Ronald Lee
Encyclopedia
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Ronald Lee is a Canadian
Romani writer, linguist and activist.
musician
from Europe
. He emigrated to Canada
where he got married, taking his wife's surname, Lee.
Ronald was born in Montreal
. In 1939 he visited Great Britain
and was unable to travel back home because of the outbreak of World War II
. Lee returned to Canada in 1945.
There he worked in summer for the fairs and amusement parks with his uncle, and then attended night school in Montreal in the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
When Lee was 18, he started to travel with a Kalderash family from Europe plating mixing bowls, servicing restaurant kitchens, etc. Later he took courses in journalism and creative writing.
(Romani internal judicial assembly) trying to foster a better understanding between Roma and non-Roma, to combat prejudice and misinformation in newspapers and to help the Roma represent themselves. In the 1970s, he got involved in helping the Romani refugees from the Communist Eastern Bloc
and ex-Yugoslavia
and, from 1989–1990, those seeking asylum as persecuted Roma in their former countries. He went with Yul Brynner
, Ian Hancock
and John Tene to the United Nations
on July 5, 1978 to present a Romani petition asking for NGO status. This was granted a year later.
In 1997, he initiated and was one of the founders of Roma Community and Advocacy Centre (based in Toronto
) and the Western Canadian Romani Alliance, in Vancouver
, in 1998.
Ronald Lee taught a course on the Romani Diaspora at the University of Toronto between 2003 - 2008.
Ronald Lee is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Romani writer, linguist and activist.
Childhood and Youth
Lee's father was a KalderashKalderash
The Kalderash are a subgroup of the Romani people, from the Roma meta-group. They were traditionally smiths and metal workers and speak a number of Romani dialects grouped together under the term Kalderash Romani, a sub-group of Vlax Romani.-Etymology:The name Kalderash The Kalderash (also spelled...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he got married, taking his wife's surname, Lee.
Ronald was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1939 he visited Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and was unable to travel back home because of the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Lee returned to Canada in 1945.
There he worked in summer for the fairs and amusement parks with his uncle, and then attended night school in Montreal in the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
When Lee was 18, he started to travel with a Kalderash family from Europe plating mixing bowls, servicing restaurant kitchens, etc. Later he took courses in journalism and creative writing.
Adult years
He began to work with the Canadian Roma as an activist in 1965, through Kris RomaniKris (Romani court)
Kris or Kris-Romani is a traditional court for conflict resolution in the culture of Vlax branch of the Romani people. The term derives from the Greek language, "κρίση" . It is a key institution for enforcing the Romani Code within Romanipen...
(Romani internal judicial assembly) trying to foster a better understanding between Roma and non-Roma, to combat prejudice and misinformation in newspapers and to help the Roma represent themselves. In the 1970s, he got involved in helping the Romani refugees from the Communist Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
and ex-Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
and, from 1989–1990, those seeking asylum as persecuted Roma in their former countries. He went with Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
, Ian Hancock
Ian Hancock
Ian Hancock is a linguist, Romani scholar, and political advocate. He was born and raised in England, and is one of the main contributors in the field of Romani studies....
and John Tene to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
on July 5, 1978 to present a Romani petition asking for NGO status. This was granted a year later.
In 1997, he initiated and was one of the founders of Roma Community and Advocacy Centre (based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) and the Western Canadian Romani Alliance, in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, in 1998.
Ronald Lee taught a course on the Romani Diaspora at the University of Toronto between 2003 - 2008.
Writings
- Goddam Gypsy, a popular autobiographical fiction novel translated into Spanish, German, Italian, Serbian, Czech, Russian, and other languages. Published by Tundra Books of Montreal, and McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, Canada, 1971
- The Living Fire (E Zhivindi Yag), the republication of Goddam Gypsy (above) under the author's originally intended title, by Magoria Books in 2009.
- Learn Romani: Das-duma Rromanes, University Of Hertfordshire Press, 2005
- Romani Dictionary: Kalderash-English, Magoria Books, 2010. ISBN 978-098-116264-5
External links
- Ronald Lee's Website with information and articles
- An interview