The blacksmithing craft practiced by Gypsies (Roma) in the East Carpathian area: ethnographic field research in the traditional community of Roma "chokenari" from the city of Otaci

During the irreversible transition from the "industrial to the digital age", safeguarding the craft of blacksmithing becomes a pressing mission for ethnographic research. Blacksmithing, a necessary profession ("in the past") in any peasant household in the East-Carpathian region, unfortunately, has currently become an unprofitable profession, practiced in a lessened and fragmented manner ("for the support of the family"). In order to document the current activity of the "last living remnants of blacksmithing", within this study were processed the materials accumulated during the ethnographic field research in the city of Otaci (April 28 - May 02, 2025), identifying the blacksmithing tools, the raw materials used and the products made by four blacksmiths from the traditional community of Roma "chokenari". At the same time the cultural and socio-economic factors that determined the preferential settlement in the city of Otaci, in the second half of the 20th century, of the most numerous Roma community in the Republic of Moldova were revealed. Based on newly identified historical-ethnographic sources, this study was expanded with another 20 new elements concerning the cultural significance of the Trinitarian expression "blacksmithing (craft) - blacksmiths (craftsmen) - gypsies (Roma people)".