The stories of Roma people affected by the 1998-99 Kosovo War and its aftermath are largely unknown. We present here the narration of individual lives which highlight the long-term consequences of displacement, social exclusion, and economic hardship for Roma communities. Our aim is to address the historical exclusion of Roma narratives from mainstream accounts of the Kosovo conflict, providing a better understanding of their vulnerable social position but also of their resilience.
This research had developed over time. It includes interviews with individuals conducted by the OHI team and specific projects executed by other organizations.
Five interviews were conducted in partnership with the organization Versitas and supported by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The interviews were conducted in the dialect of Romani language spoken by the speakers [Gurbetski, Arljiski, Burgurgjiski, or Prizrenski], and then translated into English.
Who We Were; Who We Are is a text with links to oral history interviews with members of the Roma community. It was published in 2004 by a team of researchers – Sebastian Šerifović, Adem Osmani, and Afërdita Berisha – led by Bobby Anderson. Anderson kindly gave us permission to include it in our living archive. This project was sponsored by the Open Society Institute Roma Culture Initiative, with the logistical support of Communication for Social Development and Balkan Sunflowers.
By Roma, which is the Romanes word for “man,” or “us,” the researchers meant to encompass Roma, Ashkalija, and Egyptian, as well as a variety of sub-groupings, identified by the individuals interviewed as: Gurbeti, Muhadjeri, Arlija, and Bugurdjije. There is no better way to introduce the publication Who We Were; Who We Are than with the words of Bobby Anderson in the introduction:
“This project is a document of what has been lost. It’s about a language choked with
foreign words; traditions often followed by rote; a people removed from their past,
trying to preserve the things they have left that make them Roma. It’s about a people
who have lived in Kosovo for hundreds of years and have never been afforded a true
place there by others. It is said that the Roma version of history is simply the earliest
memory of the oldest member of the community. And when they die, they take their
history with them.”
About the dialects: The Romani language spoken in Kosovo is rich, diverse, and shaped by centuries of cultural interaction, migration, and local history. Within Kosovo, Romani is not a single uniform language but is instead composed of several distinct dialects that reflect the regional identities of different Roma communities. These dialects share a common linguistic foundation but differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and influences from surrounding languages such as Albanian, Serbian, and Turkish. Together, they represent an important element of Roma cultural heritage and identity in Kosovo. One of the most widely spoken varieties is Gurbetski, used particularly by Roma communities in the central and southern parts of Kosovo (Mitrovica, Peja, Fushë Kosova). Another important variety is Arljiski, spoken by groups with historical roots in the Balkans who migrated over different periods. Arljiski maintains certain older grammatical structures and contains substantial lexical borrowings from Serbian and other South Slavic languages, showing how Roma communities adapted linguistically to their surroundings. The Burgurgjiski dialect is historically associated with Roma communities who traditionally worked as metalworkers and craftsmen. While today the occupational distinction is less common, the dialect retains unique terminology related to trade and craftsmanship. It also shows a mixture of influences depending on the region where families settled, making it an important marker of group identity and tradition. Similarly, the Prizrenski dialect reflects the cultural and historical environment of Prizren, one of Kosovo’s most ethnically diverse cities. It incorporates elements of Albanian, Turkish, and Slavic languages, and is well known for its strong oral and musical traditions passed through generations.
Dialects demonstrate the adaptability and resilience of Roma language and culture in Kosovo. While they differ, they also maintain enough grammatical and lexical similarity to remain mutually understandable among Roma communities across the country. Today, with increasing interest in cultural preservation, education, and linguistic documentation, the Roma dialects of Kosovo continue to play an essential role in strengthening identity, community cohesion, and the transmission of linguistic and cultural heritage to younger generations.
