The Roma, or Romani people, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group. The Roma originated from India, but they migrated westward around 500 AD and arrived in Europe around 1000 AD.[10] Today, most Roma live in Europe.[11][better source needed]
 Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress | |
 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2–20 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Turkey | 2,750,000 |
 Romania | 1,850,000 |
 Bulgaria | 750,000[1] |
 Spain | 725,000[2] |
 Russia | 720,000 |
 Hungary | 700,000[3] |
 Slovakia | 500,000[4] |
 France | 400,000[5] |
 Greece | 265,000[6] |
 Czech Republic | 250,000[7] |
 Italy | 140,000[8] |
 Germany | 105,000[9] |
| Languages | |
| Romani, languages of native regions | |
| Religion | |
| mainly Christianity and Islam, minorities practice Buddhism, Judaism and Bahá'í Faith | |
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In English, they are often called Gypsies. Some – but not all – Roma think Gypsy is a slur. Another slur – now rarely used – for Roma is chingar.[source?]
Genetics
Genetic studies show that the Roma share ancestry with various groups from the Indian subcontinent. The studies prove this by finding similarities between DNA patterns in the different groups.[12][13]
Gene studies
Gene studies have found similarities between the DNA of Roma and:
More genetic evidence
Romani newborns from various countries have a birthmark called the "Mongolian spot", which is common in Asia.[18] Many Romani men from the Zargari tribe in Qazvin Province and Iran are born with a rare condition called aposthia, where the foreskin is missing or very short.[19]
Genetic changes
After the Ottoman Empire conquered the Balkans and Byzantine Empire, Roma intermarried with Ottoman Turks. When they had children, DNA from the Roma and the Turks mixed together.[20] This is called gene flow. Roma are now scattered across the globe. Much of the DNA in these countries' inhabitants has flowed into the Roma via intermarriages.[21][22]
Early history
Leaving the Indian subcontinent
Historians believe that the remnants from the Indo-Greeks, the Atsinganos (Untouchables) left the Indian subcontinent as traders. During the European migration period in the 4th to 6th centuries, they traveled through the Byzantine Empire into Egypt, using the Silk Road. They lived in Egypt for centuries.[23] The Copts named the Roma ⲣⲱⲙⲁ (man or human, also these people there) in Coptic.[source?]
Migrating through Europe
Around the 12th or 13th centuries – following the Crusades – the Roma reached the Balkans. From there, Roma people spread across Western Europe.[24] They crossed Europe aboard large caravans, which contained all of their belongings.[25][better source needed] At first, Europeans thought the Roma were Christian pilgrims and accepted them. They were fascinated by how the Roma did not have permanent homes. Roma people often worked as musicians, horse trainers, circus artists, lion tamers, blacksmiths, town criers, hawkers,groundskeepers, dish washers, cleaners, lumberjacks, caretakers, locksmiths, and in other low-status jobs.[source?]
Persecution
The Roma people have been viewed badly and persecuted in Europe for centuries.[26][27] The persecutions were mostly motivated by anti-Romani sentiment, academically known as antiziganism,[28] or colloquially antigypsyism.[28] The Egyptians Act of 1530 forced Roma people to leave England. Around 10,000 of these people went to the Ottoman Empire and became Muslims. Their descendants still call themselves Egyptians.[29]
Genocide
During the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany committed an ethnic cleansing and a genocide[30] against the Roma people.[31][32] The Romani genocide has been called "the forgotten Holocaust."[31] The Nazis thought the Roma were an 'inferior race' – not as good as other ethnic groups – and they wanted to kill all of the Roma people in Europe.[30][33]
To achieve this, they persecuted Roma people, executed them in large groups, deported them to concentration camps, used them for medical experiments, and killed them in death camps.[30][34][35] Only the Muslim Xoraxane Roma from Bosnia were not deported, because Muslim leaders protected them.[36] 250,000~500,000 Romanis were killed in the Roma genocide.[37][38] Some historians give a higher estimate of the Romani genocide death toll, ranging from 800,000[39] to 1,500,000.[40]
Antiziganism today
The Roma still experience discrimination and antiziganism. In some countries, Roma are not accepted in workplaces and schools.[41] Their squatting communities also irritate locals.[42] The Roma created an association in 1978 to defend their rights.[43]
Today
The largest Roma populations today live in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. However, there are populations of Roma all over Europe, including:[44][45]
Culture
Roma culture differs from country to country, from group to group, and from religion to religion. Roma cuisine[46] also differs from country to country. Music has always been important in Roma culture. Musical instruments like guitars and violins are an important part of Roma traditions. The Roma influenced musical and dance styles in Europe, such as belly dancing, flamenco, rumba and jazz.[25]
Most Roma enter into arranged marriages with other Roma at a very young age. It is rare for Roma to marry gadje (non-Romas). Some groups ban cousin marriage.[47] On 8 April 1971, the Roma nationality was legally recognized in Europe. Since then, 8 April is the International Day of the Roma.[41]
Roma with mixed blood
Roma people use the word didicoy to describe people who are of mixed Roma ancestry.[48] (Some families of mixed blood call themselves "kyes".) There is conflict between the didicoy and the Romanichal ("full-blooded Roma," whose ancestors are all Roma).[48] Roma people have been stereotyped as criminals for centuries. Many Romanichal believe this reputation comes from didicoys and other nomadic groups that are referred to as "Gypsies".[48] Often, Roma people in the United Kingdom who are not nomadic use the word didicoy as slang for all Roma people.[source?] The "Romano Rai" an old Romani folk song about a mixed-blooded Roma.[49][better source needed]
Language
The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages made the Romani language an official language in many European countries.[50]
Religion
In ancient times, Roma people followed Hinduism[51] and Buddhism.[52] Today, most follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity.[53] However, many are Muslim. The Dasikane (Christian Roma) practice baptism, while the Xoraxane, or Muslim Roma, practice male circumcision. Other Romani people around the world practice faiths including:
- Bahá'í[54]
- Buddhism[55] (especially in Hungary[56])
- Catholicism
- Evangelical Christianity[57]
- Hinduism[51]
- Islam[58]
- Mormonism[54]
- Romanipen (an old dualist religion that involves a simple belief in Devla – God – and Beng – Satan)[59]
- Sufism[60]
- Palmistry[61]
- Witchcraft[61]
Other Roma practice Noahidism,[62] a Jewish new religious movement based on Orthodox Judaism.[63].and a set of moral laws called the Noahide Laws[64]). People who live according to the Noahide Laws are called children of Noah (B'nei Noach) Noahids.[65]
Other websites
References
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