in schools and other institutions throughout the Czech Republic. The program is designed to encourage Romany children to be creative in their own language as well as to promote multi-culturalism and awareness about Romany culture. The program also aims to generate interest in and appreciation of the Romany language in and out of the school environment and to support the creative process of writing. Participants are encouraged to submit essays or poetry on given themes or a theme of their own choosing. Although every participant is acknowledged, a panel of experts selects the best contributions, which are then compiled in a booklet published every year. The closing receptions, with prizes given to the top entrants, have been held at the Prague residence of the United States' Ambassador to the Czech Republic, the Renaissance Prague Hotel and the Toskitusky palace.

Veronika Kamenicka and Lada Vikova created Romano Suno in 1997. Iveta Pape currently coordinates the program with the assistance of Vladislav Vik and David Murphy. Mrs. Pape is a pedagogue and Romany language speaker. The program has been running for five years. In 1997 the contest drew over 100 participants. In 1998 over 250 students entered their work. In 1999, again over 250 students participated in the contest. In 2000 approximately 300 children and young people participated in the contest. In 2001 Nova Skola received over 120 written entries and 500 drawings and illustrations. Since its inception over 1500 children and young people have taken part in the program.

Kandracova drawing

Drawing by Kandracova, aged 10

I Want To Be Better

English Version

My name is Josef Polák, I'm 14, and I go to elementary school no. 12 in Zlin where I am in the 7th grade. My mother's name is Anna; she's 43. She worked for 27 years at the Svit Zlin shoe factory. She has taken early retirement due to poor health. My father's name is Antonin and he is 45. He is currently without work. We are a Romamy family and we are proud to be Roma.

When I started going to school, I was a little dark-skinned boy. The white children called me names and harassed me, only because I was "black." When I was little, it was hard for me to find friends, because the school I attended had no Romany children then. I'd like to tell you how much it hurt me. I went to and from school on the trolley bus. Once, as I was travelling home, a drunk white Gadjo was sitting not far from me and he started yelling so that everyone in the trolley bus could hear: "get out of here, darky." I was frightened and I got off. No one intervened to help me. I was walking home and crying because I was really hurt. On the street I ran into my teacher. She believed in me and didn't make any distinction between children.

Today I am no longer a little boy, but a young man. I now, Iook at things differently, with more distance and good sense. Also, the behaviour of the whites has changed. I play football and rugby, and no one today would dare to say to my face something bad that he thought about me. My mother says that if there are fifty white Gadje standing next to each other and me - a black boy - will stand among them, I will be the one who stands out. And nowhere is it written that if I am a Rom I should be dirty or bad. So if I stand out, it'll be because I'm better than the others, and I want to be better still. That is the dream of me and my mother.

I want to believe that if young people of different colours would extend the hand of friendship to one another, and would sing the same song, then our world would be a better place. I found that in some poetry book. I really liked it, and I hope that you will too.

Roma Version

Me buchovav Josef P., hi mange 14 bers, phirav andre skola andro foros Zlín. Phirav andre 7 trída, mri daj buchol Anna P., bersa hi lake 43. Andre but'i phirelas 27 bersa, andro Svit-Zlín, odoj pes kerenas parízi. Vas o lakro nasval'ipen hi akanak andro invalidno duchodos. Mro dad buchol Antomn P., hi leske 45 bersa. Hi akanak bije but'i. Sam romani famel'íja, he vas oda, hoj sam Roma, sam pro oda hrda.

Har lilom te phirel andre skola, he som kalo chavoro, o parne chavore vicinenas pre ma pocides, he kerenas mange phujes cak vas oda, hoj som "kalo". Kana somas tikno chavoro, phares mange rodavas kamaraden, pr'oda skola, kaj me phirav, andr'oda doba na has romane chavore. Kamav tumenge te phenel, har cítinavas dukh, andre skola jezd'inav la trolejbusiha, har jezd'inavas andral skola khere, tak maskare raklore somas terno, he odoj na dur mange has besto mato parno gadzo, he jov pre celo trolejbusis kerd'as rata: "Ty cern, vypadni!" Me darand'il'om he vistupind'om. Niko pes man na zastajind'as. Dzavas khere, he avka rovavas, he has mange but phares. Al'e rakhl'as pes adesi ucitelka, havi mange pat'alas, he nakerelas rozdíly maskare chavore. Vas oda, hoj na som uz chavoro, al'e "chavo" ternoro, oda nadhledos he godzi dikhav inac, he zmenind'as pes oda chovanis le parne gadzendar. Hrajinav o fotbal'is, he phirav andro ragbi, na dovol'inen mange oda te phenel andro jakha, so peske misl'inen. He mri daj phenel, ho t'avna pas peste padesát parne gadze terde, he me kalo chavo avá terdo maskaral lende, tak ava te dichol. hi oda nane nikhaj chindo, hoj kana som kalo romano chavo, hoj musi avav spinavo vas spatno. Ta kana som te dichol, som feder, he kamav t'avel inke feder, oda hi mro he la dakro snos.

Kamav te pat'al odoleske, kaj te savore chavore havikane barva den peste vast, he gilaven jekh gili, pales avla pr'ada svetos laches.

Rakhl'om mange andre knízka adesi básnicka, he lubinel mange pes, mange misl'inav, hoj tumenge pes take lubinela.

Monika Polakova,

Age 11, Elementary School Valtická, Breclav

Our Children

Our children still don't go to school.

They still don't know how to read or write.
Not until they go to the big school do they learn everything.

Our children are little, tiny.
They still know nothing about life.
They will find out everything when they grow up,
these our Romany children.

Amare chavore

Amare chavore mek andre skola
na phiren
jon te genel, te pisinel mek na
dzanen.
Jon pes savoro mek ca sikhl'ona
sar andre bari skola dzana.

Amare chavore cikne, ciknore
le dzivipnastar nic na dzanen.
Savoro sikl'ona sar
avri barona
amare romane chavore.

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