Roma People - Gypsieshttp : / / cafe . daum . net / nowonenglish / 8 ltk / 9 ? q = sanskrit % 20 romanyThe Roma People often referred to as Gypsies , are a heterogeneous ethnic group who live primarily in Southern and Eastern Europe , Western Asia , Latin America , the southern part of the United States and the Middle East . They are believed to have originated mostly from the Rajasthan region of India . They began their migration to Europe and North Africa via the Iranian plateau about 1 , 000 years ago . Traditionally most Roma spoke Romani ( Romany ) , an Indo - Aryan language . Today , however , most Roma speak the dominant language of their region of residence . Most Roma refer to themselves as Rom . In the Romani language , Rom ( man ) derives from the Sanskrit dom ( man ) . Alternate spellings of " Rroma " for the people and " Rromanes " for the language , were rejected by the last World Romani Congress , which defined the universal Romani alphabet . EtymologyThe English term Gypsy ( or Gipsy ) , originates from the Greek word ' Aigyptoi ' in the erroneous belief that the Roma originated in Egypt , and were exiled as punishment for allegedly harboring the infant Jesus . This ethnonym is not used by the Roma to describe themselves , and is often considered pejorative . However , the use of " gypsy " in English is now so pervasive that many Roma organizations use the word gypsy in their own names . In North America , the word " Gypsy " is often misunderstood as a reference to lifestyle or fashion , and not to the Roma ethnicity . The Spanish term gitano and the French term gitan may have the same origin . History of the Roma People Linguistic and genetic evidence indicates the Roma originated on the Indian Subcontinent . The cause of the Roma diaspora is unknown . one theory suggests the Roma were originally low - caste Hindus recruited into an army of mercenaries , granted warrior caste status , and sent westwards to resist Islamic military expansion . Or perhaps the Muslim conquerors of northern India took the Roma as slaves and brought them home , where they became a distinct community ; Mahmud of Ghazni reportedly took 500 , 000 prisoners during a Turkish / Persian invasion of Sindh and Punjab . Why the Roma did not return to India , choosing instead to travel west into Europe , is an enigma , but may relate to military service under the Muslims . Contemporary scholars have suggested one of the first written references to the Roma , under the term " Atsingani ", ( derived from the Greek atsinganoi ) , dates from the Byzantine era during a time of famine in the 9 th century . In the year 800 A . D . , Saint Athanasia gave food to " foreigners called the Atsingani " near Thrace . Later , in 803 A . D . , Theophanes the Confessor wrote that Emperor Nikephoros I had the help of the " Atsingani " to put down a riot with their " knowledge of magic "." Atsinganoi " was used to refer to itinerant fortune tellers , ventriloquists and wizards who visited the Emperor Constantine IX in the year 1054 . The hagiographical text , The Life of St . George the Anchorite , mentions that the " Atsingani " were called on by Constantine to help rid his forests of the wild animals which were killing off his livestock . They are later described as sorcerers and evildoers and accused of trying to poison the Emperor ' s favorite hound . In 1322 a Franciscan monk named Simon Simeonis described people in likeness to the " atsingani " living in Crete and in 1350 Ludolphus of Sudheim mentioned a similar people with a unique language who he called Mandapolos , a word which some theorize was possibly derived from the greek word mantes ( meaning prophet or fortune teller ) . Around 1360 , an independent Romani fiefdom ( called the Feudum Acinganorum ) was established in Corfu and became " a settled community and an important and established part of the economy . " By the 14 th century , the Roma had reached the Balkans ; by 1424 , Germany ; and by the 16 th century , Scotland and Sweden . Some Roma migrated from Persia through North Africa , reaching Europe via Spain in the 15 th century . The two currents met in France . Roma began immigrating to the United States in colonial times , with small groups in Virginia and French Louisiana . Larger - scale immigration began in the 1860 s , with groups of Romnichal from Britain . The largest number immigrated in the early 1900 s , mainly from the Vlax group of Kalderash . Many Roma also settled in Latin America . Wherever they arrived in Europe , curiosity was soon followed by hostility and xenophobia . Roma were enslaved for five centuries in Romania until abolition in 1864 . Elsewhere in Europe , they were subject to expulsion , abduction of their children , and forced labor . During World War II , the Nazis murdered 200 , 000 to 800 , 000 Roma in an attempted genocide known as the Porajmos . Like the Jews , they were sentenced to forced labor and imprisonment in concentration camps . They were often killed on sight , especially by the Einsatzgruppen on the Eastern Front . In Communist Eastern Europe , Roma experienced assimilation schemes and restrictions of cultural freedom . The Romani language and Roma music were banned from public performance in Bulgaria . In Czechoslovakia , they were labeled a " socially degraded stratum , " and Roma women were sterilized as part of a state policy to reduce their population . This policy was implemented with large financial incentives , threats of denying future social welfare payments , misinformation , and involuntary sterilization ( Silverman 1995 ; Helsinki Watch 1991 ) . In the early 1990 s , Germany deported tens of thousands of illegal immigrants to Eastern Europe . Sixty percent of some 100 , 000 Romanian nationals deported under a 1992 treaty were Roma . Popuation Worldwide , there are an estimated 8 to 10 million Roma , most of whom reside in Europe . Although the largest Roma populations are found in the Balkan peninsula , significant numbers may also be found in the Americas , the former Soviet Union , western and central Europe , the Middle East , and North Africa . Countries where Roma populations do or may possibly exceed half a million are Romania , Egypt , Spain , Bulgaria , the United States , Mexico , Brazil and Argentina . Some other countries with large Roma populations are the countries of the former Yugoslavia , the Czech Republic , Hungary , Germany , Greece , Italy , Moldova , Poland , Portugal , Slovakia and Turkey . The Roma recognize divisions among themselves based in part on territorial , cultural and dialectal differences . Some authorities recognize five main groups : the Kalderash ( the most numerous , traditionally smiths , from the Balkans , many of whom migrated to central Europe and North America ) , the Gitanos ( also called Cal � , mostly in the Iberian Peninsula , North Africa , and southern France ; associated with entertainment ) , the Manush ( also known as Sinti , mostly in Alsace and other regions of France and Germany ; often travelling showmen and circus people ) , and the Romnichal ( Rom ' nies ) ( mainly in Britain and North America ) . the Erlides ( also known as Yerlii ) ( settled Roma population in South - Eastern Europe and Turkey ) . Each of these main divisions may be further divided into two or more subgroups distinguished by occupational specialization or territorial origin , or both . Some of these group names are : Machvaya ( Machwaya ) , Lovari , Churari , Sinti , Rudari , Boyash , Ludar , Luri , Xoraxai , Ungaritza , Bashald � , Ursari and Romungro . Romani Language Most Roma speak Romani , an Indo - Aryan language likely derived from Sanskrit . Romani is also related to Pothohari . A 2003 study published in Nature suggests Romani is also related to Sinhalese , presently spoken in Sri Lanka . Today , however , most Roma speak the dominant language of their region of residence . Romani is not currently spoken in India . Some Roma have developed creole languages or mixed languages , including : Cal � or Iberian - Romani , which uses the Romani lexicon and Spanish grammar ( the cal � ). Romungro or Carpathian - Romani Lomavren or Armenian - Romani Angloromani or English - Romani Romano - Greek or Greek - Romani Traveller Norwegian or Norwegian - Romani Romano - Serbian or Serbian - Romani Boyash , a dialect of Romanian with Hungarian and Romani loanwords Tavringer Romani or Swedish - Romani Sinti - Manouche - Sinti ( Romani with German grammar ) GeneticsGenetic data strongly supports linguistic evidence that the Roma originated on the Indian subcontinent . Studies of Bulgarian , Baltic and Vlax Roma genetics suggest that about 50 % of observed haplotypes belong to Y - chromosomal haplogroup H . Similar studies of the same population with mitochondrial DNA show 50 % belong to female mitochondrial haplogroup M . Both of these are widespread across South Asia . This genetic evidence indicates that approximately half of the gene pool of these studied Roma is similar to that of the surrounding European populations . Specifically , common Y - chromosome ( i . e . male - line ) haplogroups are haplogroups H ( 50 %), I ( 22 %) and J 2 ( 14 %), and R 1 b ( 7 %). Common mitochondrial ( i . e . female - line ) haplogroups are H ( 35 %), M ( 26 %), U 3 ( 10 %), X ( 7 %), other ( 20 %). Whereas male haplogroup H and female M are rare in non - Roma European populations , the rest are found throughout Europe . However female haplogroups U 2 i and U 7 are almost absent from female Roma , but are present in South Asia ( 11 %- 35 % approx ) . By contrast , male Sinti Roma in Central Asia have H ( 20 %), J 2 ( 20 %) and a high frequency of R 2 ( 50 %) which is found frequently in West Bengal and among the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka . The M 217 marker , which accounts for about 1 . 6 % of male Roma , is also found in West Bengal ( Kivisild ( 2003 ) et al ) . Haplogroup L is found in about 10 % of Indian males but is absent from Roma ( though Gresham et al . does not seem to test for it ) , and also from West Bengal and Central Asian Sinti ( Kivisild ( 2003 ) et al ) . However , a search of the Yhrd database shows that some Roma populations in Europe have considerable percentages of male haplogroup R 1 a 1 . Yhrd gives few matches with South Asian population , but a large number of matches on haplogroup H with Asian Londoners , a populations that has a large proportion of Bengali and South Indian groups . All these genetic studies indicate a South - East Indian origin of the male Roma population . Haplogroup R 1 a 1 occurs around 35 - 45 % in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent , but only 10 - 15 % in the southeast . on the other hand , Y - haplogroups H , R 2 and J 2 increase in frequency towards the southeast . R 2 occurs arond 20 - 40 % in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh ( Bamshad et al . 2001 , Kivisild et al . 2003 , Sengupta et al . 2006 , Sahoo et al . 2006 ) . H and J 2 occur 20 - 30 % in South and East India . A study recently published in Nature journal associates the Roma with Sinhala , and must be viewed from this genetic profile of Romas . Sinhalese are mostly descendants of East and South Indian communities . Luba Kalaydjieva ' s research has shown that the original group appeared in India some 32 - 40 generations ago and was small , likely under 1 , 000 people . ( Ref : Origins and Divergence of the Roma ( Gypsies ) , David Gresham , Bharti Morar , Peter A . Underhill , et al , Am J Hum ( 2001 ) ; The Eurasian Heartland : A continental perspective on Y - chromosome diversity , Wells et al . ) Roma Society and CultureThe traditional Roma place a high value on the extended family . Virginity is essential in unmarried women . Both men and women often marry young ; there has been controversy in several countries over the Roma practice of child marriage . Roma law establishes that the man ' s family must pay a dowry to the bride ' s parents . Roma social behaviour is strictly regulated by purity laws ( " marime " or " marhime "), still respected by most Roma and among Sinti groups by the older generations . This regulation affects many aspects of life , and is applied to actions , people and things : parts of the human body are considered impure : the genital organs , because they produce impure emissions , and the lower body . Fingernails and toenails must be filed with an emery board , as cutting them with a clipper is taboo . Clothes for the lower body , as well as the clothes of menstruating women are washed separately . Items used for eating are also washed in a different place . Childbirth is considered impure , and must occur outside the dwelling place . The mother is considered impure for forty days . Death is considered impure , and affects the whole family of the dead , who remain impure for a period of time . Many of these practices are also present in some Hindu cultures such as those of Bengal and the Balinese . There are very similar practices found in Judaism . However , in contrast to the Hindu practice of cremating the dead , Roma dead must be buried . It is possible that this tradition was adapted from Abrahamic religions after the Roma left the Indian subcontinent . ReligionRoma have usually adopted the dominant religion of the host country while often preserving aspects of their particular belief systems and indigenous religion and worship . Most Eastern European Roma are Catholic , Orthodox Christian or Muslim . Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Catholic or Protestant . Most Roma in Latin America are Orthodox . In Turkey , Egypt , and the southern Balkans , the Roma are split into Christian and Muslim populations . Roma religion has a highly developed sense of morality , taboos , and the supernatural , though it is often denigrated by organized religions . It has been suggested that while still in India the Roma people belonged to the Hindu religion , this theory being supported by the Romani word for " cross ", trushul , which is the word which describes Shiva ' s trident ( Trishula ) . Since World War II , a growing number of Roma have embraced Evangelical movements . Over the past half - century , Roma have became ministers and created their own churches and missionary organizations for the first time . In some countries , the majority of Roma now belong to the Roma churches . This unexpected change has greatly contributed to a better image of Roma in society . The work they perform is seen as more legitimate , and they have begun to obtain legal permits for commercial activities . Evangelical Roma churches exist today in every country where Roma are settled . The movement is particularly strong in France and Spain ; there are more than one thousand Roma churches ( known as " Filadelfia ") in Spain , with almost one hundred in Madrid alone . In Germany , the most numerous group is that of Polish Roma , having their main church in Mannheim . Other important and numerous Romani assemblies exist in Los Angeles , Houston , Buenos Aires and Mexico . Some groups in Romania and Chile have joined the Seventh - day Adventist Church . In the Balkans , the Roma of Macedonia , Kosovo ( Southern province of Serbia ) and Albania have been particularly active in Islamic mystical brotherhoods ( Sufism ) . Muslim Roma immigrants to Western Europe and America have brought these traditions with them . Roma MusicRoma music is very important in Eastern European cultures such as Bosnia - Herzegovina , Serbia , Montenegro , Macedonia , Albania , Hungary , Russia and Romania , and the style and performance practices of Roma musicians have influenced European classical composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms . The lautari who perform at traditional Romanian weddings are virtually all Roma , although their music draws from a vast variety of ethnic traditions - for example Romanian , Turkish , Jewish , and Slavic - as well as Roma traditions . Probably the most internationally prominent contemporary performer in the lautar tradition is Taraful Haiducilor . Many famous classical musicians , such as the Hungarian pianist Georges Cziffra , are Roma , as are many prominent performers of manele . Zdob Zdub , one of the most prominent rock bands in Moldova , although not Roma themselves , draw heavily on Roma music , as do Spitalul de Urgenta in Romania . The distinctive sound of Roma music has also strongly influenced bolero , jazz , flamenco and Cante Jondo in Europe . European - style Gypsy jazz is still widely practised among the original creators ( the Roma People ) ; one who acknowledged this artistic debt was Django Reinhardt . Later , Roma people who came to the Americas contributed to almost every musical style . Salsa , rumba , mambo and guajira from Cuba , the tondero , zamacueca and marinera from Peru , mariachi music from Mexico , " llanero " from the borders of Venezuela and Colombia , and even American country music have all been influenced by their mournful violins and soulful guitar . Relations With Other PeoplesPersecution Because of an image that they like to steal and kill innocent animals and refuse to live like normal people , there has been a great deal of mutual distrust between the Roma and their more settled neighbours . According to legend in some European nations , particularly in the Black Forest region , at the time of the Crucifixion , no blacksmith would make the nails for the cross . one blacksmith agreed to do so , however , and the spirit of these nails came back to haunt him and his family some years later , forcing them to constantly wander and become the Roma . Persecution of Roma reached a peak during World War II in the Porajmos . There are still tensions between the Roma and the majority populations around them . Common complaints are that Roma steal and live off social welfare , and residents often reject Roma encampments . In the UK , travellers ( referring to Irish Travellers and New Age Travellers as well as Roma ) became a 2005 general election issue , with the leader of the Conservative Party promising to review the Human Rights Act 1998 . This law , which absorbs the European Convention on Human Rights into UK primary legislation , is seen by some to permit the granting of retrospective planning permission . Severe population pressures and the paucity of greenfield sites have led to travellers purchasing land , and setting up residential settlements almost overnight , thus subverting the planning restrictions imposed on other members of the community . Travellers argued in response that thousands of retrospective planning permissions are granted in Britain in cases involving non - Roma applicants each year and that statistics showed that 90 % of planning applications by Roma and travellers were initially refused by local councils , compared with a national average of 20 % for other applicants , disproving claims of preferrential treatment favouring Gypsies . They also argued that the root of the problem was that many traditional stopping - places had been barricaded off and that legislation passed by the previous Conservative government had effectively criminalised their community , for example by removing local authorities ' responsibility to provide sites , thus leaving the travellers with no option but to purchase unregistered new sites themselves . In Denmark there was much controversy when the city of Helsing � r decided to put all Roma students in special classes in its public schools . The classes were later abandoned after it was determined that they were discriminatory , and the Roma were put back in regular classes . Assimilation During the Enlightenment , Spain briefly and unsuccessfully tried to assimilate the Roma into the mainstream population by forcing them to abandon their language and way of life ; even the word gitano was made illegal . Many nations have subsequently attempted to assimilate their Roma populations . Roma and CrimeThe popular image of Roma as tramps and thieves unfit for work contributed to their widespread persecution . This belief is often cited as the etymological source of the term gyp , meaning to " cheat ", as in " I got gypped by a con man . " The German name Zigeuner is often thought through popular etymology to derive either from Ziehende Gauner , which means ' travelling thieves ', or from the Hungarian Cig � ny from their word " szeg � ny " meaning " poor ". The validity of these derivations , however , is disputed . Law enforcement agencies in the United States hold regular conferences on the Roma and similar nomadic groups . Roma in European population centers are often associated with petty crime such as pickpocketing , utilizing a variety of deceptions and tactics . An example would be a Romani woman at a subway or train platform , waiting for passengers to begin boarding an arriving train at which point she pushes through the crowd with an infant in her arms , deftly opening a woman ' s purse or reaching for a man ' s wallet . Being a woman makes her appear less threatening and the infant causes people to naturally yield to her as she approaches her target , while distracting people from her other arm . Usually by the time the victim notices the missing item ( s ) , the doors have already closed and the train is moving away from the station . Roma in Central and Eastern EuropeIn Central and Eastern Europe , Roma often live in depressed squatter communities with very high unemployment , while only some are fully integrated in the society . However , in some cases - notably the Kalderash clan in Romania , who work as traditional coppersmiths - they have prospered . Although some Roma still embrace a nomadic lifestyle , most migration is actually forced , as most communities do not accept Roma settlements . Many former Eastern bloc countries have substantial populations of Roma . The level of integration of Roma into society remains limited . In these countries , they usually remain on the margins of society , living in isolated ghetto - like settlements ( see Ch � nov ) . only a small fraction of Roma children graduate from secondary schools , although during the Communist regime , at least some of these countries forced all children to attend school , and provided them , like other citizens , with all required basics such as textbooks and the compulsory uniform . Usually they feel rejected by the state and the non - Roma majority , which creates another obstacle to their integration . In some countries , dependence on social security systems is part of the problem . For some Roma families , it may be preferable to live on social security than on low - paid jobs . That creates anger against Roma , conditions that produce crime , and extreme sensitivity to changes in social security . A good example of the latter is Slovakia , where reduction of social security ( a family is paid allowance only for the first three children ) led to civil disorder in several Roma villages . In most countries within or applying to join the European Union , Roma people can lead normal lives and may integrate into the larger society . Nevertheless , the Roma most visible to the settled community are those who perpetuate the negative image of the Roma . The reasons include that Roma avoid non - Roma because they traditionally consider them " mahrime " ( spiritually unclean ) , avoid them out of fear of persecution , still live in shacks ( usually built ad hoc , near railways ) and beg on the streets . The local authorities may try to help such people by improving infrastructure in their settlements and subsidizing families further , but such aid is mostly viewed by the Roma as superficial and insufficient . Begging with pre - school children is sometimes practiced by the Roma , despite its illegality in many countries . In 2004 , L � via J � r � ka and Vikt � ria Moh � csi of Hungary became the two current Roma Members of the European Parliament . The first Roma MEP was Juan de Dios Ramirez - Heredia of Spain . Seven former Communist Central European and Southeastern European states launched the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative in 2005 to improve the socio - economic conditions and status of the Roma minority . In Kosovo , the Roma are seen by many Albanians as being allied with Serbian national interests . The Kosovo Liberation Army has targetted Roma as well as Serbs . During the Yugoslav wars , Roma were often victim to discrimination and violent attacks from all sides , although relations were friendliest with the Serbs . There is a sizable minority of Roma people in Romania , 1 . 8 million to 2 million . They are not well accepted and there is much prejudice against them . The rise of hate groups such as Noua Dreapt  causes violence and retribution by both sides . The number of Roma people in Hungary is disputed . In the 2001 census only 190 , 000 people called themselves Roma , but sociological estimates give much higher numbers , about 5 %- 10 % of the total population . Since World War II , the number of Roma has increased rapidly , multiplying seven - fold in the last century . Today every fifth or sixth newborn is Roma . Estimates based on current demographic trends project that in 2050 , 15 - 20 % of the population ( 1 . 2 million people ) will be Roma . Romas ( called cig � nyok or rom � k in Hungarian ) suffer particular problems in Hungary . School segregation is an especially acute . Many Roma children are sent to classes for pupils with learning disabilities . Slightly more than 80 % of Roma children complete primary education , but only one third continue studies into the intermediate ( secondary ) level . This is far lower than the more than 90 % proportion of non - Roma children who continue studies at an intermediate level . The situation is made worse by the fact that a large proportion of young Roma are qualified in subjects that provide them only limited chances for employment . Less than 1 % of Roma hold higher educational certificates . Their low status on the job market and higher unemployment rates cause poverty , widespread social problems and crime . Rom in Israel Before 1948 , there was an Arabic - speaking Roma community in Jaffa , whose members were noted for their involvement in street theatre and circus performances . Like most other Jaffa Arabs , this community was uprooted in April 1948 , and its descendants are assumed to be presently living in the Gaza Strip refugee camps ; it is unknown to what degree they still preserve a separate Roma identity . Another Roma community is known to exist in East Jerusalem , its members complaining of prejudice and discriminatory treatment by the surrounding Palestinian society despite their sharing in the hardships of those Palestinians . Some Eastern European Roma are known to have arrived in Israel in the late 1940 s and early 1950 s , having intermarried with Jews in the post - WWII " displaced persons camps " or , in some cases , having pretended to be Jews when Zionist agents arrived in those camps . The exact numbers of these Roma living in Israel are unknown , since such individuals tended to assimilate into the Israeli Jewish environment . According to several recent accounts in the Israeli press , some families preserve traditional Romani lullabies and a small number of Romani ｅxpressions and curse words , and pass them on to generations born in Israel who , for the most part , speak Hebrew . Roma People Gypsies List of Famous Ethnic Roma PeopleRoma Inclusion Project BBC - January 2005 Gypsy Fortune Telling