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Question: Does anyone have some info on Roma Gypsies or Gypsies in general!?
Some of my ancestors were Gypsies and I was insterested in finding out some stuff about them!. They couldn't be all bad right!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Gypsies were travellers and a lot of the bad press comes from people being scared of what they don't know and understand!. I can recommend a couple of books if you are interested in finding out more about their lifestyle etc!. They are mainly found in Eastern Europe!. Main countires tend to be India, Romania, Hungary, Russia and Turkey!. They are actually believed to have originated from India (based on linguistics and genetics point to South Asia), although they are world-wide now!. The term 'Gypsy' can be seen as derogative and they tend to just call themselves the Roma!. The term Gypsy generally has been applied to many ethnic groups that are known to be nomadic (hence you get Irish Travellers etc)!.

The first book you could try is Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey by Isabel Fonseca!. The author actually went and lived and travelled with the Gypsies in Eastern Europe and this book tells her experiences!. Good for an outsider looking in perspective!.

The other book you could try is We Are the Romani People by Ian Hancock!. The author is a Romani (Gypsy) himself so you get a proper view from a Gypsy perspective - he now teaches Romani studies at a university in America!.

You should be able to get both books from Amazon!.

Hope that helps you to get started!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No, they are not bad at all!. Gypsies get a bad reputation because they live in EXTREME poverty in Romania!. They are viewed by others in Romania as homeless people and bums are viewed in America!. They were origionally slaves, and have had great difficulty working their way out of poverty!. They are people who are very fearful of outsiders because their culture has been beaten down for so long by others!. However they are very loyal and religious people who are very protective of their families!.
Here is some information you might find interesting!.
http://www!.religioustolerance!.org/roma!.h!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

gypsies were migrant for a long time!. that in part contributed to the bad reputation, along with poverty and alliteration!. but i'm sure you know all that!. they are a society no doubt, a closed one at that, perhaps because they were marginalized for so long!. you should know there's more than one kind of gypsies, and not all are poor!. i'm romanian and have no idea about actual names in english, but they're named after the main occupation in one tribe - so, singing gypsy, potter, silk!. the latter not because they made silk, but to suggest noble gypsy!. they have palaces - literally, huuuge houses, quite tipically with golden roofs!. and sometimes with animals residing inside, along with people!.!.!.!.
after the fall of communism they established a bad reputation for all romanian citizens all over europe because they were caught stealing in germany and austria, in belgium!.!.!.
now they have a pretend president and want to be called rrom (m!.,sg!.) as to make it clear they are not romanian!. you can take classes in gypsy culture, at the university, gypsy being the politically incorrect term!.Www@QuestionHome@Com