Preida-Diaconova Tatiana Collection

After forced sedentarism of nomadic Moldavian Roma Groups implemented by the Soviet authorities at mid-twentieth century and massive industrialization of the Soviet economy – more traditional occupations of the Roma have disappeared. One of these traditional Romany crafts which are in the process of gradual extinction today is “Ciocanarea” / “Blacksmiths”. Currently the traditional Roma group of “Ciocanari” live in the north part of the Republic of Moldova, especially in Soroca, Edinet and Riscani districts. At the present, the main occupation of this Roma ethnographic group is the commerce retail in former Soviet Union countries: Ukraine, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan etc.