Lyuli Gypsies

Lera Yanysheva about Lyuli Gypsies.

Russian Gypsies think that Lyulies are Uzbeks or Tajiks — their cultures differ too much. Our Gypsies have been living among the Slavs for centuries, Lyulies on the contrary traveled only through Central Asia.
Nowadays Oriental Gypsies come to Russia. They live in tents, their women walk barefoot and ask for alms in the streets. Men do some work here and there — they are always ready to mend a fence or dig a trench.

Several Lyuli families settled in a barrack in a village near Moscow. As it’s not far from our house we’ve got an opportunity to visit each other from time to time. I and my husband discovered that there are our colleagues, artists, among them. They played in restaurants in their country (just like we here in Moscow). Their repertoire is very vast. They sing Uzbek and Tajik songs and also songs from Indian films. And it was a great surprise for us to hear as they played Russian patriotic melody.

There was a little problem with instruments though. Lyulies got an old accordion somewhere, a tub was used instead of doira (an Asian tambourine).

Dance.   Lyuli Gypsies playing music and dancing.     view video

Music.   Lyuli Gypsies playing music and dancing.     view video

I’m sure Russian Gypsies would be surprise to see this video. “What do you need all this Asia for?” But let us not jump to conclusions. In our project we’ll find place for Eastern Gypsy musical traditions too and you will hear sounds of “oriental” on Svenko’s new CD.

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