Did the gypsies create flamenco?

Question: Did the gypsies create flamenco!?

Did the gypsies from andalucia start the flamenco tradition!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Any discussion of Spanish Gypsies would be remiss without a consideration of Flamenco, which lies at the very soul of these often misunderstood and misrepresented people!. In the past few years, there has been an ever increasing interest is all things "gypsy" and what is termed "Spanish-Arabic" in the Middle Eastern Dance community!. I am very happy to see this interest and believe that creative fusion of art forms can lead the way to artistic evolution!.

Flamenco
Although there are many theories promising to explain the meaning of the word flamenco, most lack enough evidence to substantiate them!. One commonly accepted version translates flamenco as Spanish for the Flemish soldiers of the Spanish-Belgian Territories!. These soldiers were renowned for their self-confidence, style and ostentatious pride, all qualities that reflect the gypsy character!. In fact, the term "flamenco" came to be synonymous with "gitano" (gypsy) in Spanish Romany Argot!.

History
Between 800 and 900 A!.D!., a large exodus of people occurred from the Punjabi region of India!. These people are believed to be members of the Untouchables, a group within the Indian caste system comprised of animal traders and trainers, acrobats, dancers, musicians, palmists and metalworkers!. These nomadic groups, generally referred to as Roman and/or gypsies, divided into two major migratory routes, the most traceable moving west across Asia and the European continent, including Spain!. The first recorded account of Spanish Gitanos "Beticos" dates from 1447 in Barcelona!.

It is also believed that a second migratory route took them down to and across North Africa (including Egypt) and up into Southern Spain "Andalusia" via the Straights of Gibraltar!. This faction, known as Cale (black), has been far more difficult to verify and trace due to the great similarity of appearance and lifestyle to the indigenous peoples along the route!. We should not forget that Southern Spain was part of the Islamic Empire for a period of 800 years!.

Although, the Northern Beticos immigrated to the more tolerant Islamic region of Andalusia, to this day, the gypsies themselves maintain a great distinction between the Beticos and Cales, with virtually no intermarriage between the groups!.

During the Inquisition of the Reconquista, even this tolerance ended while gypsies from all over Spain were herded into "gitanerias" or ghettos!. However unjust and cruel, this persecution and isolation was the very influence that safeguarded the purity of their music and dance within the family group!. Finally, in 1782, the Leniency Edict of Charles III restored some measure of freedom to the Spanish gypsy and allowed this music and dance to be presented to and adopted by the general population of Spain!. This resulted in a period of great exploration and evolution within the art form, which continues to this day!.
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prob when they were trying to put the fire out!. ooch ouch oochWww@QuestionHome@Com