1. Gypsy Americans
The Roma
Mickiela Sanchez
COS MUS 1234
Professor Sean Abel
08/05/2012

2. The term “Gypsy” derives from
Egyptian, reflecting a MISTAKEN
ASSUMPTION of the origins of the
people who refer to themselves as the
“Romani,” Roma,” or “Rom” for short.
W. R. Rishi
The Rom linguist W. R. Rishi gives
the etymology of Rom from the
Sanskrit Rama, with meanings that
include “one who roams about.”

3. Harassment Part 1 Holocaust, Nazis massacred Gypsies along side Jews
Jews where NOT the ONLY ones who where targeted in the
Holocaust, Gypsies were right along with them being
tortured !
It is known that perhaps 250,000
Gypsies were killed , and that
proportionately they suffered losses
greater than any other group of
victims except for the Jews.

4. Harassment Part 2
World War I Turks killed Gypsies and Armenians.

5. Harassment Part 3
Fortune-telling skills of Gypsies was considered to be “black
magic.”
Until 1930, Virginia legally barred Gypsies from telling
fortunes.

6. Fortune Tellers
(Also known as palmists, readers, or advisors.)
“Fortune-telling actually includes elements of folk psychotherapy and folk
healing.”
“All they need is confidence and strength and a friend and that’s what I
am.”

7. Religion
Gypsy spirituality derives from Hindu and
Zoroastrian concepts of kintala-balance of harmony,
as between good and evil.
When the balance is upset, ancestors send signals
to keep people on track.
Many Gypsies are Christian, with denominational
allegiances that reflect their countries of origin.

8. Ethnic Gypsies are the
descendants of diverse
3 groups of people who
were assembled in
northern India as a
military force to resist the
eastward movement of
Islam.
1
Over the centuries, they
moved westward into
2 northern Africa and
Europe, adapting their
language and culture in
their migrations.

9. Pursuit of Livelihood-
Settlement Patterns The traditional stereotype of
the wanderer of the Gypsy is
Join American Movement
Westward-
the wanderer, and some Gypsies also have joined the
modern Gypsy Americans American movement
continue to travel in pursuit of westward. Many live in
their livelihoods. California.
Economic Opportunities-
Gypsies tend to follow
economic opportunities.

10. Castanets
Timbale
Tambourine
Pan’s
Lute
Pipe
Gypsy
Instruments
that they
packed with
them when
Spanish they traveled.
Mandolin Bagpipe
Oboe
Vertical Flute
Violin

11. Music
Gypsies are most famous for their contributions as musicians.
They have contributed to Americans musical plays.

12. Parallels between Gypsies and African Americans in
European and American cultural history-
Rhythmic innovations that Gypsies brought to Europe
were not only Asiatic and Middle Eastern, but also
African, at least North African; similarly, African
Americans brought innovations of African music to
America.

13. Gypsies owned slaves?
Some Gypsies owned slaves or employed African
American laborers.
According to legend, some of these men
(slaves/laborers) had eloped off with Gypsy daughters.
When African American ex-slave minstrels first
attempted to taste the freedom of the road in post-
Reconstruction America, some claimed to adopt the
ethnicity, or at least the title “Gypsy.”

14. Romani Flag
Blue is the blue sky and the
heavens, and symbolizes
eternal spiritual values. with
the red sixteen-spoked chakra
in the center.
The wheel in the
center symbolizes The green is the
movement and land, organic and
progress, and the burst growing, and
of fire from which all symbolizes earthly
creation emerged at values.
the beginning of time.

15. Gelem, gelem, lungone dromensa
Anthem Part 1 Maladilem bakhtale Romensa
Composed in 1971. A Romale katar tumen aven,
E tsarensa bahktale dromensa?
A Romale, A Chavale
Spoken in Romani:
Vi man sas ek bari familiya,
Murdadas la e kali legiya
Aven mansa sa lumniake Roma,
Kai putaile e romane droma
Ake vriama, usti Rom akana,
Men khutasa misto kai kerasa
To listen to anthem on youtube go A Romale, A Chavale
to: Puter Dewla le parne wudara
Te sai dikhaw kai si me manusha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ENp00nSRY
Pale ka gav lungone dromencar
Ta ka phirav bachtale Romensa
A Rromalen, A chavalen
Opre Rroma isi vaxt akana
Ajde mançar sa lumáqe Rroma
O kalo muj ta e kale jakha
Kamàva len sar e kale drakha
A Rromalen, A chavalen.
Translations

16. Anthem Part 2 I went, I went on long roads
I met happy Roma
Translation 1: O Roma where do you come from,
With tents on happy roads?
O Roma, O brothers
I once had a great family,
The Black Legions murdered them
Come with me Roma from all the world
For the Roma roads have opened
Now is the time, rise up Roma now,
We will rise high if we act
O Roma, O brothers
Open, God, Black doors
You can see where are my people.
Come back to tour the roads
And walk with lucky Romani
O Roma, O brothers
Up, Gypsy! Now is the time
Come with me Roma world
Brown face and dark eyes
Much as I like black grapes
O Roma, O brothers
Translations

17. Anthem Part 3
I have travelled over long roads
Translation 2: I have met fortunate Roma
I have travelled far and wide
I have met lucky Roma
Oh, Romani adults, Oh Romani youth
Oh, Roma, from wherever you have
come
With your tents along lucky roads
I too once had a large family
But the black legion murdered them
Come with me, Roma of the world
To where the Romani roads have been
opened
Now is the time - stand up, Roma,
We shall succeed where we make the
effort.
Oh, Roma adults, Oh, Roma youth
Translations

18. Cuisine: “Those who eat together trust one another.”
Gypsies eat two meals a day-one upon rising and the other late in the
afternoon.
Weight loss is considered to be unhealthy.
Greet each other by asking if whether or not they ate that day, if not they
would offer food.
The “Lucky Food”:
Ritually sacrificed animal
Sarmaa (cabbage rolls)
(often a lamb)
Gushvada (cheese strudel)

19. Clothing
•Often brilliant reds and yellows.
•Dresses with full skirts.
•Baggy pants and loose-fitting shirts.
•Tons of jewelry.
•Boots and a large belt.
•Married woman customarily must cover their hair with a diklo, a scarf that
is knotted at the nape of the neck.

20. Earlier Times: Holidays
1) Funerals
2) Marriages
Holidays Part 1

21. Current Times: Holidays
1) Funerals
2) Marriages
Holidays Part 2

22. Work Cited
1) Jelem, Jelem (Romani/Gypsy Anthem)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ENp00nSRY
Uploaded by TheTollundWoman, December 7,
2010
2) Gypsies in the Holocaust
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holoc
aust/gypsies.html The American-Israeli
Cooperative Enterprise, 2012
3) Gypsy Magic
http://gypsymagicspells.blogspot.com/2006/11/ro
mani-flag.html
4) Gypsy Americans
http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Du-
Ha/Gypsy-Americans.html Advameg Inc., 2012

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