History and Migration of the Romani Race
Teacher Introduction – KS3
Romanies have migrated throughout the world. They are present in every European
country, the Middle East, North Africa, South and Central Asia, Australia and North
and South America. Most of them speak one of the many dialects of the Romani
language.
They call themselves by many names including ‘Romm’, ‘Roma’, ‘Romanies’,
‘Gypsies’ and ‘Travellers’. Travellers is a term we use in schools to decribe the
different groups – Romany Gypsies, Roma, Irish Travellers, Circus Travellers,
Bargees and Fairground Travellers, called, ‘Showmen’.
Romanies are the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Recent estimates of the size of
the Romani population worldwide suggest a figure of around 15 million.
In the past many, though not all, were semi-nomadic, travelling with their families with
horses, donkeys, carts and tents, and later with caravans working as metal
workers/basket makers and entertainers.
Origins
Most historical evidence suggests that Romanies originated in North Western India
(now South Eastern Pakistan), but it is not known for sure where they began their
migration from.
Before the first written evidence in the early 15th century in Europe, there is no
recorded history of Romanies. This is because Romanies have an oral tradition,
passing on their history and culture through stories and songs.
Middle East to the 11th Century
It has still not been discovered why the migration began. Avoiding wars could have
contributed, as Romanies are peaceful people, and their semi-nomadic life allowed
them the opportunity to easily flee when battles threatened the area in which they
lived.
Romanies were pushed west by multiple Persian, Turkish, Muslim invasions between
the 3rd and 13th centuries.
West through Persia 200AD to 1000AD
It is thought that there was an early migration of Romanies from India between 224
and 642 AD to Persia during the Persian conquest of India. Romanies took a route to
avoid the mountains and deserts to the west of Northwest India, crossing the
Himalayas, and following the Silk Road, an ancient trading route, west to Persia
From Persia, Romanies migrated in different directions. Some spread West through
Armenia, through Turkey, eventually reaching the Byzantine Empire in Europe
around 1000AD
Through the Middle East to the 11th Century
This migration from Armenia through Turkey to Byzantium may have happened when
the Turks attacked Armenia in the first half of 11th century, causing a movement of
people from Armenia towards the Byzantine Empire, the area around present day
Greece.
The Byzantine Empire was the Roman Empire of the Middle Ages. It is thought that
the Romanies took this route of migration because there are many Persian,
Armenian, and Greek words in the Romani language.
Romani Migration into Europe 11th - 14th Centuries
The second group migrated South from Syria along the coast of Mediterranean to
Egypt, through the countries in the North of Africa to Spain. In these long journeys
Roma mixed with other nomadic groups.
Fleeing from and Travelling with the Ottoman Empire C14th - C17th
Muslim Romanies joined the Ottoman army working as blacksmiths and armourers.
Between the 14th and 17th centuries they spread through Europe and North Africa,
travelling with Ottoman Armies.
Europe
The first recorded descriptions of Gypsies in Europe date from 14th Century Greece.
In Europe during the early fourteenth century the Romani had their own culture:
music, dance and festivals, their own system of justice, ‘The Kriss’, their own
customs, myths, religious beliefs, most of which have survived.
At this time in Greece and others countries in Eastern Europe, Romanies were
captured and kept in slavery. Others were able to move on westwards and starting
from the 14th Century, there are written records of their arrival in various parts of
Europe,
15th Century Migration through Europe and to Russia
They developed their migratory trades, travelling west to new towns and cities to find
work. They were respected as metal workers (tinsmiths, coppersmiths and
blacksmiths), basket makers, horse traders, jewellery makers, musicians and
entertainers. They also made money from magic arts such as fortune telling,
astrology and healing. They had much knowledge of plants which they used to make
herbal medicines.
Throughout the 15th Century they migrated through Germany, and on to France Italy,
The Netherlands, Portugal and Britain, travelling in family groups.
Meeting after many centuries in Hungary in the 15th century, they joined again and
mixed. It is interesting to consider the way Romanies look after all these migrations
throughout their history. Romanies who moved along the Mediterranean through
African countries are of dark skin and mostly brown eyes, while Romanies who
moved towards north have fairer skin and green or blue eyes. Today there are
Romanies who have dark skin and green or blue eyes and there are also Romanies
with fair skin and dark eyes. Groups travelled east from the Balkans into Russia,
establishing themselves in Siberia by the early 16th century
Romanies in Britain
Romanies did not enter Great Britain until 1514, probably because the Irish
Travellers already occupied Britain and performed the same nomadic roles Gypsies
did in other countries. The push to enter the British Isles was probably caused by
late fifteenth century Spanish policies banishing Gypsies. With nowhere else to go,
they entered Britain.
People started to call them ‘Gypsies’ because they thought they came from the
Middle East, which at that time was known as ‘Little Egypt’. Some of the groups of
Gypsies said that they had been expelled from Egypt. In several countries in Europe
Romanies had been referred to as ‘Egyptians’ because of their knowledge of magic
arts, for which Egypt was renowned.
They provided the people with many valued services, but they were classified as
outsiders due to their mysterious language and culture, unknown nationality and
nomadic way of life. The idea that they had supernatural abilities led people to be
suspicious of them.
People feared Romanies because they didn’t understand them. The obvious
differences of Romanies made them easy targets and scapegoats wherever they
went.
Throughout Europe Gypsies were persecuted - attacked, murdered, banished or
enslaved.
16th - 20th Centuries - Deportations of Romanies
Hundreds were transported to the European colonies in North and South America
from the 16th century on to be used as slaves.
Romani slavery was abolished in Europe in 1864. But following this during the 19th
and early 20th centuries, Roma were deported to the Americas and Australia with
criminals, even when they had committed no crime.
Later they spread out, migrating within all these countries and continents. By the late
19th Century Romanies were present throughout the world.
1940s after WWII
Roma who survived the Porraimos emigrated West through Europe. In the 20th
Century, during and after WWII, there was a migration within Europe as a result of
the Porraimos - The Roma Holocaust – when hundreds of thousands of Gypsies
were murdered by the Nazis.
1990s to present Eastern Europe
Recently, since the fall of Communism in the 1990s, violence and discrimination
against Roma in Eastern Europe has caused many to move West. Some Roma
have come to England.
English Romani Gypsies have been established here in England for the last five
hundred years.
No one should ever be treated badly because they are different. We can all help to
protect the rights of others. To do this we need to understand different communities,
cultures, religions, lifestyles, ideas and interests.
The continued racism and persecution suffered by Romanies shows that we still have
much to learn.
So, what would you like learn about Romanies?