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Opre Roma!

Dedicated to the Roma for their recognition as a people and as a nation, and 
To their struggle for freedom and against persecution and oppression worldwide.

"There are four hundred books on the gypsies", says a modern tsiganologue, "but in all not more than ten of which tell us anything new or true about them".(1)
Whether this quote (from 1886) was meant to be taken at face value or not, and despite the fact that there are currently thousands of books devoted to the Roma (2), it certainly remains accurate in its essence. Misinformation, misconception and erroneous stereotype about them and their nature is as rampant today as ever. And unfortunately prejudice, persecution, oppression, and ostracization is on the rise! The purpose of this suite of pages is to contribute to the increased awareness of the facts about this truly remarkable people.

Padmashri WR Rishi, Pioneer in establishing the linkage of the Roma to India, dead at 86

Although the Romani people are often referred to as "Gypsies" (and prefer to be called by their more proper designation, Roma), not all "gypsies" or nomadic peoples are Roma. The Roma are descendants of the ancient warrior classes of Northern India, particularly the Punjab, and they are identifiable by their language, religion, and customs, which can be directly linked to those of the Punjabi in northern India.

Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi summarized the state of the Romani people very nicely in her opening speech at the International Romani Festival in Chandigarh, India on October 28, 1983. It is paraphrased below (by Milena Hubschmannova & Jaroslav Jurasek), and we have also made the full text of her address available.
"There are some 15 million Roms dispersed across the world. Their history is one of suffering and misery, but it is also one of the victories of human spirit over the blows of fate. Today the Roms revive their culture and are looking for their identity. On the other hand, they integrate into the societies in which they live. If they are understood by their fellow citizens in their new homelands, their culture will enrich the society's atmosphere with the color and charm of spontaneity."
If you read nothing else about the Roma, please see Tchalai's Introduction to Tarot Tzigane. This brief essay (12k, 2000 word file) says more in fewer words than anything else we have seen. Well worth your reading time!! So much so that we have reproduced it here in its entirety, with the gracious permission of the author. We also, of course, recommend that you purchase this beautiful set of Tarot cards, Tzigane Tarot - Jeu ethnologique et divinatoire (Ethnological and divinitory game) if you find it. A number of the author's works (in French) can be found at Amazon.fr

This site has been newly created in April 1998 to:
(1) from the preface to "Accounts of the gypsies of India" Collected and Edited by David MacRitchie. Published by New Society Publications, New Delhi 1886, reprinted 1976.
(2) in Ian Hancock's Introduction to Crowe, David. and John Kolsti, eds. The Gypsies of Eastern Europe. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 1991.

 

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After 7 years and 224,504 visits, we moved to a new server 6/28/05, since which we have had visits.
Romani.org and the associated pages were created by Nadia & Peter as a service to the Roma around the world.  If  you represent a Romani organization and would like to have a page hosted here, please contact: roma@romani.org or email us right now!!  This page, and those identified by the yellow background and Romani flags were created by and copyright© Peter. Last updated 8/98.

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