Romani culture

Clockwise: Romani musicians in North Macedonia (1863), 20th century Romani mansion in Romania, 17th century Romani family in the Spanish Netherlands preparing food in a cauldron

Romani culture is the culture of the Romani people, an Indo-Aryan ethnic group originating in northwest India. They constitute the largest ethnic minority in Europe, where they are believed to have lived since the 9th century. There is also a significant Romani population in the Americas, stemming from later migrations from Europe.

Romani culture encompasses the regional cultures of the Romani people, which have developed through complex histories of interaction with their surrounding populations. The Romani people in Europe belong to various sub-ethnic groups such as the Boyash, Kalderash, Kalé, Kàlo, Lăutari, Lovari, Manouche, Romanichal, Romanisael, Romungro, Ruska, Sinti and Vlax. Despite a history of persecution in the continent, they have maintained their distinct cultures.

Romani people place emphasis on the importance of family and traditionally uphold strict moral values. Traditionally, it was custom amongst some Roma to maintain a nomadic lifestyle.

Origins

Further information: Origins of the Romani people

Roma depicted in 2018 Moldovan postage stamp

Linguistic and phonological research has established that Romani people originated in the Indian subcontinent, with most reports specifying northwestern India as their region of origin, although some imply a central Indian origin. The Romani language shares many features with Sanskrit and the Central Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, Rajasthani and Urdu; it also shares connections with Northern Indo-Aryan languages such as Kashmiri. The language also contains Arabic, Armenian, Greek and Persian loanwords.

There are also legends surrounding the origins of the Roma. For example, some Roma believe that they are the descendants of musicians from India who were led by the Persian king Bahram V from India to Iran at A.D. 420–438, before wandering over the Silk Road to Europe.

Despite the Indian origins of the Romani people, Romani cultures have various other cultural influences and Indian elements in modern Romani cultures are limited, with the exception of the language.

Names

Arrival of Roma (“Gypsies”) in Berne, Switzerland in the 15th century, dressed in Saracen-style attire

The Romani people are today found across the world. Typically, Roma adopt given names that are common in the country of their residence. Seldom do modern Roma use the traditional name from their own language, such as Čingaren. Romanes is the only Indo-Aryan language that has been spoken exclusively around Europe since the Middle Ages. Speakers use many terms for their language. They generally refer to their language as Čingari čhib or řomani čhib translated as 'the Romani language', or rromanes, 'in a Rom way'. The English term, Romani, has been used by scholars since the 19th century, where previously they had used the term 'Gypsy language'.

Family and life stages

Traditionally, Roma place a high value on the extended family.

Marriage and controversies

Romani wedding in Sofia (1936)

Marriage in Romani society underscores the importance of family and demonstrates ties between different groups, often transnationally. Traditionally an arranged marriage is highly desirable. It is custom for the parents of the groom to pay the family of the bride. Parents of the potential bridal couple help identify an ideal partner for their child. Parents may pressure a particular spouse on their child, because it is an established norm to be married by your mid-twenties. School, church, Mosques, circumcision ceremonies, fiancée and weddings, and other events are also popular environments for finding a prospective spouse. Potential couples are expected to be supervised or chaperoned by an adult. With the emergence of both social media such as Facebook and mobile phones, and the advancing education of women, many traditional mores and conservative views have become less rigid. In some Romani groups, for example the Finnish Roma, the idea of a legally registered marriage is ignored altogether.

The Romani practice of child marriage has generated substantial controversy across the world. In 2003, one of the many self-styled Romani "kings", Ilie Tortică, prohibited marriage before the parties were of legal age in their country of residence. A Romani patriarch, Florin Cioabă, ran afoul of Romanian authorities in late 2003 when he married off his youngest daughter, Ana-Maria, at the age of twelve, well below the legal marriageable age.

Bride kidnapping (not to be confused with the Romanian bride kidnapping tradition) is believed to be a traditional part of Romani practice. Girls as young as twelve years old may be kidnapped for marriage to teenage boys. This practice has been reported in Ireland, England, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Bride kidnapping is thought to be a way to avoid a bride price or a means for a girl to marry a boy she wants but that her parents do not want. The tradition's normalisation of kidnapping puts young women at higher risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.

The practices of bride kidnapping and child marriage are not universally accepted throughout Romani culture. Some Romani women and men seek to eliminate such customs.

The Muslim Roma adopted the Islamic marital practices

Romani mothers breastfeed their children for optimal health and increased immunity. They also view this as a gift from God, and a help to building healthy relationships between mothers and children.

Homosexuality, sodomy and oral sex are prohibited.

Feud

The blood revenge, blood feud or vendetta is an old form of private vengeance, which is usually intended to restore Romani family honor by killing an opponent. It only occurs after serious damage to honor, such as the killing itself, which no other damage compensation within the feud can do justice to.

Purity and death

See also: Marime

Clothes for the lower body, as well as the clothes of menstruating women, are washed separately. Items used for eating are washed in a different place.

Childbirth is considered "impure" and must occur outside the dwelling place; the mother is considered "impure" for 40 days.

The Muslim Roma (Horahane) in the Balkans adopted the Islamic culture during the Ottoman Empire period, and so did the Ritual purity in Islam.

Childraising

Romani family in the United States (1902)

Christian Romani people incorporate their values into how they raise their children. There is an element of impurity placed upon both the mother and father after the mother gives birth. This impurity is lessened if the child is a male and the family is considered "lucky". Traditionally, the couple will live with the father of the groom until their first child is born. Romani people place high value on extended family so godparents, along with this other family, are active in the child's life to ensure its well-being.

Moral values

There are differences between the culture and traditions of Dasikane (Christian) Roma and Horahane (Muslim) Roma. Romani culture and traditions often vary according to country, subgroup and religion.

Romanipen

Romanipen (also romanypen, romanipe, romanype, romanimos, romaimos, romaniya) is a concept of Romani philosophy encompassing totality of the Romani spirit, culture, law, being a Rom, and a set of Romani strains.

An ethnic Rom is considered to be a Gadjikane Roma in Romani society if the person has no Romanipen. Sometimes a Gadjo, usually an adopted child, may be considered to be a Rom if the person has Romanipen. As a concept, Romanipen has been the subject of interest to numerous academic observers. It has been hypothesized that it owes more to a framework of culture than simply an adherence to historically received rules.

Significant changes in Romani culture following the Second World War have been attributed to the suspension of these social norms, as strict rules relating to food and contact with certain classes of people broke down. This period also coincided with a perceived loss of authority invested in traditional leaders, the primary maintainers of Romanipen. Furthermore, the Roma who found themselves under Soviet control during the war, while deported to the east of the Urals and often persecuted, were generally left alone to follow their orthodox practices and thus preserved strict interpretations of Romanipen. However, the Roma who lived in other countries of eastern Europe, in the face of widespread discrimination and society's attempts at forced assimilation, often had to compromise their strict interpretation of the customs to survive. As a result, the whole concept of Romanipen became interpreted differently among various Roma groups. Muslim Roma, as one example, considered an uncircumcised man to be impure.

Being a part of Romani society

A considerable punishment for a Christian Rom is banishment from Romani society. An expelled person is considered to be "contaminated" and is shunned by other Christian Romanis.

Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians like the Turcoman Gypsies and Crimean Roma are not part of the Romani society due to the lack of Romanipen and the Romani language.

Romani Code

Romani Code, or Romano Zakono, is the most important part of Romanipen. It is a set of rules for Romani life, different than Romani religions.

Though Romani ethnic groups have different sets of rules, Oral Romani cultures are most likely to adhere to the Romani code, although these communities are geographically spread. There are proverbs about the Romani Code and customs, such as: There exist as many customs as there are Romani groups. (Kitsyk Roma, dakitsyk obychaye in Ruska Roma's dialect)

Rules of Romani Code describe relationships inside the Romani community and set limits for customs, behavior and other aspects of life.

The Romani Code is not written; Romani people keep it alive in oral tradition.

The kris is a traditional institution for upholding and enforcing the Romani Code.

The code can be summarised in pillars; the main pillar representing the polar ideas of baxt (pronounced [baxt], bah-kht) meaning 'honour' and ladž (or laʒ, pronounced [ladʒ], lah-j) meaning 'shame'.

It is honourable, in some Romani cultures, to celebrate baxt by being generous and displaying your success to the public. The focus on generosity means sharing food is of great importance to some groups of Roma. Making lavish meals to share with other Romani visitors is commonplace and in some cases not having food to share is considered shameful.

Faith and religion

The vast majority of Roma are Christians. They are Catholic Manouche, Mercheros, and Sinti; Muslim Ashkali and Romanlar; Pentecostal Kalderash and Lovari; Protestant Travellers; Anglican Roma; and Baptist Roma. The Roma's religious beliefs are occupied by God and Virgin Mary.

The cult of Saint Sara in the shrine of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Southern France, is a devotion associated with Catholic Romanies.

Hinduism

The ancestors of the Romani people followed the Hindu religion. This is supported by the Romani word for 'cross', trushul, which is the word which describes Shiva's trident (Trishul) and additionally folk tales and songs about Hindu-esque deities. A Hindu foundation means that the concept of Kuntari, a universal balance, is central to the people's spirituality. Kuntari means that all things belong in the universe according to their natural place. If something does not fit into its natural place, it is considered to be out of balance, and therefore bad luck. For example, birds are supposed to fly, so flightless birds like hens are considered to be out of balance and bad luck. For this reason, Christian Roma traditionally do not eat hens' eggs, with the exception of the Muslim Roma, who eat eggs and even have special recipes for them.

Roma also believed in the concept of Kintala, which is almost identical to Karma except one's actions in life only influence the reincarnation; the bad happenings are not caused by sins of a previous life, rather by bad Dji and unclean spirits (the Necuxa).

The concept of Dji is one's spiritual energy which must be kept in balance by following Marime and other spiritual laws. The better of person one is and the more balanced their Dji is, the better life they will reincarnate into.

Some also worshipped the spirits of their ancestors, while the Christian Roma were completely opposed to anything that messes with the dead.

Roma believed in a god who is one with the universe and manifests themselves in the forms of many deities:

• Kali Sarah / Bari O Devli – goddess of roma, fate, reincarnation
• Bar o Devel / Siv – god of power and music
• O Shion – goddess of wealth and luck
• Amari O Devli – goddess of beauty, love and fertility
• Bibiyaku / Aunt Bibi – goddess of family, children and the home
• Vaju – god of the wind and travel
• Olabibi – goddess of illness and healing
• Alakoh – goddess of the moon and sacred laws

(Other gods we dont know much about: Son of Kali and Siv, Laki, Baramy, Maruti son of Vaju, Jandra a sun god, a male love god, god of water, god of forest, god of sky, god of death)

The Roma clans and tribes followed plenty other gods and practiced many variation of this faith system, there isn't one name for a god or one rule as each group had a unique variation.

Disclaimer: The only information we have is linguistic evidence and what remains in the folk tales and memories of elder Roma. After centuries of forced assimilation and genocide, the majority of the Romani religion is lost to time.

Dasikane Roma

In Balkan Romani an Orthodox Christian Roma is called a Dasikane or Daskane or Das; the meaning is sometimes given as a slave or servant.

Deities and saints

Ritual bath during the Romani pilgrimage of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla is considered a patron saint of the Romani people in Roman Catholicism. Virgin of Hope of Macarena is considered a patron saint of the Spanish Gypsies.

Saint Sarah, or Kali Sara, has been revered as a patron saint in the same manner as the Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla, but a transition occurred in the 21st century, whereby Kali Sara is understood as an Indian deity brought by the refugee ancestors of the Romani people, thereby removing any Christian association. Saint Sarah is progressively being considered as "a Romani goddess, the Protectress of the Roma" and an "indisputable link with Mother India". The Roma pilgrimage for the dark-skinned Saint Sara in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is said to have possibly been the Egyptian servant of the three Marys. The day of the pilgrimage honouring Sarah is May 24; her statue is carried down to the sea on this day to re-enact her arrival in France.

Christian Roma ceremonies and practices

Roma often adopt the dominant religion of their host country if a ceremony associated with a formal religious institution is necessary, such as a baptism or funeral (their particular belief systems and indigenous religion and worship remain preserved regardless of such adoption processes). Some Roma continue to practice "Shaktism", a practice with origins in India, whereby a female consort is required for the worship of a god. Adherence to this practice means that for the Romani who worship a Christian God, prayer is conducted through the Virgin Mary, or her mother, Saint Anne. Shaktism continues over 1,000 years after the people's separation from India.

Romani elders serve as spiritual leaders; there are no specific Christian Roma priests, churches, or Christian Roma scriptures, the exception being the Pentecostal Roma, most in Western society.

Within the United Kingdom, a large proportion of British Roma (40% by some estimates) are members of Light and Life, a Charismatic Pentecostal Christian movement.

Burial of the foreskin

It is a custom among Muslim Roma that the foreskin must be buried after Sunet Bijav (see religious male circumcision ceremony). They believe the foreskin will come back to men in Paradise (Jannah), based a Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari 6524: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "You will be raised on the Day of Judgement barefooted, naked, and uncircumcized (with foreskin)." Burying the foreskin is also a tradition among Malaysian Muslims.

Balkan Roma Muslims

Illustration of Muslim Roma in Bosnia (c.1900)

Balkan Roma Muslims are mostly cultural Muslims or nominal Muslims. For the Muslim Romani communities that have resided in the Balkans for centuries, often referred to as Horahane Roma or "Turkish Gypsies", all Muslim Roma got a Religious male circumcision, the following histories apply for religious beliefs:

• Bulgaria: In northwestern Bulgaria and Sofia and Kyustendil, Islam has been the dominant religion. In southwestern Bulgaria (Pirin Macedonia), Islam is the dominant religion, with a smaller section of the population, declaring themselves as "Turks", continuing to mix ethnicity with Islam.
• Romania: Muslim Roma Minority at the Dobruja.
• Greece: Muslim Roma in Western Thrace.
• Albania: Albania's Romani people are all Muslims.
• Macedonia: The majority of Romani people believe in Islam.
• Serbia: in the disputed territory of Kosovo the vast majority of the Romani population is Muslim.
• Bosnia, Montenegro and Herzegovina: Islam is the dominant religion.
• Croatia: Following World War II, a large number of Muslim Roma relocated to Croatia (the majority moved from Kosovo).

In the Balkans, the Roma of North Macedonia and southern Serbia, including the disputed territory of Kosovo, have been particularly active in Islamic mystical brotherhoods (Sufism)—Muslim Roma immigrants to Western Europe and America have brought these traditions with them.

Other regions

Ukraine and Russia contain Romani Muslim populations, as the families of Balkan migrants continue to live there. The descendants' ancestors settled on the Crimean peninsula during the 17th and 18th centuries, but most descendants migrated to Ukraine, southern Russia and the Povolzhie (along the Volga River). Formally, Islam is the religion that these communities align themselves with, and the people are recognized for their staunch preservation of the Romani language and identity.

Most Eastern European Roma are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Muslim. Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In southern Spain, many Roma are Pentecostal, but this is a small minority that has emerged in contemporary times. In Egypt, the Roma are split into Christian and Muslim populations. For countless years, dance has been considered a religious procedure for the Egyptian Roma. In Turkey, the Romani people are Muslim and the males are circumcised, while the majority of Roma in Latin America have maintained their European religions, with most following Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Evangelicalism

Since World War II, a growing number of Roma have embraced Evangelical movements. For the first time, Roma became ministers and created their own, autonomous churches and missionary organizations. In some countries, the majority of Roma belong to Romani churches. This unexpected change has greatly contributed to a better image of Roma in society. The work they perform is seen as more legitimate, and they have begun to obtain legal permits for commercial activities.

Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism linked to the Dalit Buddhist movement of B.R. Ambedkar has spread among European Roma, particularly in Hungary, although it is still a minority.

Dance

Main article: Romani dance

Romani dances are influenced by Indian dances. A Romani dance that originated from India is the snake dance. Romani women perform the sapera dance with a cobra to awaken their reptilian powers, mantras and to curse menacing victims forever.

Belly dance is performed by the Romani people in Turkey

Music

Main article: Romani music

Django Reinhardt

Romani woman and children singing in Bucharest (1869)

As the Roma traveled to other countries from India to Europe, the Roma introduced many influences in their music, beginning with their Indian roots and adding elements of Greek, Persian, Turkish, Romanian, Czech and Slavic influence, as well as Western European such as German, French and Spanish influences.

The lăutari who perform at traditional Romanian weddings are virtually all Roma, although their music draws heavily from a vast variety of ethnic traditions—for example Romanian, Turkish, Jewish, and Slavic—as well as Romani traditions. Probably the most internationally prominent contemporary performer in the lăutari tradition is Taraful Haiducilor. Zdob şi Zdub, one of the most prominent rock bands in Moldova, although not Roma themselves, draw heavily on Romani music, as do Spitalul de Urgenţă in Romania.

Flamenco music and dance came from the Roma in Spain; the distinctive sound of Romani music has also strongly influenced bolero, jazz, and Cante Jondo in Europe. European-style Gypsy jazz is still widely practised among the original creators (the Romani People); one who acknowledged this artistic debt was Django Reinhardt.

Belly dancing is a form of dance invented by The Domari of Egypt or Ghawazi, however it was originally seen as "ghetto" and "low class" until the native Egyptians and the Europeans saw and emulated it. Nowadays there are very few original Ghawazi dancers due to the exile and expulsions and discrimination which caused many to go out of work and emigrate.

Classical music

Romani music is very important in Eastern European cultures such as Hungary, Russia, and Romania. Performance practices by Romani musicians have influenced European classical composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms.

Language

Main article: Romani language

See also: World Day of Romani Language

The Romani language is spoken by millions of Romani people throughout the world. It is of the Indo-Aryan branch. Many Romani people can speak two or more languages. It is not considered an official language because it varies from tribe to tribe. Romani is influenced by Persian, Greek, Armenian, Iranic, Georgian and Arabic.

Observances

See also: International Romani Day

Each June, Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month is celebrated in London. International Romani Day is a holiday celebrated in Europe on April 8, especially in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. World Roma Festival is a festival celebrated in Prague. Ederlezi and Kakava are holidays celebrated in spring by the Turkish Roma.

Romani Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25 and Easter in either April or May. Romani adults may also fast on these holidays and may eat special foods for these holidays.

Romani people in Serbia celebrate Bibi and Bibijako Djive.

World Day of Romani Language is celebrated every November 5.

Anthem

See also: Romani anthem

Flag

See also: Flag of the Romani people

Flag of the Romani people

The Romani flag, known as O styago le romengo in the Romani language, serves as the international emblem for the Romani community. It was designed by the General Union of the Roma of Romania in 1933 and received official recognition at the inaugural World Romani Congress, which took place in London, United Kingdom, in 1971.

Theatre, circus and cinema

There exist four well-known Romani theatres in the world, Romen Theatre, Romance Theatre, Romanothan and Phralipe, and also many small theatres.

Museums

Museum of Romani Culture

There are some Romani museums in Europe.

Museum of Romani Culture is located in Brno in the Czech Republic.

Cuisine

Main article: Romani cuisine

Romani people don’t eat food prepared by a non-Roma.

Horse meat is forbidden by Christian Roma. Any Christian Roma who eats horse meat, are punished and banished from their tribe. Cat meat and dog meat are also forbidden and are considered unclean.

Christian Romani tea is similar to Russian tea and stuffed cabbage is popular among the Roma. Berries, vegetables, mushrooms, hedgehog, game and fowl are favored by the Roma.

The Muslim Roma (Horahane) in the Balkans adopted the Islamic culture during the Ottoman Empire period.

There is a Romani restaurant called Romani Kafenava in Maribor, Slovenia. Rabbit stew is a Romani favorite. Other Romani dishes are fried bread dishes, including xaritsa (fried cornbread), pufe (fried wheat bread) and bogacha (baked bread). A Romani dessert is pirogo, a sweet noodle casserole similar to Jewish kugel made with raisins, cream cheese, and butter.

Stews are common.

Hedgehogs are both eaten and given high status by the Roma.

Etiquette

Romani individuals are known for their sociable nature and often embrace spontaneous visits from relatives, neighbors, or friends as opportunities for social interaction. Their greetings are warm and include expressions of goodwill and wishes for good health. Generosity, particularly in the form of gift-giving, is regarded as a commendable trait; family members are willing to support one another and friends with financial assistance or other resources, such as food, clothing, or transportation via car or horse when necessary. Young people hold elders in high esteem, both within their families and in the broader community. They appreciate the wisdom of seniors and refer to them as "old man" and "old woman," terms that convey respect. The youth actively seek the counsel of elders for conflict resolution or guidance, demonstrating their respect by serving them first, allowing them to speak before others, and granting them the final word in serious discussions.

Medicine

Romanian Roma use parsley leaves to heal bruises. Roma suffering from illness often seek treatment from a Romani doctor, an elderly Roma who uses traditional medicines such as herbs. Roma may refuse to seek medical help from non-Roma and use healers, magic, prayer or herbal remedies for illnesses. A drabarni is a Romani female healer.

Health

As many Roma are barred from receiving adequate healthcare as a result of discrimination in many countries in Europe, the general health status among Romani people is considerably poorer than non-Romani populations. High mortality rates is associated with Romani people in Europe. In Italy, estimates suggest that infant mortality rate among Roma babies is nearly three times higher than that of the national average. In addition, health indicators for Roma people – particularly female Roma – are often worse than for other groups in similarly disadvantaged socioeconomic positions.

Romani people suffer from poorer mental health. Relatively high rates of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, and suicide are found among the Roma. This is consequently caused by the fact they have been ostracized by other ethnic groups for much of their existence, living in poor living conditions among their comparably wealthier European and American counterparts, a lack of awareness and education on mental health, and a restricted access to proper healthcare.

Romani people have lower access to food, resulting in malnutrition and stunted growth, depite living in developed countries. Romani people are also more likely to partake in risky behaviours, including drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and tobacco smoking. In Europe and the Americas, both Roma men and women have significantly higher smoking rates than respective populations, and are more likely to die from preventable smoking-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and many cancers. Alcohol consumption rate is also high among the Roma.

Art

Art among Romani people is important. It is associated with mobility, travelling, trading, creating transportable objects and music.

Fashion

Main article: Romani dress

Left to right: Photograph of a Kalderash Romani metalsmith (1892), The Gypsy Princesses, a painting by Narcisse Virgilio Díaz (c.1865-1870)

Turkish Roma wear Ottoman pants whereas as Christian Roma wear long skirts.

In most traditional Romani communities, Romani women tend to wear gold bracelets and gold necklaces and headscarves that are decorated with golden coins.

Literature

Main article: Romani literature

Romani literature is written by Romani people.

Folklore

Main article: Romani folklore

Romani people have their own ethnic hero. Among the Vlach Roma, it is Mundro Salamon or Wise Solomon. Other Romani groups call this hero O Godjiaver Yanko. Among the Welsh Kale, he is Merlinos (the Wizard), taken from Celtic folklore.

Romani people in Slovakia believe in the evil eye.

Fortune-telling

See also: Hokkani boro

A stereotype that Romani people have psychic powers (e.g. fortune-teller) is still sometimes present, and some romantics attribute the invention of the Tarot cards to them.

Film

Romani people have their own films.

Travel

The Roma traditionally travelled with wagons pulled by horses and donkeys. The Gypsy Cob is the most popular breed to pull vardo wagons.

Relations with other people

An 1852 Wallachian poster advertising an auction of Romani slaves

There are still tensions between Roma and the majority population around them. Common complaints are that Roma steal and live off social welfare and residents often reject Romani encampments. This has led to Roma being described as "perhaps the most hated minority in Europe." In the UK, travellers (referring to both Irish Travellers and Roma) became a 2005 general election issue, with Michael Howard, the then-leader of the Conservative Party promising to review the Human Rights Act 1998. This law, which absorbs the European Convention on Human Rights into UK primary legislation, is seen by some to permit the granting of retrospective planning permission for Romani communities. Severe population pressures and the paucity of greenfield sites have led to travellers purchasing land and setting up residential settlements almost overnight, thus subverting the planning restrictions imposed on other members of the community. Travellers argued in response that thousands of retrospective planning permissions are granted in Britain in cases involving non-Romani applicants each year and that statistics showed that 90% of planning applications by Roma and travellers were initially refused by local councils, compared with a national average of 20% for other applicants, potentially disproving claims of preferential treatment favouring Roma. They also argued that the root of the problem was that many traditional stopping-places had been barricaded off and that legislation passed by the previous Conservative government had effectively criminalised their communities by removing local authorities' responsibility to provide sites, thus leaving the travellers with no option but to purchase unregistered new sites themselves.

Law enforcement agencies in the United States hold regular conferences on the Roma and similar nomadic groups.

In Denmark, there was much controversy when the city of Helsingør decided to put all Romani students in special classes in its public schools. The classes were later abandoned after it was determined that they were discriminatory and the Romani students were put back in regular classes.

Romani people have traditionally avoided gadjo because non-Romani are believed to be polluting and defile the Romani world.

The Greek Doctor A. G. Paspati made the statement in his Book from 1860, that Turks often married Roma Woman, and the Rumelian Romani dialect is nearly lost by the Muslim Turkish Roma, who speak entirely Turkish. Ernest Gilliat-Smith, explained in 1915, that this Turkish Roma in Bulgaria can't speak Romani language, and compare them with very poor Turks rather than Romani people. The French orientalist Henri Bourgeois referred too the Turkish Roma as Pseudo Chingiane, especially the newspaper Laço who was published in 1910 by Emin Resa.

Roma in Eastern Europe

Romani boy in bear costume, part of entertainer team for working Christmas crowds. Budapest, Hungary.

Many countries that were formerly part of the Eastern bloc and former Yugoslavia have substantial populations of Roma. The level of integration of Roma into society remains limited. In these countries, they usually remain on the margins of society, living in isolated, ghetto-like settlements (see Chánov). Only a small fraction of Romani children graduate from secondary schools, though numerous official efforts have been made, past and present, to compel their attendance. Roma frequently feel rejected by the state and the main population, creating another obstacle to their integration. The Muslim Roma (Horahane) in the Balkans adopted the Islamic culture during the Ottoman Empire period.

In the Czech Republic, 75% of Romani children are educated in schools for people with learning difficulties and 70% are unemployed, compared with a national rate of 9%. In Hungary, 44% of Romani children are in special schools, while 74% of men and 83% of women are unemployed. In Slovakia, Romani children are 28 times more likely to be sent to a special school than non-Roma, whilst Romani unemployment stands at 80%.

In 2004, Lívia Járóka and Viktória Mohácsi of Hungary became the two current Romani Members of the European Parliament. The first Romani MEP was Juan de Dios Ramírez Heredia of Spain.

Seven former Communist Central European and Southeastern European states launched the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative in 2005 to improve the socioeconomic conditions and status of the Romani minority.

See also

• Flag of the Romani people
• Gadjo (non-Romani)
• Museum of Romani Culture
• Rom baro (tribal leader)
• Romani folklore
• Romani dress
• Romani studies
• Romani cuisine
• Anti-Romani sentiment

External links

• "European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC)".
• "RomArchive" (in English, German, and Romany). — education on the arts and civil rights movements
• "Romani Atlantic". — transcontinental perspective
• A Roma Journey—explores Romani culture in the Balkans and beyond, including digitised texts, photographs, paintings and recordings of traditional songs.
• Leeson, Peter T. (June 2013). "Gypsy law". Public Choice. 155 (3–4): 273–292. doi:10.1007/s11127-012-0048-4.)
• The Economics of Gypsies—Freakonomics
• Romani Lives—Lungo Drom
• Mention of romanipe as being a Rom
• Roma culture and traditions: the ROMANIPEN
• Mention of romanipe as the Romani Code (in Russian)
• Mention of romanipe as Romani culture (in Russian)
• Mention of romanipe as being a Rom (in Russian)
• Romowie - bliscy i dalecy. A short definition of romanipe in the text (in Polish)
• Romanipen-sistemul valorilor rome—BBC News (in Romanian)