In this article, we investigate Romani musicians and Romani religious musicking, a
previously under-researched facet of Roma musicking. We detail the emergence of Romani
religious music and its distinctive features, explore its evolution over the past
fifty years, and identify the earliest Roma religious musicians in Hungary. Furthermore,
this study will highlight the significance of Romani religious music in the process
of Romani conversion, the emergence of a Christian Romani collective identity, and
the development of Romani relations and inculturation. In addition to historical sources
and literature, our study draws on personal field experiences and interviews with
Roma believers in Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal-Charismatic, and Free Christian congregations
in Békés, Budapest, Szeged, Szendrőlád, Csatka, and Uszka.
