The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax has a new exhibit about a little-known ethnic group with ties to Nova Scotia going back to the 19th century.
Resilience on the Move: Roma People in Canada is a temporary Community Presents exhibit, that focuses on Roma, a distinct and diverse peoples, often described as gypsies, an inaccurate term most Roma find offensive.
The first national exhibition of its kind about Roma, curator Sara England says it aims to shed light on the history of this unique cultural group.
“It is a chance for folks to learn about a community that is often overlooked,” she says. “(And) participate in learning about the culture through music, which is a big aspect of Canadian Roma culture and get a chance to learn more about, maybe folks in our community, but certainly in Canada.”
England says due to discrimination and ethnic cleansing through the ages, it is difficult to trace today’s Roma populations in Nova Scotia but records definitely suggest that there were settlements around the province going back to the late 1800s.
“(They existed) in places like Lunenburg, Sydney, and Glace Bay,” explains England. “So visitors can look at our maps and trace how long Roma has been here and how they continue to contribute to Canadian society.”
In addition to the temporary exhibit, Pier 21 will be marking International Romani Day on Wednesday with a special free one-day public event featuring a discussion about the history of Roma people in Canada, Romani music and an opportunity to explore the exhibition, which runs until June 24.
“Few Canadians I think are even aware that Roma exists here in Canada,” says England, noting registration is required for the free event. “It’s a pretty sizeable population with a longstanding community with roots here.”
