Etnographer Nicolay Bessonov. Hungarian gypsy-girl near her tent.
Hungarian gypsy-girl near her tent.

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Nikolay Bessonov is a specialist in Romany studies. He is an author of the site "ROMS OF RUSSIA". He published a some articles in different media, including Gypsy newspapers and magazines. His article about evolution of Romany dress was published in 1999 in collection “Gypsies” of Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology. The article was future development of ideas of Francois de Vaix de Folitier and Lech Mroz. New version of the research appeared in the book “Romany History - a New Approach” published in 2000. In the last book Bessonov presents a some groundbreaking ideas - in particular regarding the development of Russian-Gypsy folklore and about relationship between antigypsy laws and economic crisis in Western Europe.

Special authenticity to Bessonov's researches adds his involvement in in Gypsy surroundings. He is friends with members of many ethnical Gypsy groups: Russka Roma, Servi, Kelderasha, Vlakhi, Lovari, Lotfi, Kishiniovtsi, Hungarian gypsies, Moldavian gypsies and Mugat. During his expeditions Bessonov collected large photo archive about three last ethnical groups. The life in Gypsy tents helps Bessonov to get into the habits and folklore. He has videotaped exclusive and unique events from Gypsy life, and his Gypsy archive is the biggest in Moscow. The archives tend to get bigger because Bessonov permanently and persistently works in different scientific libraries and museums. He works also in private and State archives - in particular in the Theatre “Romen”. He also exchanges information with foreign researchers.

His knowledge and collected files were exploited in musical Gypsy projects:

- CD-ROM “Barenh droma” - the producer M.Smirnova-Seslavinscaya. 2001. Moscow.
- album of two CD-ROMs “Russian gypsy soul”. Network. 2000. Frankfurt/Main
- album of four CD-ROMs “The Best Gypsy Songs of XX century.” - the collector Nicolay Erdenco. Familia entertainment. Moscow, 2000.

N.Bessonov was a scientific consultant for TV-program “Gypsy question“. The movie tells about prejudice of public mentality and real life of Gypsy people.

The publicist monography of N.Bessonov “Gypsies and media” (М., 2000.) dedicated to the racist interpretation of Gypsy subject in Russian magazines, newspapers and TV-programs.

Now the author writes the monograph dedicated to Roms-Kishiniovtzi. At this moment the group of moldavian origin almost had not been described in the literature. Kishiniovtzi occupate an honorable place in the hierarchy of ethno-groups because their financial state is stable and durable, traditions are strong, and their Romanes dialect is the idioma of everyday relationship.

Bessonov makes noticeable efforts to popularize Gypsy history. In particular he represented in the exhibition “Gypsies under the Russia's sky” many photographs and cultural things of Gypsy past.

While working on the research about Afro-Americans' History, Bessonov pays big attention to ethnographically specific features. He cooperates with the leading specialists who consult him in different subjects.

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