21 photos of how Polish gypsies live. This you definitely do not expect to see

If you, like many others, at the word “gypsies” imagine gold-hung people living in huge houses trimmed with the same gold and marble, dancing endlessly, singing romances and divining fortune-telling cards, then it's time to destroy this battered stereotype.

Polish photographer Adam Lyakh in his photo project entitled "The Stigma Project" demonstrates a completely different gypsy life. These pictures were taken during a stay in a gypsy camp. It consists of 60 people, some of which 20 years ago moved from Romania to one very unpresentable district of Wroclaw. There is no place for fanciful luxury, fun and sparkle in their lives. Here is what the author of the photo tells about the heroes of his project: “These are good people with a very atypical and unusual inner world. They have suffered many insults from people who met on their way. Among the locals they are known as thieves, beggars and criminals, they are often "On the part of the local authorities, they are unlikely to wait for protection or an attempt to somehow solve their problems. For the authorities, the only way to solve the problem is to force the Roma to leave Wroclaw."

One of the chapters of the camp is sitting in his car. Photo: Adam Lach.

Wroclaw March 10, 2013. A Polish gypsy named Carolina. Carolina fled from her parents living on the other side of the country because she fell in love with Alex, who lives in slums. Photo: Adam Lach.

Slums on the edge of Wroclaw. October 22, 2012. Photo: Adam Lach.

Dinner cooked on a special gypsy stove. Photo: Adam Lach.

Mikolai and Renata in the hut. Photo: Adam Lach.

Polish gypsies are pushing a car. Photo: Adam Lach.

The boy at the barracks. Photo: Adam Lach.

Gypsies of Wroclaw. Photo: Adam Lach.

Eve, Kalichi's wife, picks up little Zina in her arms. Photo: Adam Lach.

Malena and her mother Marika are listening to music. Photo: Adam Lach.

Children play near the slums. Photo: Adam Lach.

The boy shows his muscles. Photo: Adam Lach.

One of the gypsies caught a rat. Rats bring a lot of damage to the life of this camp. At night, rodents steal food and gnaw holes in the walls. Nevertheless, the gypsies let the rat go free - the animal is not to blame for what did not please people.

Gypsies dig a garbage pit. Photo: Adam Lach.

Gypsies usually build their huts in one day. Photo: Adam Lach.

March 25, 2012 An arson organized by local residents to force Roma to leave this place. Photo: Adam Lach.

Drying clothes. Photo: Adam Lach.

The gypsy woman fell asleep right on the ground. Photo: Adam Lach.

Mindra. June 20, 2013 Wroclaw. Photo: Adam Lach.

The child in the bag from IKEA. Photo: Adam Lach.

Family Floritsa in his hut. From left to right: Alexander (mentally retarded after a car accident), Adam, Floritsa, Elvetsian, Bunya (mentally retarded) and Taisiya at the seventh month of pregnancy.

Watch the video: The Struggle for Survival of the Roma People: Europe's Most Hated (May 2024).