The word “gypsy” might not seem like a negative word when it’s displayed across the shirt of your favorite travel blogger or hashtagged alongside bohemian-inspired social media posts, but this seemingly innocent name is a racial slur that dates back centuries ago to the suffering of the Romani people. When I lived in the United States, a large country with less than 1% of the population identifying as Romani, I was relatively unfamiliar with this nomadic culture. It wasn’t until I relocated to Europe, a place where over 10 million Romani people (the largest ethnic minority group in the EU) call home, that I would hear the word “gypsy” used in negative contexts. It’s been more than 500 years since Romanies first suffered enslavement and systematic genocide by various elite classes and government officials throughout Europe, but unabashed prejudice against Roma culture is still unsettlingly visible.
The Romani people are a society known for their nomadic and family-oriented lifestyle. Although origin stories are often debated, it’s believed by many that Romani ancestors originated in Northern India before migrating to Europe sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries. Ancient Europeans believed the Roma people to be Egyptian, and therefore the derogatory description “gypsy” was born. Romani tribes dispersed throughout various countries in Europe including Romania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. Despite their visible residency, powerful nobles and Catholic church officials viewed Romanies as outsiders with ungodly beliefs. The Romani people suffered centuries of oppression and exile when the Catholic church refused to accept them as legal residents or allow them to purchase land. Although some Romanies prefer the lifestyle of a traveler, it may have been the inability to acquire land hundreds of years ago that led to the Romanies’ struggle to plant roots and establish cultural infrastructure. Because of this unfortunate situation, movement has been an integral means of survival for Romanies. Throughout countries like Croatia, Russia, and Ukraine, most contemporary Romanies are still undocumented, which makes it difficult to acquire jobs, access healthcare, and enroll Romani children in school.
Regardless the hardships that Romanies face, they maintain unwavering faith in their spirituality and the power of a united family. Deceased family members and ancestors are kept alive through conversation and rituals often passed down by members over the generations. Despite a strong sense of family, many people reject Romani culture based on a family dynamic that's considered outdated and oppressive. In traditional Romani society, teenagers are still encouraged to drop out of school and instead focus on finding a suitable mate with whom to start a family. Young women are expected to raise children and be a homemaker while the men take on the role of sole breadwinner within a family unit. The Romani hierarchy has been referred to as openly sexist because of strict gender roles and the stark imbalance of opportunity for Romani men over Romani women.
But not all Romanies travel in caravans or disregard the value of education and personal independence. Many people who identify as Romani have assimilated into modern society and their practices have also evolved. There’s even contemporary Romanies who see the benefit of educating the younger generations on current feminist and economic issues facing their communities. An important thing to remember is that all humans are continually growing. We learn from our mistakes, which should always be viewed as opportunities to learn something new. The G-word, or any racial slur for that matter, does not transform into a acceptable phrase when modern society deems it trendy. While eliminating the harm done to Romani people will not happen overnight, every person can help dismantle the appropriation of Romani culture by saying goodbye to the G-Word for good.
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