Romani Culture Museum completes permanent exhibition

Brno, Dec 1 (CTK) - The Czech Romany Culture Museum has completed its permanent exhibition depicting the whole history of Romanies from their beginning to the present, ethnographer and historian Jana Polakova, who administers it, told CTK yesterday.

The first part of the exhibition devoted to World War Two was already established in 2005. After that, another three rooms were prepared.

The public will see the whole exhibition for the first time on Friday, Polakova said.

However, the museum's collecting and documentary activities have not ended. It will continue collecting objects on the history and culture of Romanies in the Czech Republic, she added.

Curators have assembled authentic objects directly from Romany families, Polakova said.

"A collection of golden jewels of Olah Romanies is interesting as is a nomadic wagon and clothes of Romanies from various parts of Europe, including Finland," Polakova said.

"The exhibition also displays the clothes of the closest Indian kin of Romanies," Polakova said.

The first part of the permanent exhibition, opened to the public six years ago, describes the epoch after 1939.

Exhibits in the three new rooms guide visitors through the older history of Romanies, Polakova said.

A visitor first enters India at the end of the first millennium, at that time the ancient homeland of Romanies. This is followed by exhibits documenting Romanies' wandering to Europe and their position in medieval society.

The visitors receive information on the community's internal organisation, customs and traditional crafts.

There is also information on Romanies' Holocaust and later fate.

With its topic and scope, the exhibition is unique in Central Europe and perhaps also in the world.

The history of the Romany Culture Museum dates back to 1991. Its establishment was prompted by a group of Romany as well as non-Romany intellectuals, now it is administered by the state.