What kind of people are Gypsies? Gypsies: who are they and where did they come from? Little-known facts about one of the most mysterious peoples. Livelihood and recreation

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GYPSIES, or Roma, are a nomadic people, or more precisely, ethnic groups with common roots and language, whose origins can be traced to northwestern India. Today they live in many countries of the world. Gypsies are usually black-haired and dark-skinned, which is especially typical for populations living in countries close to India, although lighter skin is not typical for Gypsies at all. Despite their spread throughout the world, the Gypsies remain everywhere a distinct people, more or less adhering to their own customs, language and maintaining a social distance from the non-Gypsy peoples around whom they live.

Gypsies are known by a number of names. In the Middle Ages, when the Gypsies first appeared in Europe, they were mistakenly called Egyptians, because they were identified as Mohammedans - immigrants from Egypt. Gradually this word (Egyptians, Gyptians) was shortened, becoming "gypsy" ("gipsy" in English), "gitano" in Spanish and "giphtos" in Greek. Gypsies are also called "zigeuner" in German, "Gypsies" in Russian, "zingari" in Italian, which are variations of the Greek word athinganoi meaning "don't touch" - an offensive name for a religious group that formerly inhabited Asia Minor and shunned, like the Gypsies , contacts with strangers. But the Gypsies do not like these names, preferring the self-designation “Roma” (plural, Roma or Roma) from “Romani (person).”

Origin.

In the middle of the 18th century. European scientists managed to find evidence that the Gypsy language comes directly from the classical Indian language Sanskrit, which indicates the Indian origin of its speakers. Gray-anthropological data, in particular information on blood groups, also indicate an origin in India.

Much, however, remains unclear regarding the early history of the Roma. Although they speak one of the languages ​​of the Indian group, it is quite possible that they are actually descended from the Dravidian aborigines of this subcontinent, who eventually began to speak the language of the Aryan invaders who occupied their territory. In recent years, scholars in India itself have begun to academically study the Roma, and there is also a renewed interest in the subject in Western academic circles. The myths and misinformation surrounding the history and origins of this people are gradually dissipating. It became obvious, for example, that the Gypsies were nomads not because they possessed any nomadic instinct, but because widespread discriminatory legislation left them no choice but to continue their constant movement.

Migration and settlement.

New historical and linguistic evidence indicates that the migration of Gypsies from northwestern India occurred in the first quarter of the 11th century. as a result of a series of Islamic invasions led by Mohammed Ghaznavid. According to one hypothesis, the ancestors of the Gypsies (sometimes called "Dhomba" in the literature) organized themselves into military units called Rajputs to fight these invasions. Over the next two centuries, the Gypsies moved further and further west, stopping in Persia, Armenia and the territory of the Byzantine Empire (in modern language Gypsies have many Persian and Armenian words and, especially, many words from Byzantine Greek), and reached southeastern Europe in the mid-13th century.

The movement to the Balkans was also caused by the spread of Islam, which was the cause of the migration of gypsies from India two centuries earlier.

Not the entire mass of gypsies crossed the Bosphorus and came to Europe; one of its branches migrated to east direction to the areas of today's Eastern Turkey and Armenia and became a separate and distinct sub-ethnic group known as "Lom".

Another population widespread throughout the Middle East is the Dom, which was long thought to be part of the original Roma migration (from India, but later split off from the main population somewhere in Syria). While the "house" itself and their language are clearly of Indian origin, their ancestors apparently represented a separate and much earlier wave (possibly 5th century) of migration from India.

In the Byzantine Empire, the Gypsies acquired a deep knowledge of metalworking, as indicated by the metallurgical vocabulary in the language of the Gypsies of Greek and Armenian (non-Indian) origin. When the gypsies came to the Balkans and, in particular, to the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, this knowledge and skills ensured a steady demand for their services. This new artisan population of Gypsies proved so valuable in fact that in the early 1300s laws were passed making them the property of their employers, i.e. slaves. By 1500, approximately half of the Roma had managed to leave the Balkans for northern and western Europe. The resulting division between those who remained enslaved in Wallachia and Moldavia (today's Romania) for five and a half centuries and those who left is of fundamental importance in the history of the Gypsies and is referred to in literature as the First European Gypsy Diaspora.

It did not take long for the Balkan population to realize that the Gypsies were completely different from the Muslims they so feared. But the population in countries more distant from the Balkans, i.e. in France, Holland and Germany, for example, there was no previous opportunity to meet Muslims directly. When the gypsies arrived there with their exotic speech, appearance and clothing, they were associated with Muslims and were called “pagans”, “Turks”, “Tatars” and “Saracens”. The Gypsies were easy targets because they had no country to return to and no military, political or economic power to defend themselves. Over time, one country after another began to introduce repressive measures against them. In Western Europe, punishments for being a Gypsy included lashing, mutilation, deportation, galley slavery, and even, in some places, execution; in eastern Europe, gypsies remained slaves.

Political changes in 19th-century Europe, including the abolition of slavery for Gypsies, led to a sharp increase in their migration, marking the period of the Second European Gypsy Diaspora. A third diaspora emerged in the 1990s with the fall of communist regimes throughout eastern Europe.

Gypsies who were enslaved were either house slaves or slaves in the fields. These broad categories include many smaller ones professional groups. Brought to work in the houses of landowners, the gypsies eventually lost their language of Indian origin and acquired Romanian, based on Latin. Now Romanian-speaking gypsies such as "boyash", "rudari" ("miners") and "ursari" ("bear guides") are found not only in Hungary and the Balkans, but also in Western Europe and in other regions of the Western Hemisphere.

Much more of the ancient traditions were preserved by groups of gypsies descended from field slaves. Kalderasha ("copper workers"), Lovara ("horse traders"), Churara ("sieve makers") and Močvaja (from the Serbian town of Močva) all speak closely related dialects of the Romani language. These languages ​​form a dialect group called Vlax or Vlach, characterized by a large influence of Romanian. By the end of the 19th century. Vlax-speaking gypsies undertook long journeys in search of places where they could settle. Countries in Western Europe were inhospitable due to centuries of anti-Gypsy legislation, so the main flow of migration was directed east to Russia, Ukraine and even China, or, through Greece and Turkey by sea to Northern and South America, South Africa and Australia. After World War I, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in central Europe caused a mass exodus of Roma from these lands to western Europe and North America.

During World War II, the Nazis targeted the Gypsies for genocide, and the Gypsies were targeted for extermination along with the Jews by Reinhard Heydrich's notorious decree of July 31, 1941, to implement the "Final Solution." By 1945, almost 80% of all Gypsies in Europe had died.

Modern settlement.

Gypsies are dispersed throughout Europe and western Asia and are found in parts of Africa, North and South America and Australia. The exact number of Roma in each country, however, cannot be determined because censuses and immigration statistics rarely single them out, and centuries of persecution have taught Roma to be wary of identifying their ethnicity on census forms. There are between 9 and 12 million Roma in the world. This assessment is given by International Union Roma: about one million in North America, about the same in South America, and between 6 and 8 million in Europe, where Roma are concentrated mainly in Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and other places in the Balkans.

In the thousand years or so since the exodus of the Gypsies from India, their way of life has become remarkably varied, although each group has retained to a greater or lesser extent elements of the basic culture of the Gypsies. Those that have settled in one place for a long time tend to acquire national traits the people who received them. In both Americas, a significant number of gypsies appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, although the gypsies have a legend that on Columbus's third voyage in 1498, there were gypsy sailors among the crew, and the first representatives of this people appeared there in pre-colonial times. It is documented that the first gypsies appeared in Latin America(on the Caribbean islands), in 1539, when persecution against this people began in Western Europe. They were gypsies from Spain and Portugal.

New waves of immigrants began arriving in the Americas after 1990.

Life of gypsies.

Despite their common linguistic, cultural and genetic heritage, Roma groups have become so diverse as a result of time and space that it would be inappropriate to attempt to paint a generalized portrait of them. The rest of the article focuses on the Vlax-speaking Gypsies, who are the largest and most geographically widespread population.

Social organization.

The life of the gypsies taken as a whole is called “romanipen” or “romania” and is built on the basis complex system family relations. A group of related families forms a clan ("vista" clan), headed by a leader called a "baro" (he is not a king; the so-called kings and queens of the Gypsies are an invention of journalists). He is the recognized leader of his group and can control its movements and represent it in contacts with outsiders. On important matters he can consult with the elders of whist. Violations of the rules of morality and conduct may be dealt with by a special assembly of men called the kris. The jurisdiction of this court includes wide circle violations, including financial and marital matters. Punishments may include fines or exclusion from the community, with the culprit being called merimeh or ritually unclean. Since contact with non-Gypsies is avoided as a matter of course, and since the Gypsy community itself must exclude anyone who is a Merime, the individual in this situation ends up in conditions of complete isolation. This idea of ​​ritual pollution, inherited from India and extended to the individual in his relation to food, animals and other human beings, was especially common factor, which contributed to the fact that the Roma populations remained separate from others and internally unified.

Marriages with gojes (non-gypsies) are frowned upon; even the choice of marriage with other gypsies is limited. In the case of mixed marriages, children will be considered Gypsies only if their father is one. The family plays an active role in the formalities of marriage, which to the uninitiated may seem lengthy and complex. Firstly, there are long negotiations between parents, especially about the amount of the “darro” (dowry). This is the amount to be compensated for the earning potential of a "bori" or daughter-in-law who is transferred from her family and is included in the family of her new relatives by marriage. The wedding itself (“abiav”) is held in a hall rented for the occasion with the presence of many friends and relatives. The celebrations accompanying the wedding usually last three days. Once created, the marital union usually remains permanent, but if divorce is necessary, the consent of the “kris” may be required. As a rule, civil and ecclesiastical marriages are becoming increasingly common, even if they represent only the final phase of a traditional ritual.

The official religion did not have much influence on the way of life of the gypsies, although they were unable to escape the attempts of missionaries to convert them to their faith. They accepted, in most cases superficially, such religions as Islam, Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism of the countries in which they lived for some time. The exception is the surprising and very rapid adoption by some groups of the charismatic “new” Christianity of recent years.

The most famous religious holidays of Romani Catholics are the annual pilgrimages to Quebec to the Basilica of St. Anne (Sainte Anne de Beaupre) and to the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Mediterranean coast of France, where gypsies gather every time from everywhere 24 –May 25, to honor their patron saint Sarah (according to legend, an Egyptian).

Livelihood and recreation.

Gypsies prefer activities that provide them with minimal contact with the “gadje” and independence. Services catering to occasional needs and an ever-changing clientele fit well with the Gypsy lifestyle, which may require an individual to travel urgently to attend a wedding or funeral, or attend a 'kris' in another part of the country. The Gypsies are versatile, and the means by which they earn their living are numerous. But there are some main professions of gypsies - such as horse trading, metal working, fortune telling and, in some countries, picking vegetables or fruits. For joint economic enterprises Gypsies can also form a purely functional association “kumpania”, the members of which do not necessarily belong to the same clan or even to the same dialect group. In the field individual activities many gypsies work as peddlers, especially in Europe. Some resell goods purchased at a lower price, others sell on the streets, noisily offering goods they themselves produced, although in the 20th century. a number of Roma crafts suffered from competition with mass-produced products. Women play their full role in earning their livelihood. They are the ones who carry baskets with produced goods from door to door and do fortune telling.

Although many of the names of the various groups of Gypsies are based on the occupations in which they were engaged during the period of slavery, they can no longer serve as a reliable guide to the activities of specific families. In Mexico, for example, coppersmiths are now much more likely to be operators of mobile film installations than metal workers. For many coppersmiths in the United States, the main source of income is the fortune telling salon ("office"), which may be located in the front of the fortune teller's house or in the front of the store.

Gypsies are also known as great specialists in entertaining the public, especially as musicians and dancers (several famous actors, including Charles Chaplin, talk about their gypsy ancestors). In Hungary and Romania in particular, gypsy orchestras with their virtuoso violinists and dulcimer players have created their own style, although much of what audiences hear is, in fact, European music with a gypsy interpretation. There is another, completely special type of music - original music gypsy, which is a highly rhythmic sequence of tones that uses few or no instruments and the dominant sound is often the sound of clapping hands. Research has shown that much of the Central European classical musical tradition and the works of composers such as Liszt, Bartok, Dvorak, Verdi and Brahms are marked by significant Romani influence. The same has been demonstrated by research regarding the Jewish music klezmer. characteristic features which are unusual scales and lively rhythms.

In Andalusia, in southern Spain, according to one study conducted by the University of Wisconsin, gypsies, along with Moroccans, created the tradition of flamenco as a covert way of expressing anger towards the repressive Spanish regime. From Andalusia the style spread through the Iberian Peninsula and then into Spanish-speaking America until flamenco song, dance and guitar playing became the accepted form folk entertainment. Since the late 1970s, the music of the six-guitar Gipsy Kings has propelled modern flamenco-based music into the pop charts, while the jazz guitar technique of the late Django Reinhardt ) (he was a gypsy) experienced a revival thanks to his great-nephew Bireli Lagrene.

Like all peoples with a developed oral tradition, gypsy storytelling reaches the level of art. Over the course of many generations, they expanded their folklore, selecting and adding to it folk tales the countries in which they settled. In exchange, they enriched the folklore of these nations with oral histories acquired during past migrations.

Due to strict restrictions on communication with outsiders, the gypsies spent a lot of their free time in each other's company. Many of them believe that Negative consequences their stay among the Gadje can only be compensated by the time they spend among their own at community ritual events, such as christenings, weddings, etc.

Food, clothing and shelter.

The eating habits of Western European gypsy groups reflect the influence of their nomadic lifestyle. Soups and stews, which can be cooked in one pot or cauldron, as well as fish and game meat. The diet of sedentary Eastern European gypsies is characterized by the use of large quantity spices, especially hot peppers. Among all groups of gypsies, food preparation is strictly determined by the observance of various taboos of relative cleanliness. The same cultural considerations govern issues of clothing. In Gypsy culture, the lower part of the body is considered unclean and shameful, and women's legs, for example, are covered with long skirts. Similarly, a married woman should tie a scarf around her head. Traditionally, acquired valuables are turned into jewelry or gold coins, and the latter are sometimes worn on clothing as buttons. Since the head is considered the most important part of the body, many men draw attention to it by wearing wide hats and large mustaches, while women love large earrings.

Mobile homes are of great importance for those families whose livelihoods require them to be constantly on the move. There are still large numbers of Gypsy families, especially in the Balkans, who travel in light open carts drawn by horses or donkeys and sleep in traditionally constructed tents made of canvas or woolen blankets. The relatively recent appearance of the gypsy cart, decorated with intricate carvings, complements rather than replaces the tent. Together with the less picturesque horse-drawn carriage, this residential carriage is quickly falling into disuse in favor of the motorized trailer. Some of the gypsies with trucks or cars with trailers adhere closely to the old habits of the cart people, while others have fully embraced such modern conveniences as bottled cooking gas and electricity.

Modern gypsy population.

Various groups of Roma in Europe were almost completely destroyed by the fires of the Holocaust, and it was not until more than four decades later that their national movement began to gain strength. For the Roma, the concept of “nationalism” does not mean the creation of a real nation-state, but it implies the acquisition of recognition by humanity of the fact that the Roma are a separate, non-territorial nation of people with their own history, language and culture.

The fact that Roma live throughout Europe but do not have a country of their own has led to enormous problems following the fall of Eastern European communist regimes and the resurgence of ethnic nationalism there. Like those gypsies who first came to Europe seven and a half centuries ago, European gypsies of the 20th century. are increasingly perceived as very different from traditional European peoples and causing inconvenience. To combat these prejudices, the Roma organized themselves into several political, social and cultural groups with the goal of developing ideals of self-determination. The International Roma Union has been a permanent member of the UN Council for Economic and Social Development since 1979; by the end of the 1980s, it had gained representation in the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO, and in 1990 the formation of the European Roma Parliament began. By the beginning of the 1990s, a large number of Roma professionals had already appeared, such as journalists and political activists, educators, and politicians. Ties were forged with the ancestral homeland of India - since the mid-1970s, the Indian Institute of Romani Studies has existed in Chandigarh. Roma organizations focused their work on combating racism and stereotypes in the mass media, as well as to receive reparations for war crimes that led to the death of Roma in the fire of the Holocaust. In addition, the issues of standardizing the Roma language for international use and compiling a twenty-volume encyclopedia in this language were resolved. Gradually literary image“nomadic gypsies” are replaced by the image of a people ready and able to take their place in today’s heterogeneous society.

The main source of information on all aspects of Gypsy history, language and lifestyle is the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society, published from 1888 to the present.

Gypsies are a people without a state. For a long time they were considered to have come from Egypt and were called the “pharaoh’s tribe,” but recent research disproves this. In Russia, the gypsies have created a real cult of their music.

Why are gypsies “gypsies”?

Gypsies don't call themselves that. Their most common self-name for gypsies is “Roma”. Most likely, this is the influence of the life of the gypsies in Byzantium, which received this name only after its fall. Before that, it was considered part of Roman civilization. The common “Romale” is the vocative case of the ethnonym “Roma”.

Gypsies also call themselves Sinti, Kale, Manush (“people”).

Other peoples call Gypsies very differently. In England they are called gypsies (from Egyptians - “Egyptians”), in Spain - gitanos, in France - bohemiens (“Bohemians”, “Czechs” or tsiganes (from Greek - τσιγγάνοι, “tsingani”), Jews call gypsies צוענים (tso 'anim), from the name of the biblical province of Zoan in Ancient Egypt.

The word “gypsies”, familiar to the Russian ear, conventionally goes back to the Greek word “atsingani” (αθίγγανος, ατσίγγανος), which means “untouchable”. This term first appears in the “Life of George of Athos,” written in the 11th century. “Conventionally,” because in this book “untouchables” is the name given to one of the heretical sects of that time. This means that it is impossible to say with certainty that the book is specifically about gypsies.

Where did the gypsies come from?

In the Middle Ages, Gypsies in Europe were considered Egyptians. The word Gitanes itself is a derivative of the Egyptian. There were two Egypts in the Middle Ages: upper and lower. The gypsies were so nicknamed, obviously, by the name of the upper one, which was located in the Peloponnese region, where their migration came from. Belonging to the cults of lower Egypt is visible in the life of even modern gypsies.

Tarot cards, which are considered the last surviving fragment of the cult of the Egyptian god Thoth, were brought to Europe by the gypsies. In addition, the gypsies brought the art of embalming the dead from Egypt.

Of course, there were gypsies in Egypt. The route from upper Egypt was probably the main route of their migration. However, modern genetic research has proven that gypsies do not come from Egypt, but from India.

The Indian tradition has been preserved in Gypsy culture in the form of practices for working with consciousness. The mechanisms of meditation and gypsy hypnosis are largely similar; gypsies are good animal trainers, just like Hindus. In addition, gypsies are characterized by syncretism of spiritual beliefs - one of the features of current Indian culture.

The first gypsies in Russia

The first gypsies (serva groups) in the Russian Empire appeared in the 17th century on the territory of Ukraine.

The first mention of gypsies in Russian history occurs in 1733, in Anna Ioannovna’s document on new taxes in the army:

“In addition, for the maintenance of these regiments, determine taxes from the gypsies, as in Little Russia they are collected from them, both in the Slobodsky regiments and in Great Russian cities and districts assigned to the Slobodsky regiments, and for this collection a special person must be identified, since gypsies are not included in the census.”

The next mention of Gypsies in Russian historical documents occurs in the same year. According to this document, the Gypsies of Ingermanland were allowed to trade horses, since they “proved themselves to be natives here” (that is, they had lived here for more than a generation).

A further increase in the Gypsy contingent in Russia came with the expansion of its territories. When part of Poland was annexed to the Russian Empire, “Polish Roma” appeared in Russia, when Bessarabia was annexed - Moldavian gypsies, after the annexation of Crimea - Crimean gypsies. It must be understood that the Roma are not a mono-ethnic community, therefore the migration of different Roma ethnic groups took place in different ways.

On equal terms

In the Russian Empire, Gypsies were treated quite friendly. On December 21, 1783, a Decree of Catherine II was issued, classifying the Gypsies as a peasant class. Taxes began to be collected from them. However, no special measures were taken to force the enslavement of the Roma. Moreover, they were allowed to be assigned to any class except nobles.

Already in the Senate decree of 1800 it is said that in some provinces “gypsies became merchants and townspeople.”

Over time, settled gypsies began to appear in Russia, some of them managed to acquire considerable wealth. Thus, in Ufa lived a gypsy merchant Sanko Arbuzov, who successfully traded horses and had a good, spacious house. His daughter Masha went to the gymnasium and studied French. And Sanko Arbuzov was not alone.

In Russia, the musical and performing culture of the Roma is appreciated. Already in 1774, Count Orlov-Chesmenky summoned the first gypsy choir to Moscow, which later grew into a choir and marked the beginning of professional gypsy performance in the Russian Empire.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the serf gypsy choirs were freed and continued independent activity in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Gypsy music was an unusually fashionable genre, and the Gypsies themselves were often assimilated among the Russian nobility - marriages with Gypsy girls were quite common famous people. Suffice it to recall Leo Tolstoy’s uncle Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy the American.

Gypsies also helped Russians during wars. In the War of 1812, gypsy communities donated large sums of money to support the army, supplied the best horses for the cavalry, and the gypsy youth went to serve in the Uhlan regiments.

By the end of the 19th century, not only Ukrainian, Moldavian, Polish, Russian and Crimean gypsies lived in the Russian Empire, but also Lyuli, Karachi and Bosha (since the annexation of the Caucasus and Central Asia), and at the beginning of the 20th century they migrated from Austria-Hungary and Romania lovari and kolderar.

Currently, the number of European gypsies, according to various estimates, ranges from 8 million to 10-12 million people. There were officially 175.3 thousand people in the USSR (1970 census). According to the 2010 census, about 220 thousand Roma live in Russia.

Gypsies are considered a free and mysterious people, who are characterized by an ambiguous attitude from society. This is due to their way of life, traditions and customs. Some do not like the people for fraud and deception, others “dote on them” and invite their representatives to various events and holidays to enjoy songs and dances. Signs of what gypsies look like include their bright appearance and clothing, which make them stand out from the crowd.

Characteristic signs of gypsies

Gypsies are a large ethnic group of Indian origin. A common self-name is Roma, Roma (or Romaly in the vocative case). However, other ethnonyms are also used: the Finnish and Estonian peoples call the Gypsies “black” (Kale), the French - Bohemians, the British - Egyptians. They are also called sinti, manush and so on.

Since ancient times, people have been wandering around cities and countries, without having their own state.

On April 8, 1971, at the First World Gypsy Congress, they were proclaimed a single non-territorial nation. Since then, this date has been designated as International Roma Day. According to tradition, in the evening they light a candle and carry it along the street.

The territories where the people live include European countries, North Africa, North and South America, Australia. According to Wikipedia, the number of European gypsies is 8-12 million. In Russia, as of 2010, the number of representatives of the nationality is 220 thousand. In many countries there are few gypsies and they are scattered throughout the territory. Such small groups are found among the Croats or in China.

However, it is difficult to say exactly how many Roma live in a particular territory. This is due to their characteristic feature - the lack of “legal visibility”. Gypsies and their children live in camps, are often not registered, do not have documents or passports, and are listed as “missing in action.”

The people belong to the Indo-Mediterranean race of the large Caucasian race. They speak the Gypsy language of the Indo-Aryan group of the Indo-European family, which is divided into a number of dialects.

Gypsy religion includes Christian religion, Islam. Representatives of the nationality Orthodox faith They reverence God very much and observe church holidays and customs. Significant events for Christians are Easter and Christmas.

The self-name of the gypsies who profess Islam is Ogly.

Depending on their territorial affiliation, there are 6 branches of the nationality.

Western Gypsies include:

Eastern gypsies:

In addition to those named, there are narrow groups: British, Scandinavian Kales, Romanichels, and so on. An ethnic group known as the Lovaris was formed in Hungary. The large branch of Roma also includes various groups, for example, the Kotlyars shown in the photo.

In European countries there are ethnic groups close to the gypsies in their way of life: Irish Travelers, Central European Yenishes. However, they have a different origin.

Hindus are truly anthropologically similar to gypsies. The former are distinguished by their high growth; the Hungarian representatives are characterized by average figures.

Face and head shape

Gypsies are characterized by dolichocephaly (long heads), a straight and slightly sloping forehead.

The photograph shows the famous boxer Johann Wilhelm Trollmann "Rukeli".

A gypsy can be easily distinguished by dark color face, reminiscent of a shade of chocolate or old parchment.

Eyes

Mostly the eye color of a representative of the people is dark, brown, possibly green.

The latter is especially revered by the gypsies, as it is characterized by magical powers. But they avoid blue-eyed people because of the “evil look” that can cause trouble.

The photo shows the actress, dancer, singer Soledad Miranda, who tragically died at the age of 27.

Gypsies are distinguished by their expressive, piercing and quick gaze, which puts a person into a state similar to hypnosis and helps to see the past and future.

Nose

The forms of the olfactory organ among gypsies are varied. The nose is predominantly large in size. At the same time, it can be long and thin. The shape can be straight or eagle with a hump.

The photo shows footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Hair

For gypsies, hair is a sign of happiness - the longer, the better. In the past they were often shorn, exiled and isolated. Therefore, women and men try not to wear their hair too short.

Dark and curly hair is typical; red color is considered to attract happiness. Gypsies also have chestnut, golden-brown shades.

The photo shows dancer, model, artist Adelina Plakhotnaya and singer, member of the group “Korni” Alexander Berdnikov.

Adeline Plakhotnaya

Alexander Berdnikov

In France, there are Gitans - blue-eyed representatives of the nationality with blond hair.

Blonde gypsies are shown in the photo.

Appearance of a gypsy

The image of the fairer sex among gypsies is distinguished by its brightness; expressive makeup, fluffy colored skirts, beautiful gold jewelry: rings, brooches, chains are always present.

At the same time, modern Western European standards of beauty are alien to them - they do not show long naked legs.

It is believed that the area below the waist is clean only in young girls before the birth of children. Afterwards it becomes “bad” and you cannot touch this area. Two fluffy toe-length skirts cover the “dirty” area, but one is not enough.

The photo shows gypsy women in traditional costumes.

Face

The look of the beautiful gypsy woman is mesmerizing; you can look into her “diamond” eyes endlessly. Their color is predominantly brown or green.

The hair is lush, long, thick, black, dark chestnut, red, light brown. They often curl. The skin is usually dark, but light color is also possible.

Actress, model, dancer Rita Hayworth is recognized as one of the most beautiful gypsy women.

Figure

Traditional gypsy dances allow you to clearly see the figure of a gypsy.

Such dances help fathers look for girls who will be suitable brides for their sons.

Gypsies are characterized by a flexible, graceful body. Young girls are slender, fragile, tender.

The photo shows actress and singer Diana Savelyeva.

Since it is typical for gypsies large families, a woman’s figure becomes rounder and plumper as she matures. However, numerous births do not affect natural elegance and grace.

Gypsy names and surnames

The full name of a nationality includes 3-5 parts:

• official;
• secular;
• surname;
• last name;
• nickname for a branch of the family.

The official name is the one registered in documents or received at baptism.

Secular is widely used when communicating in Everyday life with gypsies or other nationalities. These include:

• A nickname is a unique characteristic of a person or the events that happen to him (“Waterman”, “Crow”).
• Baptismal - if it differs from the official one;
• Name in Gypsy or other exotic language (Taghari).

Secular names can coincide with official ones or be their abbreviations: Dmitry - Mito. Moreover, a person is called this not only in childhood and adolescence, but throughout his life.

The patronymic is used when you need to introduce yourself officially (when interacting with government agencies, during ceremonial congratulations, and so on).

The Kotlyars have a unique naming system. They may have a middle name from their father, mother, or both parents.

The gypsy is satisfied with the secular name, which is even used together with the surname.

Surnames are used in the same way as other Europeans. With a large family, a special nickname is added to the surname. In Russia it usually comes from the secular name of famous ancestors.

In gypsy society good names those associated with faith, God, jewelry, and the sun are considered. This is Bogdan ( given by God), Zlata, Vera, Drago (precious), Rubina, Diamond and so on. “Flower” names for women are also welcome: Lily, Jasmine, Rose and others.

To designate a character trait in a person they call it: Veselina (cheerful), Svetlana (light), Shanita (calm), Shuko (handsome) and so on.

Origin

In the world

The roots of the Roma people originate in India. This is evidenced by their genetic analysis. Haplogroup H (Y-DNA) is present in Gypsies (60%) and Native Indians (27%). It is also found among Tajik, Syrian peoples, Kalash, and Kurds from Turkmenistan.

The gypsies are originally from northwestern India and appeared about 1.5 thousand years ago. Their language was influenced by the Persians and Greeks. The homeland of the gypsies is determined by Rajasthan, Kashmir and Gujarat.

After 6 centuries, the people immigrated to Europe, most likely due to their oppression by Muslims. In this case, there is a mixture of blood with other nationalities. The main part of the ethnic group occupies the territory of Europe, but most of all there are Romanian and Hungarian gypsies. Their number ranges from 2.5-8 million people. In Bulgaria, the share of ethnic groups is 4.7% of the population (370 thousand people). Sufficient number of representatives among Serbs.

The photo shows gypsies in Romania and Hungary.

Gypsies in Romania

Gypsies in Hungary

The description of history during the tyranny of the German fascists led by Adolf Hitler includes the mass extermination of Gypsies, along with Jews.

The attitude of other nationalities towards the Roma people has long been ambiguous. Until the 15th century, Europeans were friendly towards them, but then the situation reversed. Why this happened is explained by the behavior of the gypsies: it turned out that they steal, deceive, and beg, which is how they earned the reputation of swindlers and vagabonds.

After this, the people began to be ousted from the territories, spread oppression, abuse of them and even murder. However, after 3 centuries the situation has stabilized, the gypsies are treated more tolerantly.

The people are divided into sedentary, semi-sedentary and nomadic castes. The latter lived in a camp, the main one of which was the waida - the leader. He resolved internal conflicts, represented people before the authorities of the country where they were nomadic at that moment.

Sedentary or semi-sedentary people took root everywhere, adapting to religious customs and accepting the faith of the people where they were located.

In Russia

The routes where the gypsies came from on Russian soil are the Balkan countries (in the 15th century), Germany, Poland (in the 16th-17th centuries). They appeared in the 17th century on the territory of modern Ukraine.

The increase in the number of Gypsies occurred as the borders of Russia expanded. With the annexation of part of Poland, Polish Roma emerged, Bessarabia - Moldavian, Crimea - Crimean.

Before the revolution of 1917, men were engaged in horse trading, women - fortune telling and magic. The nomads were fond of begging, fortune-telling and witchcraft, and sometimes blacksmithing. The gypsies who settled in St. Petersburg in the 30s of the 19th century replenished the choirs, many of which were freed by the government from serfdom. The popularity of the people and their culture at that time was extremely high. Noble people married gypsy girls.

After the revolution, a decree is issued so that the people organize a lifestyle suitable for working. This is how the gypsies joined the Soviet family; the nationalities fought together against the enemy during the Great Patriotic War.

The only gypsy who was awarded the title “Hero” Soviet Union", became Timofey Prokofiev, Marine. Thanks to the gypsy, the Germans did not defeat the Nikolaev landing force. He kept up machine-gun fire until the last minute, and even after being mortally wounded in the head, he gathered his strength and fired a burst at the approaching fascists.

In 1956, a decree was issued again, after which the bulk of nomads adopted a sedentary lifestyle. Modern gypsies are endowed with the rights to choose their field of work, receive secondary education and higher education. However, only a few use them.

The origins of the gypsies are known to scientists, but rumors are widespread about who they are and where they came from. There are versions that these are Moldovans or Romanians. Or even gypsies are descendants of the sunken Atlantis. The Moldovan and Romanian people belong to other ethnic groups. And the version about belonging to Atlantis is due to the mystical abilities of the ethnos.

Nationality is spelled correctly in plural“Gypsies”, despite the fact that Alexander Pushkin’s poem is called “Gypsies” - this is an outdated form.

Features of the character and life of gypsies: customs and laws

In 1971, after the World Roma Congress, the national anthem and flag shown in the picture were adopted.

People use symbols as a coat of arms: a deck of cards, a horseshoe, a wheel.

Gypsies are characterized by a free lifestyle. Its representatives to this day are engaged in traditional activities: they sing, dance beautifully, walk, play the guitar, train bears and other animals, and like to tell fortunes. At the same time, mostly friendly and warm relations develop in the community.

Cheerful jokesters are invited by request to holidays: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries.

Gypsies are often portrayed as swindlers and beggars. They can be found at train stations, on trams, trolleybuses, electric trains, sitting on the roadsides with small children, begging for alms.

They pester passers-by with offers to tell fortunes; they are excellent psychologists who can gain trust. If a person talks and answers, they beg him for alms by suggestion. In this case, the victim voluntarily gives away all the money from the wallet.

Of interest is the ethnic group of sea gypsies - the Bajo, who roam the Indian Ocean. They live in huts over the water and practice fishing. They go to land exclusively for trade, boat repairs, replenishing fresh water, or in case of funerals.

However, modern young sea gypsies often do not want to live by the rules of their ancestors. They move to land, study and work in normal conditions, which was not common among previous generations.

Movies are made about the life of gypsies, rules and traditions: “The Return of Budulai”, “The Camp Goes to Heaven”, “Gypsy” and so on. Many world-famous actors have gypsy roots.

For example, People's Artist of Russia Ekaterina Zhemchuzhnaya, shown in the photo.

The famous actor and comedian Charlie Chaplin was a gypsy.

About belonging to the nationality of many famous people there are disputes. Data is provided that the famous singer Elvis Presley comes from a family of German gypsies who emigrated to the United States.

The peculiarity of the life of a nationality is that its representatives are often either fabulously rich or poor. In the first case, their houses resemble palaces with luxurious and expensive furnishings.

In the second case, the Roma live in extreme poverty in the absence of basic living conditions. They often act as illegal immigrants.

Gypsies eat simple food, in dishes national cuisine Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian trends can be traced. They love chicken, lamb, beef, beet soups, sauerkraut, they cook tumals (tamales) - minced meat wrapped in a corn tortilla, harba - a product made from blood, liver and lard. The national drink is black tea with herbs and berries.

The life of the Roma is filled with customs and rules, many of which are mandatory.

Other nationalities have beliefs associated with gypsies. If you dreamed of a camp, the dream book speaks of a desire for promiscuous sex life with frequent changes of partners. The dream of gypsies riding horseback from place to place signals nostalgia for the past. The fortune teller is seen as giving fate to the wrong person. In general, what gypsies dream about means hasty decisions and actions. If you went to buy something from them, this foreshadows the loss of money.

Wedding

The ritual is responsible for the transition of a young boy and girl to a new hierarchical status. This is the reason why gypsies marry early. If a girl is 19 years old and unmarried, she is considered an old maid. At what age young people get married is often decided by their parents. A girl is recognized as a potential bride after 14 years of age. Only in late marriages are the feelings and choices of the lovers taken into account.

The wedding is preceded by a betrothal ceremony performed by the parents. In early marriages, the decision to marry does not depend on the will of the children.

A bride ransom is possible, but in this case she is expected to earn back the money spent.

The girl marries a virgin. Proof in the form of a bloody sheet is provided after the wedding night. If a gypsy girl is not a virgin, it is considered a disgrace by the nation.

Marriages between representatives of the nationalities of different states are unlikely. This is tantamount to marrying a non-gypsy, which is not encouraged by gypsy law. Remarriages are not approved.

Funeral

The ritual of how the funeral takes place is determined by the belief that a person in the other world needs things that he needs in life. Gypsies prepare for burial in advance; children save money to send their parents off with dignity. A gravestone of impressive size, where the deceased is depicted in full growth, is considered luxurious.

When a person is buried, 3 items are given to relatives or friends through the coffin: an icon (male or female), a carpet and a bed. Essential items and alcohol are placed inside. Mirrors are covered for 40 days and mourning is observed for a year.

Gypsy curses

The rituals are recognized as carrying magical powers and are considered among other nationalities to be the reason why gypsies are dangerous. However, not all of them have mystical abilities. A real magician will not perform complex rituals in vain. Therefore, curses from angry fortune tellers are usually empty words.

Gypsies can curse when causing offense to the family. There is usually no charge for it.

Signs that a person has a curse are:

• weight loss or gain, deterioration in health, appearance(getting old);
• development of diseases that cannot be treated;
• apathy;
• nightmares;
• a believer does not wear a cross, refuses to attend church out of fear;
• scandals in the family;
• leaving pets at home.

To remove damage, it is advisable to use water - wash your face in the river in the morning for 12 days, reciting a special spell. Cemetery rituals and others are also used to get rid of damage.

Gypsy law

It is an unwritten set of rules to be followed in gypsy society and outside it. Currently, each country has its own law, and even different nationalities within it.

Compliance is monitored by elderly members of the community, conflicts and violations are dealt with by a Roma court, which includes authoritative people.

The most terrible sentence is the expulsion of the criminal.

The main tenet of the law is compliance with the rules and restrictions of non-Gypsy society when dealing with it.

Murder, rape, and infliction of severe physical harm are prohibited.

The rules of behavior within the gypsy society are also announced: clothing, holidays, everyday life, an overview of professions, and so on.

Common Stereotypes

Stereotypes about gypsies come from numerous stories about their lives, stories of victims of fraud and people's own observations, since gypsies are present in almost every country in the world.

• They have no homeland. Roma are people without a specific citizenship, which they are often denied even if they were born in a given country. Recognition of a nationality as non-territorial made them legally “invisible”.
• They don't like to study. Representatives of the nationality send their children to school to teach them basic knowledge: reading, writing, counting. Often, after this, the child quits his studies, helping his parents in trading.
• Gypsies consider it an honor to drink a lot without getting drunk.
• Gypsies are good psychologists who have hypnosis. For this reason, they should be avoided; fortune telling with them will do more harm than good. The main goal of a gypsy is to earn income. Rare individuals have the ability to predict; others create a magical image around themselves: witchcraft balls, tarot cards and other paraphernalia.
• Roma have high rates of domestic violence. The wife bears a heavy burden, submitting to a tyrant husband, and at the same time is forced to endure, since tradition implies marriage for life.
• A gypsy family must have at least one son. If this does not happen for a long time, the boy is taken from the orphanage, regardless of his nationality. This was one of the reasons explaining the claim that the gypsies stole children. Often people, seeing a bright, blue-eyed and completely different child in the camp, declared that he had been stolen.
• If a family has a two-story house, a woman cannot climb to the second floor if her husband is on the first

Gypsies are a people without a state. For a long time they were considered to have come from Egypt and were called the “pharaoh’s tribe,” but recent research disproves this. In Russia, the gypsies have created a real cult of their music.

Why are gypsies “gypsies”?

Gypsies don't call themselves that. Their most common self-name for gypsies is “Roma”. Most likely, this is the influence of the life of the gypsies in Byzantium, which received this name only after its fall. Before that, it was considered part of Roman civilization. The common “Romale” is the vocative case of the ethnonym “Roma”.

Gypsies also call themselves Sinti, Kale, Manush (“people”).

Other peoples call Gypsies very differently. In England they are called gypsies (from Egyptians - “Egyptians”), in Spain - gitanos, in France - bohemiens (“Bohemians”, “Czechs” or tsiganes (from Greek - τσιγγάνοι, “tsingani”), Jews call gypsies צוענים (tso 'anim), from the name of the biblical province of Zoan in Ancient Egypt.

The word “gypsies”, familiar to the Russian ear, conventionally goes back to the Greek word “atsingani” (αθίγγανος, ατσίγγανος), which means “untouchable”. This term first appears in the “Life of George of Athos,” written in the 11th century. “Conventionally,” because in this book “untouchables” is the name given to one of the heretical sects of that time. This means that it is impossible to say with certainty that the book is specifically about gypsies.

Where did the gypsies come from?

In the Middle Ages, Gypsies in Europe were considered Egyptians. The word Gitanes itself is a derivative of the Egyptian. There were two Egypts in the Middle Ages: upper and lower. The gypsies were so nicknamed, obviously, by the name of the upper one, which was located in the Peloponnese region, where their migration came from. Belonging to the cults of lower Egypt is visible in the life of even modern gypsies.

Tarot cards, which are considered the last surviving fragment of the cult of the Egyptian god Thoth, were brought to Europe by the gypsies. In addition, the gypsies brought the art of embalming the dead from Egypt.

Of course, there were gypsies in Egypt. The route from upper Egypt was probably the main route of their migration. However, modern genetic research has proven that gypsies do not come from Egypt, but from India.

The Indian tradition has been preserved in Gypsy culture in the form of practices for working with consciousness. The mechanisms of meditation and gypsy hypnosis are largely similar; gypsies are good animal trainers, just like Hindus. In addition, gypsies are characterized by syncretism of spiritual beliefs - one of the features of current Indian culture.

The first gypsies in Russia

The first gypsies (serva groups) in the Russian Empire appeared in the 17th century on the territory of Ukraine.

The first mention of gypsies in Russian history occurs in 1733, in Anna Ioannovna’s document on new taxes in the army:

“In addition, for the maintenance of these regiments, determine taxes from the gypsies, both in Little Russia and in the Sloboda regiments and in the Great Russian cities and districts assigned to the Sloboda regiments, and for this collection, identify a special person, since the gypsies are not included in the census written."

The next mention of Gypsies in Russian historical documents occurs in the same year. According to this document, the Gypsies of Ingermanland were allowed to trade horses, since they “proved themselves to be natives here” (that is, they had lived here for more than a generation).

A further increase in the Gypsy contingent in Russia came with the expansion of its territories. When part of Poland was annexed to the Russian Empire, “Polish Roma” appeared in Russia, when Bessarabia was annexed - Moldavian gypsies, after the annexation of Crimea - Crimean gypsies. It must be understood that the Roma are not a mono-ethnic community, therefore the migration of different Roma ethnic groups took place in different ways.

On equal terms

In the Russian Empire, Gypsies were treated quite friendly. On December 21, 1783, a Decree of Catherine II was issued, classifying the Gypsies as a peasant class. Taxes began to be collected from them. However, no special measures were taken to force the enslavement of the Roma. Moreover, they were allowed to be assigned to any class except nobles.

Already in the Senate decree of 1800 it is said that in some provinces “gypsies became merchants and townspeople.”

Over time, settled gypsies began to appear in Russia, some of them managed to acquire considerable wealth. Thus, in Ufa lived a gypsy merchant Sanko Arbuzov, who successfully traded horses and had a good, spacious house. His daughter Masha went to school and studied French. And Sanko Arbuzov was not alone.

In Russia, the musical and performing culture of the Roma is appreciated. Already in 1774, Count Orlov-Chesmenky summoned the first gypsy choir to Moscow, which later grew into a choir and marked the beginning of professional gypsy performance in the Russian Empire.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the serf gypsy choirs were freed and continued their independent activities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Gypsy music was an unusually fashionable genre, and the Gypsies themselves were often assimilated among the Russian nobility - quite famous people married Gypsy girls. Suffice it to recall Leo Tolstoy’s uncle Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy the American.

Gypsies also helped Russians during wars. In the War of 1812, Gypsy communities donated large sums of money to support the army, supplied the best horses for the cavalry, and Gypsy youth went to serve in the Uhlan regiments.

By the end of the 19th century, not only Ukrainian, Moldavian, Polish, Russian and Crimean gypsies lived in the Russian Empire, but also Lyuli, Karachi and Bosha (since the annexation of the Caucasus and Central Asia), and at the beginning of the 20th century they migrated from Austria-Hungary and Romania lovari and kolderar.

Currently, the number of European gypsies, according to various estimates, ranges from 8 million to 10-12 million people. There were officially 175.3 thousand people in the USSR (1970 census). According to the 2010 census, about 220 thousand Roma live in Russia.

Gypsies are a people without a state. For a long time they were considered to have come from Egypt and were called the “pharaoh’s tribe,” but recent research disproves this version. In Russia, the gypsies managed to give rise to a real cult of their music.

Why are gypsies “gypsies”?

Gypsies do not call themselves Gypsies. The most common self-name of gypsies is Roma. Most likely, this is the influence of the life of the gypsies in Byzantium, which began to be called Byzantium only after its fall. Before that, it was considered part of Roman civilization. The common “Romale” is the vocative case of the ethnonym “Roma”.

Gypsies also call themselves Sinti, Kale, Manush (“people”).

Other peoples call Gypsies very differently. In England they are called gypsies (from Egyptians - “Egyptians”), in Spain gitanos, in France bohemiens (“Bohemians”, “Czechs” or tsiganes (from Greek - τσιγγάνοι, tsingani), Jews call gypsies צוענים (tso'anim), from the name of the biblical province of Zoan in Ancient Egypt.
The word gypsies, familiar to the Russian ear, is conventionally traced back to the Greek word “atsingani” (“αθίγγανος”, “ατσίγγανος”), which means “untouchable”. This term first appears in the “Life of George of Athos,” written in the 11th century. Conditionally - because in this book one of the heretical sects of that time is called “untouchables”, and it cannot be reliably stated that the book is talking specifically about gypsies.

Where did the gypsies come from?

In the Middle Ages, Gypsies in Europe were considered Egyptians. The word Gitanes itself is a derivative of the Egyptian. There were two Egypts in the Middle Ages - upper and lower. The gypsies were so nicknamed, obviously, by the name of the upper one, which was located in the Peloponnese region, from where their migration took place, but belonging to the cults of lower Egypt is visible in the life of even modern gypsies.

Thus, Tarot Cards, which are considered the last surviving fragment of the cult of the Egyptian god Thoth, were brought to Europe by the gypsies. In addition, the gypsies brought the art of embalming the dead from Egypt. There were certainly Gypsies in Egypt, and the route from upper Egypt was probably the main route of their migration. However, today's genetic research has proven that the gypsies do not come from Egypt, but from India.

The Indian tradition has been preserved in Gypsy culture in the form of practices for working with consciousness. The mechanisms of meditation and gypsy hypnosis are in many ways similar; gypsies, like Indians, are good animal trainers. The gypsies are also characterized by syncretism of spiritual beliefs, which is one of the features of modern Indian culture.

The first gypsies in Russia

The first gypsies (serva groups) in the Russian Empire appeared in the 17th century on the territory of Ukraine. The first mention of gypsies in Russian history occurs in 1733, in Anna Ioannovna’s document on new taxes in the army. In addition, for the maintenance of these regiments, determine taxes from the gypsies, both in Little Russia and in the Sloboda regiments and in the Great Russian cities and districts assigned to the Sloboda regiments, and for this collection, identify a special person, since the gypsies are not included in the census . The next mention of Gypsies in Russian historical documents occurs in the same year.

According to this document, the Gypsies of Ingria were allowed to trade horses, since they “proved themselves to be natives of the area.” According to this document, it is clear that since the Roma “proved themselves to be local natives,” it means they have lived here for more than a generation. Further expansion of the Gypsy contingent in Russia occurred with the expansion of its territories. When part of Poland was annexed to the Russian Empire, “Polish Roma” appeared in Russia, when Bessarabia was annexed - Moldavian Gypsies, after Crimea was annexed - Crimean Gypsies. It must be understood that the Roma are not a mono-ethnic community, therefore the migration of different Roma ethnic groups took place in different ways.

On equal terms

In the Russian Empire, Gypsies were treated quite friendly. On December 21, 1783, a Decree of Catherine II was issued, classifying the Gypsies as a peasant class. Taxes began to be collected from them. However, no special measures were taken to force the enslavement of the Roma. Moreover, they were allowed to be assigned to any class except nobles. Already in the Senate decree of 1800 it is said that in some provinces “gypsies became merchants and townspeople.”

Over time, settled gypsies began to appear in Russia, some of them managed to acquire considerable wealth. Thus, in Ufa lived a gypsy merchant Sanko Arbuzov, who successfully traded horses and had a good, spacious house. His daughter Masha went to school and studied French. And Sanko Arbuzov was not alone. In Russia, the musical and performing culture of the Roma is appreciated. Already in 1774, Count Orlov-Chesmenky summoned the first gypsy choir to Moscow, which later grew into a choir and marked the beginning of professional gypsy performance in the Russian Empire.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the serf gypsy choirs were freed and continued their independent activities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Gypsy music was an unusually fashionable genre, and the Gypsies themselves often assimilated among the Russian nobility - quite famous people married Gypsy girls. Suffice it to recall Leo Tolstoy’s uncle Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy the American. Gypsies also helped Russians during wars. In the War of 1812, Gypsy communities donated large sums of money to support the army, supplied the best horses for the cavalry, and Gypsy youth went to serve in the Uhlan regiments.

By the end of the 19th century, not only Ukrainian, Moldavian, Polish, Russian and Crimean gypsies lived in the Russian Empire, but also Lyuli, Karachi and Bosha (since the annexation of the Caucasus and Central Asia), and at the beginning of the 20th century they migrated from Austria-Hungary and Romania lovari and kolderar.

Currently, the number of European gypsies, according to various estimates, ranges from 8 million to 10-12 million people. There were officially 175.3 thousand people in the USSR (1970 census). According to the 2010 census, about 220 thousand Roma live in Russia.