Four members of a Roma family with different passions, their big goals
Despite prejudice and difficulties, the four members of the Roma family in Kosovo have become a “source” of passion, bringing their dreams of a normal life to life.
Father and son, for several years now, have been opening their hair salon every day, welcoming clients of different nationalities. While the lady of the house, with a sewing machine in the corner of the room and two looms, accepts orders for knitting various bags. And the daughter of the family, in addition to fabric, shows her creativity in nail art.
“I remember that first haircut that I barely did, but my father encouraged me,” says Enes Eminović, in his twenties, as he recounts that he picked up scissors at the age of seven, learning the techniques of haircuts.
“I have been doing this job for about 12 years, that is, since I started with this job, since the first day I picked up the razor in my hand and when my father, as a teacher, allowed me to start cutting hair and I remember that first cut that I barely did, so to speak, when I accidentally didn’t do it right, but above all my father encouraged me, and told me that that haircut is really good. And this gave me satisfaction, will, desire to continue working, even though in deep thoughts I knew that the work was not done right, but I always had in mind what my father encouraged me. My father as a figure and an example of how a master of this craft should be, so I have learned a lot from him. I have learned since a young age, I started as a 7-year-old to learn about techniques, about types of cuts, about how to communicate with people, how to repair a hair cutting machine”, he said Eminovic.
Eminović says that despite prejudice, clients from Albanian, Serbian, Roma and other nationalities choose their salon to style their hair.
“I have clients of different nationalities, I have clients of Roma nationality, of Serbian nationality, of Albanian nationality, foreigners have come to me, when it was the time in the summer when foreigners usually come, so people of different nationalities come,” says Eminović.
Eminović says he wants to teach his younger brother the craft of haircutting.
But, the eldest son of this family shows that in addition to hairdressing, he also has a hobby of assembling and editing videos.
Although the only girl in this Roma community home did not want to talk about her art in front of the camera, her brother Enes Eminović says with a sense of pride that she is looking forward to a modest future with the profession she has chosen.
She has a passion for painting and is involved in nail art, a job that is considered profitable.
“Also, while we’re on the subject of my sister, it’s worth noting that she has also started dealing with cosmetics and providing cosmetic services. She has recently started working with nails, so some clients are interested in her work. This is how she works and promotes her work. Looking at her work and the quality of her work, I think she has a modest future ahead of her, with which she can earn and work for herself,” emphasizes Eminović.
The owner of the house, Muhabera Eminović, says she enjoys sewing bags and other things, all handmade. She says she exhibits her items at fairs and through an association, but also on social networks, where she mostly receives orders.
“I exclusively like to make bags, this is my desire, I have bags for children, we also have elegant ones, so here all kinds are represented. I learned this since I was little, so our parents taught us this. This is a tradition, so I knit sweaters and vests, and everything that can be done by hand, but now this is more common. I am in a women’s association “Avenija”, so I don’t go out to sell, only when we have fairs. We went to Prishtina, Gracanica, Prizren, and there I exhibit my products, so it’s my fault that I don’t advertise myself and that I don’t go out to sell, otherwise I mostly go to the fair, but also the Facebook page Muhabera Eminovic, my works are exhibited there. Here are these models, the elegant bags, these are the most favorite, so I do embroidery, there is embroidery, so they range from 30-35 euros, and these bags are about 30 euros, these bags for “15 euros for a child, there are also different types for 10,” says Eminović.
Eminović emphasizes that this craft contributes to the family budget. However, despite this, she expresses her desire to receive as many orders as possible, while also showing their prices.
“Normally I would like my business to go forward, to work as much as possible, to have as many orders as possible, well I contribute to the family budget, but not that much, to say now, but I would like, because, if I had more orders, here I am. So far I have had orders from the municipality of Gracanica where I am. I had sales in Prizren, I was there, I had a sale. I think it was all the communities so I had. Well, the most expensive works are 40 euros, 40 euros, now these embroideries are going over 100, 150 and so on. This gives me satisfaction, I want to do this, so from the time I started working until now, there has been progress, so I have been rewarded for these handiwork”, emphasized Eminović.
However, the goals of this four-member Roma family don’t end there. They say they will continue to work in the professions they love to achieve their goals.
(This product was created in collaboration between CFID and KosovaPress, within the framework of the project: “Confronting negative stereotypes about the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities of Kosovo through a media initiative”, which is funded by UNMIK).
