European gypsy history
posted by Mike Dilien in Brussels forum
Hey Dorian,
Thanks for the information! Very helpful... and needed!
Actually, most Western Europeans hardly know anything about gypsies.
In some countries people take "Rom(a)" and Rumanian.for a synonym!Early this month, I published an article on what is called Europe's largest gypsy camp, Via di Salone, in Rome.
Well, I found out that many of the camp's inhabitants weren't gypsies, or even Roma!
Is it true that in Rumania Roma people own, and cultivate, land? Like farmers do? This way, they wouldn't even qualify for travellers as they are sedentary.
I am planning a trip to Rumania (Iasi) but will do so after wintertime -I do not fancy exploring the Rumanian countryside on my own in wintertime.Now, I am preparing an article on Roma people in Saint-Denis, Paris. When I interviewed a young Roma man he used several words I thought were Rumanian. Only, it wasn't Rumanian, I found out later. I guess he used Romani words. For example, "vajo": would that be the Romani word for "car"? I'm just guessing.
Cheers,
Mike