Gypsies, more properly referred to in their own language (with origins in Sanskrit) as the Roma or Romany, comprise about 14% of the population of Eastern Europe.
The “Gypsy” people, originated in Northwestern India and migrated westward until they reached Europe. Originally settling in Romania, they were enslaved in that country until 1864-one year after Abraham Lincoln issued the American Emancipation Proclamation. The word “Gypsy” originated from the misconception that the dark skinned migrants to Europe were of Egyptian origin. Like African Americans, the end of formal slavery for the Roma did not mean the end of their persecution. Because they were generally dark skinned, and, like American slaves, kept illiterate and vilified by stereotyping, they were kept out of professions, subjected to arbitrary law enforcement, and frequently, like Eastern European Jews, forbidden from owning land. Like African - Americans who were subject to the sexual whims of slave-owners, and Eastern European Jews who were subject to rape, there is great disparity in Roma physical types. Although many remain dark skinned owing to their Indian sub-continent origins, you simply can’t tell Roma by any particular look.
The Roma language derives from ancient Hindi and has picked up elements of many languages of the people through which they traversed on their journey from India to Europe and from there to every corner of the world. In the 20th Century, the Roma have continued to suffer both horrific and petit forms of persecution.
During World War II, the Nazis deemed them to be sub-human. They were the first people upon whom Zyklon-B gas was used as an experiment in extermination techniques. 80%-probably around 800,000—Roma died at the hands of the Nazis, about the same percentage as European Jews. Some estimates are higher, placing the number of Roma killed at 10% of the total holocaust number.
Roma who made it to America have similarly faced arbitrary discrimination after migrating to the land that held out the torch of liberty: Roma presently in their late 40’s to 50’s report having been expelled from various California school districts, arbitrarily, as soon as it was discovered that they were “Gypsy” children. Consider that stereotyping by the media about “Gypsies” that would be considered “politically incorrect” and socially unacceptable remains completely unchallenged to this day. The movie “Quicksilver” starring Kevin Bacon features as the villain, “The Gypsy,” who is a violent drug dealer; a children’s show recently on the Disney Channel portrays a scenario of a “Gypsy” who has a pet monkey that he has trained to steal. A little girl befriends the Monkey and teaches it that it is wrong to steal; an episode of “Law and Order” deals with “Gypsy” cab drivers, none of whom happen to be ethnic Roma.
If one were to substitute the words Jew, Asian, Latino, African-American, or half a dozen other ethnic groups into these scenarios, studios would be picketed, movies would be boycotted, and stockholder resolutions would be introduced condemning the practice. As with any ethnic group, there are the good as well as the bad: famous and well respected people of Romany descent include Charlie Chaplin, Rita Hayworth, Bob Hoskins, and Yul Brynner.
Gypsies in the Holocaust
I began doing civil rights work with the Moshwara Clan of the Roma, beginning with a press conference demanding extradition of Nazi war criminals from Canada who had massacred Gypsies during World War II. Gradually, I became involved with them on investigative and social levels.
One day, I found myself in the company of the King of the Moshwara Clan-Duey Stevens-and a certain drunk Gypsy female. In Roma society, there are Roma and Gadjo, or non-Gypsies, just as there are Jews and Gentiles: you are either one or the other. The woman, in her inebriated state, said certain things that a Roma should not have said in the presence of a Gadjo.
As we drove away from meeting with the woman, the King was making apologies for her behavior. At one point, he said, “but she was drunk…she didn’t know what she was saying.”
To this I replied, “I come from simple folk. My grandparents on my mother’s side came from a little town called Gorodiesche outside of Kiev. They taught me an old Ukrainian proverb: ‘what’s on a sober man’s mind [as I touched my fingers to my head], is on a drunken man’s tongue [as I touched my fingers to my lips]'”
He didn’t say anything for the next ten minutes. When he finally spoke, he said, “my friend, there is great wisdom in your family. You’re absolutely right. She meant every word she said. You have saved me from a lot of grief and anguish. From now on, you are no longer Gadjo, you are Roma. You are part of my family.
Some months later, I repeated this story to a couple of Duey’s younger brothers and other members of the Moshwara Gypsy council. One of them, visibly astonished, asked me, “he said that?!” “Yes,” I explained, quizzically.
One of the brothers then said, “I don’t think you understand. You are now no longer Gadjo; you are Roma; you are part of our clan.” “I’m honored,” I told them, and I truly was, at this confirmation that Duey was not simply flattering me.
“I don’t think you understand,” the brother continued. “This only happens maybe once every 50 years, that Gadjo is accepted as Roma.” I responded that I was doubly honored to be part of the Moshwara clan.
“You still don’t understand,” he went on. “In the entire history of Gypsy clans, we have never heard of Gadjo being adopted into the King’s family!” “I’m triply honored to be part of the King’s family,” said I.
“You still don’t get it. You are our brother. We can deny you nothing,” he insisted.
“I like that. I will tuck that away for future reference,” I told them, truly and deeply honored…and to this day they have never disappointed me or treated me differently from my status, as I suppose, a Prince of the Gypsies. At the current King’s grandson’s wedding, I was seated next to the King.
To this I say, Bach t’lo (Roma for “Life and Luck,” the Roma toast!)
You must log in to post a comment.