Who Are the Romany?
The Romany (Gypsies) close-knit, communal people with a common biological, cultural, and linguistic heritage are currently dispersed in small groups throughout the world. They have been in Europe for more than 500 years. Their original homeland was northwestern India, proved by the relationship between their language, Romany, and the Indo-European dialects of that region. The term Gypsy is gradually being replaced with the word Romany, meaning “the people.” The term Gypsy developed from a mistaken belief that Gypsies came from Egypt. Popular modern stereotypes continue to define the Romany in terms of nomadism; however, most Romany peoples are sedentary of the more than 1 million in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, probably no more than 10 percent are nomads. A salient characteristic is their strong sense of group cohesion and exclusivity, stressing the sacredness of Romany traditions in opposition to those of the outside world. Discrimination against Gypsies has persisted in much of Eu
