What is a Gypsy?

Question

I just found out that I am Bohemian Gypsy, but, I don't know anything about my heritage. If someone is out there and willing to help me figure this out, that would be really helpful. All I know is that they are from large families, and practice spritualism, and I have been doing this for a while now. I just need some answers. Please help me.

Answer 1

I would like to provide you with the website that the majority of the Gypsy community (proper word is Romani) considers the best:

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/

That one shall, if you wish to read it all, take a good month.

Wiki is written by Gadje (non-Gypsies). The best place to learn about Romani are from the sites the Romani, themselves, built. There are many other good ones. There are also many decent books about us. Look up "Bury Me Standing". I also like Ian Hancock's works.

I am Romani and I am very proud of my heritage.

As to your points addressed in this question: 1) traditionally Romani are highly family oriented and can be from large families. Romani are traditionally organized into vitsi (clans or groupings of families). There is the occasional "lone wolf"... a Romani amongst Gadje (non-Gypsies) with no or little contact with other Rromani. Even these (I am one) is accepted by other Romani as familiya by most, especially those from your Vitsa. 2) Romani are very spiritual, the spirituality varies. Christianity is becoming prevalent, but that is not the original Romani spirituality. Most of us consider ourselves highly spirital... I do. I am not religious. I am spiritual.

The best way for me to help you is to provide that link to Patrin. That, truly, is the "flagship" of Romani webites.

You can learn more if you can find out where your family was from. You can find out even more if you can find out your vitsa.

Many of us do not being called "Gypsy". I do not care if the person calling me a "Gypsy" is not attaching the stereotype of "theiving con artist", "dirty", or other epithets. I often refer to myself with this word because if I say "I am Romani" I always have to explain it.

Answer 2

The correct term is Roma not Gypsies, although some ppl are fine with it. The wikipedia page is very informative about their history and culture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_people
If you want a good starting point for discovering your heritage, why not start with music? The famous Django Reinhardt (a guitarist in the 30s and 40s) was Romani and had widespread influence on jazz music of that time. And of course the famous Gipsy Kings of Spain. Some traditional bands/musicians you might want to look up:
Romanyi Rota
Kalyi Jag
Ferus Mustafov
Romica Puceanu
Esma Redzepova
Saban Bajramovic

Answer 3

The site bellow should give you more information in your search. Basically your ancestors are from the Check Republic but originally Gypsies are actually from modern Day Pakistan, India and surrounding regions. According to my father Gypsies came to Europe were I am from actually during a civil war in India 500 years ago. Many of them died on there way west. Gypsies traveled west and inhabited many lands in Europe. They staled there and formed their own communities just like the Jews did. How ever they were never accepted as part of these couturiers societies and had to suffer much as a result just like the Jews before the creation of the state of Israel. Your culture is a very rich one indeed and I love the Serbian Gypsy singer Jay. Good luck on your search !

Answer 4

They call themselves Romany, and claim descent from peoples of India. Gypsy is probably a shortened form of Egyptian, a misnomer. Usually held in low regard throughout Europe, persecuted in the Holocaust, along with Jews and other "undesirables."

Answer 5

A gypsy is a nomad, this means that they are a travelling people and live off the land. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
and type Bohemian Gypsy into the search box, see what comes up :)

Answer 6

Wikipedia has a great article on the "Roma" - they are known by many names, gypsy and Roma or Romany . Most of them would hit you if you called them "gypsies". There is also a great book called "Bury Me Standing" that tells the story of "gypsy" life.

Answer 7

No, i can not carry myself to observe a number of of it so i will cut back myself. i comprehend from wider analyzing that a marriage in the close knit international of the Romani is a good sized situation (properly everywhere) and that there is a number of of 'chipping in' to offer the newly weds a start up in life. between the stable issues approximately Caravan life-type in Britain is you may stay away from the beserko factors costs that take approximately 0.5 of anyones earnings for some many years! additionally, i think of that in case you saturate a undertaking on television like this you ultimately finally end up brainwashing human beings into thinking that's a similar everywhere, everytime!

Answer 8

You have a rich and wonderful heritage. Here's some information to get you started:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/roma.htm

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/bohem/tdefine.html



http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0104/feature4/


If you want to go further, get a copy of We Are the Romani People, by Ian Hancock.

Answer 9

DK, that's a hippy not a Romany.

Answer 10

I always thought it was a racial slur about slavic nomads who go from town to town stealing things from people. Not so much a race, but a stereotype.