ROMA AS A PERIPHERAL COMMUNITY
Roma people are Estonia’s least known and most mysterious minority. We know that they live in Estonia, but only they know HOW. Like Jews, the fate of Roma community has been rough – they have always been haunted, discriminated, and destroyed, but, unlike Jews, they have never been fully rehabilitated so the discrimination of Roma community continues. The public tends to mistrust them and regards them suspiciously, although they don’t know their habits and traditions. This documentary glimpse into their every day life is not judging this tiny nation that is excluded from the society both socially and economically. This photo series is a self-reflection of Roma that they themselves offered to the photographer. What is especially valuable about this photographic material is the fact never before has there been such extensive visual coverage to Roma living in Estonia.
Grand prize of the Press Photo of the Year 2013