Who are gypsies?

Gypsies, known politically more correctly as Roma, Roma or Roma, are members of an ethnic group thought to have originated from the Indian subcontinent and who now live throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the Americas. While migrating, they faced intense persecution and discrimination, which peaked during the Holocaust and continues to this day. They are often stereotyped as dishonest individuals who work primarily as fortune tellers, but have a distinct culture that is often described as quite colorful, with notable contributions to music. Although many now live in permanent homes, they are traditionally nomadic.

Ancestors and migrations

Genetic evidence suggests that these people are likely the descendants of northern Indian groups, and experts believe they began migrating from this region around 1,500 years ago. They settled in the Balkans, or southeastern Europe, in the early 12th century and by 12 they had reached the western part of the continent. One theory as to why they left is that the Ghaznavids, a Muslim army, invaded them, either taking them out of India as slaves or forcing them from their homes into exile. Various legends offer alternative and somewhat fantastical ideas about their roots, such as that they are descendants of the lost city of Atlantis.

Origin of “gypsy”

Compared to the peoples of Europe and other neighboring regions, the Roma were quite dark-skinned, so those who met them often mistakenly assumed that they were from Egypt. They called them ‘gypcian’, a short form of the Middle English ‘Egypcien’, and this eventually became the modern word ‘gypsy’. Today, people apply the label very loosely to many nomadic groups, distinguishing when they mean Roma by capitalizing them. The term has come to have many derogatory connotations, however, even though some Roma simply accept it due to its widespread use, most do not identify with it and find it offensive.

Culture

Anthropologists and sociologists usually say that traditional Roma culture is extremely rich, characterized by a strong sense of togetherness. Men usually lead families and communities, but women are still respected and expected to actively contribute to family support through work or household chores. It is not uncommon for families to be large, because adults consider children both a fortune and an economic or working resource. Marriages are often arranged and occur when the children are still in their teens, with many fathers still demanding dowries for their daughters.

More often than not, Roma form large clans or gangs called kumpanias. These can have up to several hundred families, and the people usually elect a capotan, or voivode, to serve as their lifelong leader. A council of elders gives advice and practical help to the voivode, who also turns to a respected older woman, or phuri dai, for insights and recommendations about the women and children in the group.

The fact that these individuals were and still are a migratory people meant that they usually did not follow religions that could be considered organized by today’s standards. Despite this, contemporary members of the group are largely followers of Hinduism or Islam, with others following Christianity, especially leaning towards Roman Catholicism. Even when they don’t fit into one of these categories, collectively they still maintain a strong sense of spirituality, believing strongly in the idea of ​​cleanliness – this is often compared to the Jewish concept of people and things being kosher – and the connected nature of behavior, events and fate.
Discrimination
With their culture and appearance typically very different from that of the nations to which they emigrated, Roma have usually experienced extreme prejudice. Various groups enslaved them as early as the 12th or 13th century, and even where they had their freedom, the natives typically saw them as inferior people. Obtaining steady, stable work that would allow for more permanent settlement was difficult, and it was not unusual for groups to have to move to access basic necessities. This discrimination likely provided much fuel for the adoption of a nomadic way of life as the standard, with many clans moving east into Russia to escape trouble.

Anti-Romanti sentiment reached its peak during World War II. As the German leader, Adolf Hitler, redefined what was “acceptable” ethnicity, his followers and other racists tried various methods to eradicate the group. As was common for Jews, the Nazis frequently exiled them out of towns and cities, and as time went on, leaders turned to forced or coerced sterilization to try to control populations. Officers often executed them on sight, and thousands were sent to concentration camps. Many were the subjects of experimental medical tests or research, dying from what was done to them, while others were shot or sent to the gas chambers. Conservative estimates put the number of dead at 200,000, but according to some historians the number could be as high as 2,000,000.
Members of Roma groups continue to face persecution around the world and are still stereotyped as superstitious and deceptive scammers. The close-knit nature of the family, coupled with their unwillingness to give up their culture and language to integrate into the larger society, has inspired xenophobia. Anti-discrimination legislation has been helpful in some cases, but the social perception of the group as inferior or even worthless still persists in many areas.

Careers
The extreme persecution that Roma have faced – and are still experiencing today – has made it extremely difficult for these people to have a wide range of careers. The two trades for which they are best known and most stereotyped, often practiced together, are fortune telling and acting as psychics. Most of the time, however, they worked as metal workers, peddlers or animal dealers, and amateur veterinarians.
In addition to performing these jobs, they often acted as musicians. Their music has been particularly influential in genres ranging from classical to rock, with jazz, bolero and flamenco having a particularly heavy influence. The culture has inspired musicians across Eastern Europe and beyond, including composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.
Contemporary Roma are somewhat better able to explore other options, as many now live in more permanent homes and, in some regions, are protected to some extent by law. Even so, they struggle to get more advanced jobs in many areas, in part because the discrimination results in a lack of proper education toward advanced careers. The unemployment rate is generally high.
Population
With many Roma constantly on the move, getting any sort of accurate census of their numbers is a challenge. The fact that some individuals do not consider themselves members of this ethnic class while outsiders misuse the label for themselves makes the problem worse. Experts believe there are at least 4,000,000 people in this group, with some estimates reaching as high as 14,000,000. The vast majority, 66 to 83%, live in Europe.

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