Finnish Roma
In the 16th century Romani people were only permitted to live in the north eastern areas of Sweden, corresponding to today’s Finland. Some were condemned to work in the mines of Karelia under extremely impoverished conditions and their children were often taken forcibly into care. When Sweden once again opened its frontiers to Romani in 1954 the Finnish Romani began to cross back into Sweden in pursuit of a better life.
The traditional Finnish-Romani women’s costume often attracts attention. The skirt can weigh as much as ten kilos and consists of three layers of material, the outermost being black velvet.
Illustration by Karin Enberg.