5 Things You Didn’t Know About The Romani People

The Romani people are probably one of the most misunderstood ethnic groups in the world. Also known as Roma or Gypsies, they’re seen mainly in a negative light. They’re well-known in the world as nomads or travelers, seeing as they are nationless, and reside in multiple countries such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, with the highest European concentration in Romania. Although mostly in Europe, they now live in many countries, spreading all the way to the Americas. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about the Romani:

1. The origins of the Romani have always been up for debate, but most people support the theory that they come from India. Research suggests that they fled Northern India around 1,500 years ago and migrated as a group to Anatolia, then to Europe.

2. The Romani are the largest minority group in Europe, comprising of an estimated 3 to 15 million people. The number is ambiguous because they are among the most persecuted ethnic groups in the world, so understandably, they don’t always choose to disclose their ethnic identity in national censuses. The exact number of Romani will likely be impossible to know.

3. In the year 2000, the Romani were officially declared a non-territorial nation, seeing as they have no home country. This was partly due to the fact that many countries that they live in don’t grant them citizenship, even if they were born there. This results in them having little to no rights, no access to health care or education, and no documented birth certificates. Essentially and unfortunately, they are invisible.

4. The word “gypsy” is actually a derogatory term for the Romani, even though most people use that term ignorantly to describe them. This racial slur has been used in history to oppress the Romani people, as it implies thievery and other negative connotations.

5. Although they’re seen in a negative light a lot of the time, Romani people have contributed to the world of art and music through singing, dancing and acting. Their culture is heavily based on music, and wherever they go, they bring with them that legacy. In Spain, flamenco and cante jondo (a vocal style in Andalusian flamenco) are prominent with the Romani, and in Eastern Europe, and Turkey especially, Romani are known to have achieved musical acclaim.

There are many things people don’t know about this misunderstood ethnic group, so if you’re interested, try reading The Romani Gypsies, by Yaron Matras. The author gives a different perspective for his readers to show the world of the Romani people and how stereotypes aren’t always true. Feel free to browse through our online library, www.longagos.com, for Matras’ book as well as to discover more great content!