- NEW!
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
~~edited again because the video was redone~~
How about "who is a Gypsy"... moi.
Ok, now on to "what is a Gypsy":
We are not a lifestyle, we are not even a culture, though we have one. It is a deep, rich, old, and traditional one at that. We are a GENETIC ETHNICITY. "Gypsyness" is not determined by lifestyle or desire. It is carried on our DNA. You cannot become one. You are born one or you are not.
Firstly, most of the Gypsies are Rromani or those related to us (Sinti, for example). Others have been tacked on over the years such as the Irish Travelers. "Gypsy" is an umbrella term. It originated because some bright bulb decided that we originated in Egypt. We did not... we came through India about a thousand years ago and the current theory is that we were originally Asian.
There are about a million of us in America out of about 300 million residents.
Most of us have immense ties to our culture and our families... that is something that comes from within our culture itself. Also, culturally and historically we were nomadic and still are, to a very limited capacity (we were forcibly settled via laws to make us but now many of us would choose to live that way, at least in America). That, in and of itself, creates a mindset and a culture that is different from a culture based on a land mass. It is difficult for scholars to understand a nomadic culture, much less laymen.
We have a very distinct culture that cannot really be understood without knowing our history. That is a long, long and convoluted mess.
I have answered this more times than I can even remember and, finally, I gave in and wrote a "What is a Gypsy". It is on my IMVU page. I invite you to read it, along with TONS of other stuff about "what" we are and 80 tracks of our music from my personal collection:
http://avatars.imvu.com/Arisztid
Please view that in firefox if possible. It looks a little funky in IE. Please let it load.
I am including a video posted by a friend of mine and that link to my IMVU. The video is written by a British Rrom and focuses more on that line of Rrom (I am EU Rrom)... EU (Eastern Europe) Rrom have a somewhat different history than British Rrom. Our lives are so bad in EU that I am not going to go into it. That would lead me into a two foot long rant. The video focuses on entertainers (basically, those who would get the Gadje attention and be most recognizable), however, there are Rromani politicians, scientists, artists, authors, and even Mother Theresa was Rromani.
I heartily suggest you view that video.
Here is a link to famous Gypsies: http://www.imninalu.net/famousGypsies.htm
Please feel free to ask for clarification or anything else that I did not cover.
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Comments
Good on you. Great answer.
by singwell-is off researching a lot on March 21st, 2008
:D Thankyou. I am glad that someone finally asked the question.
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You know what floored me? NONE of the answers to this question are filled with hate! If this question had been asked on Yahoo Answers or any other site I have seen, it would have been just FULL of hatred.
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Sometimes I really like AB.
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
Great answer... this is the "upside" of AB, which helps to compensate for all the silliness we put up with each day -- when someone who knows a lot about a particular topic puts in the effort to share that and enlighten others.
by Brand Y on March 21st, 2008
Great answer! I actually enjoyed reading it very much :)
by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on March 21st, 2008
:D :D :D and a bunch other :D's. Thankyou for the compliments! I am glad that you enjoyed reading it. I certainly enjoyed writing it.
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I always give the best answers I can, no matter what the question. I am a long winded SOB.
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
Oh, the song at the beginning of the video is a bit... racy (I speak enough Rromanes to know what he is talking about). Let us just say that he is inviting a Lady to make a "didikai". That is a halfbreed Rrom and Gadje. :P It really cracks me up.
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
Sounds complicated ;) Bet we won't find that on eHow!
by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on March 21st, 2008
I do not think the translation for that one is available. It is all fun, talking about Rrom life, sung very cheekily. I have never heard British Rromani music before. All of my stuff is EU or Chile.
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My parents made a didikai... my 3/4 blooded self. That should explain the procedure.
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
And a fine job they did :)
by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on March 21st, 2008
Why thankyou ma'am. :)
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
Arisztid: very interesting information, also on the links!
by iwnit on March 21st, 2008
Wow, thanks for the lesson, Ari! Great answer.
by Shopping Sheryl - home from the hospital on March 21st, 2008
:D Thankyou muchly. Trust me, if anyone wants more, I, literally, do not know how many links I have that go from general to VERY specific about Rromani issues in all nations.
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
:):):)+++
by buxtonite ..slowly losing my mind on March 21st, 2008
:) Thankyou muchly!
by Arisztid on March 21st, 2008
I found that just fascinating!! Thank you.
by Cognition aka Cog on April 1st, 2008
Thankyou most kindly... I tried to not make that terribly dry.
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I am happy that folks took the time to read. :)
by Arisztid on April 4th, 2008
I enjoy learning about people and their heritage/culture. It was anything but dry.
by Cognition aka Cog on April 4th, 2008
:D Thankyou.
by Arisztid on April 4th, 2008
This guys knows his stuff :)
by Doggie S on April 6th, 2008
Thankyou TT. :) I have reason to know more about this subject than most.
by Arisztid on April 6th, 2008
Very interesting. Do not give up the fight!
by maS elcnU on July 16th, 2008
I have always referred to myself as a gypsy because of my wandering cross country before I had my lil ones, I did not know any better and will stop using that term so freely. This was interesting and enlightening thank you
by Emikat_is_in_LOCLAB on November 29th, 2008
Thankyou for your consideration. :) Most folks in America do not realize that we are real.
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I am pleased that you enjoyed my rather, erm, long read. :P
by Arisztid on November 29th, 2008
Arisztid, I just managed to take a peek at your web site, and while I can't leave a comment there, I've got to thank you for putting it together. It's an interesting read. I've got a friend who is, if I remember right, half Rom and half Pavee, and she'll talk about it a bit, but I've always felt it'd be a bit awkward asking. And now I'm a bit more educated. :)
by Cantras on December 15th, 2008
I am glad that you enjoyed it. I also have a friend who is half Rom and half Pavee... I would like to meet your friend.
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I am glad to have provided some education for you. :)
by Arisztid on December 15th, 2008
I followed the link on your profile... got interested, had no clue on Romani nor Gypsy. Learned something new and interesting today..Thanks!
by Bogartbabe78 on December 20th, 2008
Thankyou for caring. :D I hope you followed this one: http://avatars.imvu.com/Arisztid
by Arisztid on December 20th, 2008
ah, no prob lol yea followed that one , your youtube thing (when I start learning about something...I can't get enough info LOL) and the questions you have been asked (Oh boy!!!! I had to shake my head on those but laughed at them as well, you got a good sense of humor). Oh well will stop stalking your links now lol
Thanks for accepting my friends request......:D
by Bogartbabe78 on December 20th, 2008
Oh stalk away. They are there for a reason.
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I have learned that dry sarcasm annoys bigots much more than becoming offended. I have had over 40 years practice with them. Had I not trimmed my questions down that list would have been half again as long, believe it or not. I also took out most of the REALLY offensive ones.
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And... most welcome. :)
by Arisztid on December 20th, 2008
Its sad how people can be, I am from a small country town and got a dose on small mindedness........so I can just imagine the lovely things (lovely, sad with sarcasm of course) you have heard, granted probably hear a few new ones as well
Just hearing the music for the first time on your IMVU page (at work had it muted) since I am home I can blast away lol....music is very cool
by Bogartbabe78 on December 20th, 2008
:D I am glad you like it. Feel free to listen whenever you wish.
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Eh, for me to have been able to write my rather long mocking of racists on my youtube (the bit on the right) shows experience. I included some samples of racist comments as I dissect them on that. Dissect and mock. If you are up to a shock, go look. Youtube is also not the only place I have gotten it and I have not only gotten it online. Physical attack, vandalism, job discrimination, and more is also lots of fun.
by Arisztid on December 20th, 2008