Roma communities todayHistorical background, culture and

current issues

- Week 1 Class 2: Introduction: „Gypsies“ -

ANTH 4020/5020

Today‘s outline

• Decision for a presentation date• Guidelines for the presentations• Definition of „Roma“• Clarification of central terms• Why study the Roma?

• Group exercise: current themes in the media

• Photographic Impressions

Distribution of presentation topics/dates

Who wants to do a presentation when?

Guidelines for the presentation

See handout

TerminologyThe people: Roma/Romani people/RomaniesRom (sg. masc.): “man”, “husband” Romni (sg. fem.)Roma (pl.) She is a Roma (sic.), a Romani, a Romni

Adjective: Romani (international documents), Romany (literature)

Rromanipe, Romanimos: Refers to the Romani “code of conduct”, or the “totality of the Romani culture, spirit”

Non-Roma, the “others”: Gadje (pl.), gadjo (sg.), (gorgio, gaujo, gawjo, gawja)

Definitions (I)A (rough) definition: The Roma are a transnational European minority of Indian origin with their own culture and language.History:Originate from India, left before the 8th cent., arrived in Europe in the 13th and 14th cent. (Hungary, Slovakia, Romania)

Numbers:8-12 Million Roma in Europe

Definitions (II)Encyclopaedia BritannicaRomplural Roma, also called Gypsy, also spelled Gipsy“any member of the traditionally itinerant people who originated in northern India but live in modern times worldwide, principally in Europe. Most Roma speak some form of Romany, a language closely related to the modern Indo-European languages of northern India, as well as the major language of the country in which they live. It is generally agreed that Roma groups left India in repeated migrations and that they were in Persia by the 11th century, in southeastern Europe by the beginning of the 14th, and in western Europe by the 15th century”.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250432/Rom

Definitions (III)Wikipedia

The Romani (also Romany, Romanies, Romanis, Roma or Roms; exonym: Gypsies; Romani: Rromane) are an ethnic group of Europe tracing their origins to medieval India.

The Romani are widely dispersed with their largest concentrated populations in Europe, especially the Roma of Central and Eastern Europe and Anatolia, followed by the Iberian Kale in Southwestern Europe and Southern France, with more recent diaspora populations in the Americas and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the world.

Their Romani language is divided into several dialects, which add up to an estimated number of speakers larger than two million. The total number of Romani people is at least twice as large (several times as large according to high estimates), and many Romani are native speakers of the language current in their country of residence, or of mixed languages combining the two.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_people

Why „Gypsies“?

Diverse „false“ names given to the Roma: „Gypsies“, Travellers, „Bohemiens“, …

• Due to Ottoman invasions of the Balkan in the 14th cent., a small group of Roma emigrated to Germany, later Poland, Baltics, Russia.• Travelling docments issued of King Sigismund of Bohemia „Bohemiens“• Leaders called themselves “counts” or “kings of Little Egypt” Egyptians “Gypsies / Gitanos”•Travelling groups of different looking people are more „visible“ than sedentary people „Travellers“

Why study Central & Eastern European Roma?

Five good reasons:

1. Ignorance of origins (among Gadje)

2. Persistent stereotypes (“)

3. Socio-political marginality

4. Uncertain future

1. Ignorance of origins

Even if:

• the total Roma population worldwide is approx. 12 Million,

• the Roma have lived in Europe for 7 centuries

• the Roma minority represents up to 5-10% of the total population in some Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary) (inofficial estimates)

… most people don‘t even know where the Gypsies originally come from and how long they have lived in Europe!

2. Persistent stereotypes

Even if:• the vast majority of Roma are and always were

sedentary and lived in houses,• the Roma are more or less integrated in their countries

societies, go to school and have jobs like everyone else (as workers, salesman, attorneys, teachers),

• the Roma live strictly according their traditions and unwritten laws (eg. romanipe, concept of ritual purity)

… Most people still think of them as permanent travellers living in caravans, working as fortune tellers, musicians or … thieves, being immoral and dirty

3. Socio-political marginalityEven if:• the Roma minority represents up to 5-10% of the total

population in some Eastern European countries• the Roma have lived in some Eastern European countries for 7

centuries in particular places or regions• the Roma had their traditional professions

the mere existence of a Roma minority was officially denied in many countries during communism (1950‘s-1980‘s)

their traditional trades (e.g. commerce) were forbidden during commust times

they were in many places forced to live in segregated settlements

their kids were (and are) automatically placed in special schools for „those with mental disabilities“

… They continue to be regarded as FOREIGNERS everywhere

4. Uncertain futureSince the fall of the iron curtain …• Racist attacks or even pogroms against Roma have

occured in the course of the emergence of political extremism and nationalism

• Disproportionately many Roma have lost their jobs due to the difficult economic situation

• Roma have started to migrate (or escape?) to Western European countries (and also Canada and the U.S) – where they are not truly welcome …

• But: Roma have also started to create their own organisations, e.g. The International Romani Union

Should Europe fail to resolve the so called “Roma problem” – Europe soon be faced with a problem of serious proportions!

Group exercise:Roma in the recent media

• Split into 4 Groups

• In each group 1 student reads a news article

• Summarize the „key words“ or central topics

• Present to the class: what‘s the problem here?

Roma children at school

Chanov: Gypsy Ghetto in the Czech Republik

Lunik IX: Roma Ghetto in Kosice, SlovakiaBuilt for 2500 people – today approx. 7500 inhabitants

Roma Ghetto in the “Slovak Paradise”

Roma Ghetto in Svinia, Slovakia

Miss Roma 2003, Slovakia

Annual Roma Music Festival, Prague

Kalderash Roma in Romania

(Photo by Ivres Leresche)

Spanish Roma Yevgraf Sorokin, 1853

Vallecas, Madrid,

Newspaper articles

Assignment for next class

Search online to find recent news articles dealing with the situation of the Roma. Choose an article to bring to class and prepare to briefly describe the content.