Roma Integration

7/28/2019 Roma Integration

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In a moonlit clearing beneath a starry sky stands a ring of caravans, in the middle of

them a burning fire. Around it is a group of people, women dressed in extravagant

clothing and laden with golden jewellery performing exotic dances, while the men in the

circle play various traditional instruments providing lively music for the dancers. By dusk

the clearing will be empty, the caravans continuing on their endless trek. For many this

may well be a romanticized picture of the nomadic gypsy. In reality however, the

modern-day image of a Roma is far from the perceived stereotypes surrounding this

European minority group. For a Roma, existence among a European society is often one

of alienation and hostility from the majority group. The path towards integration for the

European gypsy is a goal for the distance future, clouded in stereotypes and negativities

of a historical background that will be the topic of this paper.

The Romany element in Europe has been around for a number of centuries, dating

well back into the medieval period. Based on modern genetic studies todays gypsies are

perceived to be the descendents of Indian migrants that had been displaced by the 12th

century wars between Muslims and Hindus in the northwest part of the Indian peninsula.

These displaced groups made their way into Europe via Turkey and North Africa, and

through their nomadic wanderings came to settle every corner of Europe, stretching from

Spain and Ireland to Russia and Scandinavia. Over time the gypsy ethos had formed, with

a number of subgroups emerging depending on their location in Europe. By far the mostwidespread group would become the Roma, the gypsies of Eastern Europe, and would

correspondingly constitute the largest combined gypsy population on the continent.

From their first appearance in Europe, the gypsies were met with hostility and often

directed violence. In Wallachia and Moldova valued Roma craftsmen and workers were

enslaved, something that was not abolished till 1856 (Hancock, 2001). More commonly

gypsies faced ethnic cleansing, the abduction of their children, forced labour, and even

physical mutilation such as branding, hanging, or even severing ears. This violent

reaction from Europeans pushed many gypsies eastwards, to more tolerant Poland and

Russia, where they were endured as long as they paid the required taxes. During World

War II the gypsies were subjected to what they call the Porajmos, i.e. the Nazi-

perpetrated holocaust, seen as a sub-human race that deserved being wiped out alongside

the Jews and Slavs. During the communist era Roma faced further harsh treatment and


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attempted assimilation policies. The communist governments of Eastern Europe led many

different assimilation programs such as the outlawing of Roma language and cultural

freedoms such as music, and even sterilized. A long history of alienation from the rest of

European society has left a negative perception of the gypsy shrouded in stereotypes,

while antiziganism remains a major issue for possible future integration.

There are a large number of common stereotypes that the average European has about

the Roma, and although it is often the case that there is some truth behind a stereotype,

many of them or inapplicable to the modern-day gypsy or are far-stretched and

exaggerated. Other stereotypes are simply a sign that the average condition of a Roma in

European society is far from acceptable. Some of the main gypsy stereotyping pertains to

the perceptions of gypsy identity and lifestyle. Most often Roma are perceived as one

single homogenous group and subject to dehumanization by not being looked at as

individuals. Those Roma that do not fit the common imagine are even excluded from

being gypsy. In reality, not one gypsy could fit every common stereotyped attributed to

these people.

Among the whole Romany group are people that live in many different countries and

across different continents, speak various languages of home countries or particular

dialects of the Romany language, are of different religions, embrace the habits of the

country they reside in and are subject to the conditions of that country. The gypsies form

a very heterogeneous group, just as any other European ethnicity. Another common

lifestyle stereotype is nomadism. Traditional views have made gypsies into carefree

nomads that lacked permanent homes, living in tens or caravans and travelling from

village to village, stealing peasants chickens to feed themselves. This romantic view is

far from reality, with only an estimated 20% of gypsies still leading a nomadic lifestyle,

and almost exclusively in Western Europe (Dosta!). Throughout their history Roma were

forced into nomadism through European prosecution, mistaken for Muslims and not

allowed to settle down. To this day gypsies fleeing prosecution is often mistaken for

nomadism, while the period of communism effectively forced the settling down of the

Roma.

Music and dancing are another major aspect of the gypsy stereotype. These have often

been attributed to the traditional culture and used to make them look more exotic.


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Dancing is as common to gypsies as it is to the country they inhabit, and trends towards

this being a part of their culture follow the same trends as the culture that surrounds them,

like flamenco is Spain for example. Music as well has served more of a survival purpose

rather than vehicle of culture (Dosta!). The Roma as a group do not specialize in music,

but have skilled musicians just as any other ethnic group does. There must also be made a

clear distinction between non-Roma music that is played in Roma fashion, often by non-

Roma musicians or at non-Roma weddings, and the real traditional Roma music.

Alongside these two stereotypes pertaining culture is also fortunetelling, or the possibility

of a Roma cursing you if you do not give him money. For gypsies, there have always

been elements of omens and curses in their belief systems, but fortunetelling is usually

for the benefit of the non-Roma, while they themselves never practice it amongst each

other. Finally, craftsmanship has played a big part in the view of Roma tradition, gypsies

being well known for being blacksmiths, and were even enslaved for their skills in the

past. They were often believed to possess secrets of metalwork, when in fact they were

just professionalized in their craft. Today the Roma are looking for employment

opportunities among the rest of society just as any other citizens do.

Roma customs are another aspect of gypsy life that is often diluted by stereotypes.

Some customs of Roma still following traditional lifestyles may in fact be shard, but on

the whole gypsies are as diverse from each other as the countries they inhabit vary from

one another. Often literature and art has presented the gypsies as beautiful, colourfully

dressed people, proud and independent, life-loving and passionate, carefree and enjoying

the simple pleasures in life, their music being passionate and their women seductive.

Roma dress has been perceived as being colourful and intricate, including jewellery such

as bracelets, large earrings and necklaces, often made of gold. Many things attributed to

Roma dress can in fact be found in the traditional dresses of a wide range of countries

stretching from the Balkans to India. Today very few Roma dress in such traditional

outfits and most dress accordingly to their environment.

Purity has been another negatively viewed area of the Roma people. Common views

of gypsies have made them out as being generally dirty, with such ridiculous notions as

being allergic to soap, afraid of water, and carrying diseases. Often the poor sanitary

conditions gypsies are subjected to exist because of their poor living conditions within


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European society. Often they have limited access to fresh water, living in places with no

water pipes, plumbing, or indoor toilets. The truth to this stereotype is that gypsy culture

has been one that values cleanliness very highly, with specific rules regarding personal

hygiene. Roma life expectancy today is 15 years lower than of the majority population,

something due to inadequate utilities and health care.

Religion is a much overlooked aspect of Roma life, and stereotypically gypsies are

believed to not follow any faith at all. Usually gypsies adopt the faith of the majority that

surrounds them, and range from being Catholics to Protestants, Muslims, or Orthodox

Christians.

When looking at the family life of gypsies, we come upon a number of other frequent

negative views. The Roma women is often seen by outside eyes through two different

views, each very different from the other. The first view makes gypsy women out as

passionate dancers, ready to seduce any man, fiery and exotic, immoral and lusty; the

other as old fortune tellers ready to curse you or to put you into trance if you do not give

them any money. The second view portrays them in a much more negative light, being

very dirty, having litters of poorly clothed children, and of being frequently beaten by

their husbands and exploited by their wider families. On the contrary however Roma

have traditionally strong moral values. The other negative indicators of this stereotype are

rather indicators of poverty, and not of some overarching gypsyness. Similarly Roma

children are also viewed very negatively as a whole. They are often made to be seen as

dirty beggars on the streets or as scheming pickpockets. There is also a wide belief in the

possibility that due to such high birth rates among the Roma, they will out-populate

Europes non-Romany population. These views are very misleading as a Roma child is

highly cherished among its family. The harsh reality is that Roma children are forced to

grow up in much harder conditions than the rest of society, often along traditional lines

and in their own household. Pick pocketing and begging are just a beacon indicating that

the conditions Roma children grow up in are not what they should be.

Finally gypsies are heavily criticized for the way they interact with and function

within the society, through their financial situation, education, and role in the workforce.

A typical conception of a Roma makes him or her out as either very rich or very poor. If

they are rich, it must mean they achieved their wealth through some sort of illegal


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activity, and if they are poor, it is because they are too lazy too work. The sad truth is that

the post-communist system largely excluded gypsies from the economic transitions that

occurred, leaving them as a poor gradient among society. Equally education is a largely

neglected aspect of Roma life. Many believe gypsies simply do not value education, but

this is only true for very traditional families and only regards formal education. A Roma

child that wishes to go to school is faced with many obstacles, the ridicule and

discrimination of school-mates, often class segregation, or simply not having the

financial means for the family to provide all the supplies needed for school. Roma are

also discriminated against in higher education, often shamed from being taught at

prestigious universities (Decade of Roma Inclusion). Lastly there is the stereotype of

employment, which brands gypsies as lazy and work-shy people that would rather live off

welfare than look for a job. This however is not a particular Romany phenomenon, and

can be found in a vast number of other ethnic groups. Sadly enough it is not a question of

the want to work, but rather the fact whether they can actually find a job. Roma are

almost non-existent in the service sector, and are forced to work low-paying and often

physical and dangerous jobs, sometimes denied from legal jobs and forced to enter the

black market. For these problems to be solved there must be vast improvements in

education and an overall change in the mentality of many gypsies who have grown up in

an environment that did not foster a value for working and breaking out of poverty. It will

also lie heavily in the change of attitude of employers who would much rather not hire

Roma workers.

The last two stereotypes to be discussed look at housing and the general position of

Roma in regards to the European society surrounding them. The belief is often that

gypsies prefer to live in squalor and terrible living conditions, without running water,

electricity, heating, in houses made of cardboard or sheet metal, and in shanty towns on

the outskirts of the city proper. This is often the case; however no gypsy lives in such

conditions out of free will. They are frequently forced into such isolated settlements

because they are not allowed anywhere else, or even evicted from their former homes

inside the town or city. Tackling these unlawful evictions and housing problems is

something of a top priority for the Council of Europe to address and hopefully prevent

from happening in the future. Lastly we come to the negative view that European


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societies hold for the Roma people, with a number of allegations thrown at gypsies and

their interactions within normal society. They are often believed to be untrustworthy, not

willing to integrate, passive in the bettering of their position within society, genetically

inclined to perform crimes or theft and even steal babies, and in many places Roma are

seen as ruining the reputation of the country they come from, if for instance they travel

abroad and are mistaken for the ethnic people of that given country. These are all

misleading perceptions of the Roma who have historically been excluded from

possibilities of accommodating integration, harshly punished when voicing their rights,

subject to harsh forms of discrimination and racism, and marginalized to such a position

in society where there is often no other option than to take part in criminal activity.

For the gypsies of Europe the road towards an equal standing among the rest of

society is still a long ways away. Gypsies will continue to be subject to various forms of

discrimination and antiziganism, barred from proper education and equal employment

opportunities, and stereotyped in a plethora of ways that have been discussed throughout

this paper. For integration to occur, and such integration that is till able to uphold and

accommodate traditional Roma values and lifestyle, will not only take an active part from

the Roma themselves, but also from the rest of society to not see them as a negative

group to be alienated, but instead an active element in any country where gypsies are a

minority. Through such programs as the Decade of Roma Inclusion to the

implementation of human rights standards by bodies such as the European Union,

integration can be possible. The question of it being a realistically achievable goal is

solely in the hands of the Roma who wish to end their cycle of poverty, and in the hands

of the Europeans who have marginalized this group that has been a part of their own

society for many centuries.


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Bibliography

Dosta! Roma Campaign Dosta. Dosta! Website. http://dosta.org/.

Roma Inclusion. Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015. Roma Inclusion Website.http://www.romadecade.org/home

Hancock, Ian, 2001, Ame sam e rromane dene / We are the Romani People, The OpenSociety Institute, New York, page 25

On the road: Centuries of Roma history, Delia Radu, BBC World Service, 8 July 2009

Thomas, Jeffrey (2006-08-16). "Coercive Sterilization of Romani Women Examined at

Hearing: New report focuses on Czech Republic and Slovakia". Washington File.

Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=August&x=200608171045451CJsamohT0.678158.

"Timeline of Romani History". Patrin Web Journal.

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/timeline.htm.

Kalaydjieva, Luba (2001). "Genetic studies of the Roma (Gypsies): A review". BMC

MedicalGenetics2: 5. doi:10.1186/1471-2350-2-5.

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