34 C O N T E X T 1 4 9 : M A Y 2 0 1 7 And whereas Roma communities elsewhere have often inherited less sophisticated craft traditions, the Soroca mansions manifest skills in sheet, decorative and forged metalwork (for example) that are exceptional – an extension of this community’s long-standing traditions in the manufacture of weaponry, and the embellishment of secular and religious structures across the wider region. More recent influences include access to previously unavailable materials and techniques of construction, including decorative cement stucco and a palette of colours, and the engagement of engineers (rather than architects) versed in reinforced concrete, mostly from Russia (St Petersburg); and access to Bollywood films, associative of India (the Romani country of origin), coupled with a predilection for lavish display and, one must admit, kitsch. The result is an extravaganza of historical references that unashamedly ignore contemporary architectural fashions. Instead, cheek-by-jowl, there are interpretations of buildings that the local community recognise, whether from travels or published images.These include global landmarks such as St Peter’s Basilica, Rome; the BolshoiTheatre, Moscow; and the Capitol,Washington DC (which features on the US $50 bill, the Roma community’s international currency of exchange). Eclectic? Unaffected? Innocent? Authentic? Pastiche? Whatever label one chooses to attach, Soroca’s Roma Hill proclaims a community that is content with its own identity, criteria and aspirations, and does not feel the need to conform to others’ expectations. Medieval in origin, Soroca today is predominantly a 19th-century town, one that expanded as a regional centre under Tsarist rule. Its population is quoted as 37,500, of which the Roma community officially comprises less than five per cent. Computing Roma populations in any country or locality is an art rather than a science, dependent both on the ethnicity that individuals enter on census forms, and fluctuations between the core of permanent residents and those who are travelling or working abroad. One consequence in Soroca is that the majority of the extended family members are not in the town at any A passion for decoration, in metal and brick
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=