Roma communities today Historical background, culture and current issues

1. ANTH 4020/5020 Roma communities todayHistorical background, culture and current issues Week 12 Class 1: Roma in the U.S. (cont.)

2. Today‘s outline • Text discussion (A. Sutherland: Gypsies – The hiddenAmericans) • Gropper, 1975, „Gypsies in the City“) • Group discussion • Summary

3. Text presentation by Rachel: • Gropper, Rena. 1975. Gypsies in the city. Cultural Patterns and Survival. Princeton: The Darwin Press, pp.17-59 (Ch. 2: Gypsies in the United States and in New York; Ch. 3: The Economics of being a Gypsy).

4. Discussion Sutherland • discuss the many roles the Rom baro has in his kumpania. • What are the Barvale Rom's views about other Gypsy non-Rom? do they view them the same way as they do the gaje? • What stereotypes does Sutherland confirm when referring to the Rom? • How was the "Gypsy School" an extension of kumpania politics and social life? • As stated by Sutherland how is travel used as a means of social control for the Rom?

5. Discussion Gropper • In reference to the chapter 2, in what ways do you think the suffering of the Gypsies differed or was similar to that of the general United States population after the economic crash in 1929? • Also in reference to chapter 2 and the Gypsy tribes in the United States, in what ways was it beneficial or troublesome for one Gypsy tribe to align with other Gypsy tribes? (For instance think back to the Bimbulesti)

6. Discussion Gropper 3. In chapter 3, page 38, it says "Gypsy economic activity either exploits a void in the economic structure of the country or else follows occupational lines in which the outsiders have convinced themselves that Romanies excel..." Are there any instances or cases that you can think of that could challenge this idea? 4. Again for chapter 3, what are some possible benefits of negatives of having no permanent economic groups among the United States Gypsies? How is this reflective of Gypsy culture?

7. Discussion questions Split into 2 groupsanddiscussthefollowingquestions: • What do youthinkaboutthe“quality“ orthoroughnessoftheseethnographicstudies? • What do welearnabout Romani immigrationandsettlement in the US? • Howare Roma maintainingseperateness? • Why do theyviewothersasalienandimpure? • Whydidthe Roma in the U.S. (manage to) retain so manyculturaltraditionscomparedtocertaingroups in Europe?

8. North American Gypsies: Intro • Numbers: approx. 1 Mio. • (about 20‘000 Roma Americans in Texas according to Hancock) • In the US the Roma remain largely „hidden“ • Reasons: - declare themselves as members of other minority groups - delimit themselves from the gadze: don‘t want outsiders to intrude into their different culture and language  fear of being polluted by gadze (contacts)

9. North American Gypsies: History • Roma are in the Americas since 1498: Columbus brought them on his 3rd trip to the West Indies  forced transportation across the Atlantic to colonies • Spanish: shipped Gypsies to American Colonies • French  to Antilles • Scots, English & Dutch  to North America & Carribean • Documentation exists that in Jamaica Gypsies were owned by freed (black) slaves • In Cuba & Louisiana there are Afro-Romani populations Source: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/RR/pxrfh.html

10. North American Gypsies: History • Roma migration to US from Romania after abolition of slavery 1864 (mostly Vlax Roma)  2 biggest sub-groups: Kalderasha & Machwaya • Larger wave of immigration from southern and eastern Europe in late 19th/early 20th cent. • After WWI immigration restrictions were tightened • Other prominent groups: - Bashaldé or „musician“ Roma who immigrated after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - Xoraxaya or Muslim Roma from SoutheasternEurope and Turkey - Lovara (also a Vlax group) from Poland • Many specialized in coppersmith work (repair of industrial equipment used in bakeries, laundries) and fortune telling in urban areas. Sources: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/RR/pxrfh.html http://smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/gyp/rompg.html

11. North American Gypsies: History • Many specialized in coppersmith work (repair of industrial equipment used in bakeries, laundries) and fortune telling in urban areas. Sources: http://smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/gyp/rompg.html

14. North American Gypsies: History • Since collapse of Communism in Europe: continuous immigration of Roma (frequently illegal) into US • Little social contact among these different groups  why?

15. North American Gypsies: Today • Language Romanes is widely spoken among US Roma  Romanes is a principal factor of Romani identity  transmitted from generation to generation • Use of Romanes mandatory at certain traditional events, e.g the Kris or Romani Tribunal, dealing with problems within the community (several times a year in Houston or Forth Worth) • Adherence to concept of ritual cleanliness  Gadje have the potential to pollute  a certain distance is being kept up • In contrast to Europe in the US Roma have been called „Hidden Americans“ because they remain invisible, mostly by own choice (tend to present themselves as members of another minority)