Who Are the Gypsies?
The Rom, or Roma, are those who are often called Gypsies, based on the mistaken notion that they orginally came from Egypt. These nomadic people are found all over the world, many unaware of the rich, varied, tragic, and epic journey that led them to where they are. From group to group there is often animosity and mistrust, overshadowed only by a mistrust of the gadje, the others (that would be the rest of us).
Linked linguistically, Roma in Poland will find their dialect similar to Roma in Italy. In the 18th century, the Romani language was found to have striking connections with the dialects of Northwestern India. In a flurry of excitement over the possibility of having found their origins, many young Roma women, particularly in Eastern Europe, took to wearing saris.
The Romani population, reckoned by most to be between 15 - 30 million Rom globally, can be broken into nations or tribes based on historic settlement patterns. Among these tribes are the Cale (Spain, Finland, Wales), the Sinti (Germany, Central Europe), the Manouche (France), the Romanichals (UK), and the Boyash (Romania). These are only a few of the larger nations/tribes.
Facing persecution almost everywhere they settle, the Rom form tightly knit communities. One of the most common excuses given by governments for why Roma are denied basic rights and protections is that they are nomadic and unlikely to remain in an area for long. Ironically, while this was once true, most Romani communites today have been settled for generations. In some places, the Rom community is older than the fledgeling government levying the accusation. Amazingly, the notion of their transience stubbornly persits.
Sexual morality is exceptionally strict among the Rom and women marry at what would seem, by Western standards, a very young age. Unmarried women are seldom unchaperoned. In the picture above, one can tell that the girl dressed in white is unmarried while the other women are wives (based on their head-gear and hairstyles).
Despite untold hardship, music and dance have remained central parts of Romani social and family gatherings.
Most of what we today call Tribal Bellydance has its roots in the Rom culture. The very idea of culturally fused dance is an inheiritance from the Rom who carried their culture with them as they moved from place to place, incorporating the traditions and styles of the host country into their own lives. This blending of custom, of movement, of music, is largely responsible for the survival of the Dance.
Linked linguistically, Roma in Poland will find their dialect similar to Roma in Italy. In the 18th century, the Romani language was found to have striking connections with the dialects of Northwestern India. In a flurry of excitement over the possibility of having found their origins, many young Roma women, particularly in Eastern Europe, took to wearing saris.
The Romani population, reckoned by most to be between 15 - 30 million Rom globally, can be broken into nations or tribes based on historic settlement patterns. Among these tribes are the Cale (Spain, Finland, Wales), the Sinti (Germany, Central Europe), the Manouche (France), the Romanichals (UK), and the Boyash (Romania). These are only a few of the larger nations/tribes.
Facing persecution almost everywhere they settle, the Rom form tightly knit communities. One of the most common excuses given by governments for why Roma are denied basic rights and protections is that they are nomadic and unlikely to remain in an area for long. Ironically, while this was once true, most Romani communites today have been settled for generations. In some places, the Rom community is older than the fledgeling government levying the accusation. Amazingly, the notion of their transience stubbornly persits.
Sexual morality is exceptionally strict among the Rom and women marry at what would seem, by Western standards, a very young age. Unmarried women are seldom unchaperoned. In the picture above, one can tell that the girl dressed in white is unmarried while the other women are wives (based on their head-gear and hairstyles).
Despite untold hardship, music and dance have remained central parts of Romani social and family gatherings.
Most of what we today call Tribal Bellydance has its roots in the Rom culture. The very idea of culturally fused dance is an inheiritance from the Rom who carried their culture with them as they moved from place to place, incorporating the traditions and styles of the host country into their own lives. This blending of custom, of movement, of music, is largely responsible for the survival of the Dance.
