Paper Short Abstract:

The study explores the life cycle of Roma photographs from pre-WWII Latvia stored in public archives, from their creation and archival curating to their uses in various publications. In the context of the unwritten history of Latvian Roma, this is an attempt at a coherent reading of archival images.

Paper Abstract:

So far, around two hundred pre-WWII photos capturing Roma have been identified in the public Latvian archives and museums. The identification process and the creation and uses of these photos raise questions about how the place of Roma in Latvian history has been written and what the grounds for it are. Systematic archiving of Latvian Roma activities and culture has been almost nonexistent in Latvia, and Roma have only exceptionally taken part in the archival curating and interpretation process. In the context of the unwritten history of Latvian Roma, this is an attempt at coherent reading of archival images with the participation of Roma and archivists. The study considers the life cycle of archival photos, starting from analysis of the situations of taken pictures, their broader documentation context, and the agendas and choices made by the photographers. The archival literacy of archivists and explorers of the archives is analyzed, looking at their approaches of placing an underrepresented social group in broader contexts of archival structure and research narratives. The archival Roma photos have been used to illustrate such points as Roma equality and civic participation or their stereotypical place in society as costumed musicians or criminal suspects. Roma have been imagined as essentialized “ethnic types” or unnamed members of local communities and events. The study includes meanings that contemporary Roma assign to their historical depictions, such as dignity, improved living conditions, or religious rootedness.