Creating a kumpania: Formation and reformation processes of Roma collectives in Provence

Groups of Roma called “Hungarians” form and dissolve collectives called kumpanji, producing a fluid social fabric of interconnected relationships among a broad constellation of individuals, families, and locations. This pattern of circulation allows the Roma to preserve a collective lifestyle while continuously participating in new configurations. Examining two types of habitations—official caravan sites and unofficial “stopping places”—this article shows that each new arrival at a caravan site allows the development of new clusters of relationships and new approaches to occupying space. These recombinations allow individuals to reposition themselves within the heterogeneous territory of the caravan site, in closely overseen environments that are presided over by sanitation regulations, surveillance, and administrative rules.