The Romani's Ancient Vedic Roots

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"The Romani language is of Indo-Aryan origin and has many spoken dialects, =

but the root language is ancient Punjabi, or Hindi."

 

Names of Romani Tribes are distinctly Sanskrit based.

Such as the Machavaya the Lovari,

the Churari, the Gitanoes,

the Rudari, the Manush

 

 

The Roma are a distinct ethnic minority, distinguished at least by Rom blo=

od and the Romani, or Romanes, language, whose origins began on the Indian s=

ubcontinent over one thousand years ago. No one knows for certain why the or=

iginal Roma began their great wandering from India to Europe and beyond, but=

they have dispersed worldwide, despite persecution and oppression through t=

he centuries.

There have been several great migrations, or diaspora, in Romani history. T=

he first was the initial dispersal from India about a thousand years ago. So=

me scholars suggest there may have been several migrations from India. The s=

econd great migration, known as the Aresajipe, was from southwest Asia into =

Europe in the 14th century. The third migration was from Europe to the Ameri=

cas in the 19th and early 20th centuries after the abolition of Romani slave=

ry in Europe in 1856-1864. Some scholars contend there is a great migration =

occurring today since the fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe.

 

The Romani language is of Indo-Aryan origin and has many spoken dialects, b=

ut the root language is ancient Punjabi, or Hindi. The spoken Romani languag=

e is varied, but all dialects contain some common words in use by all Roma. =

Based on language, Roma are divided into three populations. They are the Dom=

ari of the Middle East and Eastern Europe (the Dom), the Lomarvren of Centra=

l Europe (the Lom), and the Romani of Western Europe (the Rom). There is no =

universal written Romani language in use by all Roma. However, the codificat=

ion of a constructed, standardized dialect is currently in progress by membe=

rs of the Linguistic Commission of the International Romani Union.

 

There are four Rom "tribes", or nations (natsiya), of Roma: the Kalderash, =

the Machavaya, the Lovari, and the Churari. Other groups include, the Gitano=

es (Calé), the Sinti, the Rudari, the Manush, the Boyash, the Ungaritza, the=

Luri, the Bashaldé, the Romungro, and the Xoraxai. The first European descr=

iptions of the Roma upon their entering Europe emphasized their dark skin an=

d black hair. Through integration with Europeans over the centuries, Roma to=

day can also be found with light skin and hair.

 

The spoked-wheel image represents a sixteen-spoked chakra, adopted at the F=

irst World Romani Congress in London in 1971 as the international Romani sym=

bol. The chakra is a link to the Roma's Indian origins (the 24-spoked Ashok =

Chakra is in the center of the national flag of India, the Tiranga) and repr=

esents movement and the original Creation. The green and blue flag with a re=

d chakra in the center was adopted as the Romani flag, as well as the motto =

"Opré Roma" (Roma Arise). The song "Gelem, gelem," also known as "Djelem, d=

jelem" and "Opré Roma," was selected as the Romani anthem. April 8 was procl=

aimed International Romani Day. There have been four World Romani Congresses=

to date. Among the chief goals of these meetings are the standardization of=

the Romanes language, reparations from World War II, improvements in civil =

rights and education, preserving Romani culture, and international recogniti=

on of the Roma as a national minority of Indian origin. Among the chief Roma=

organisations, the International Romani Union has consultative status to th=

e United Nations Social and Economic Council.

 

 

The Romani people have been known by many names, including Gypsies (or Gips=

ies), Tsigani, Tzigane, Cigano, Zigeuner, and others. Most Roma have always =

referred to themselves by their tribal names, or as Rom or Roma, meaning "Ma=

n" or "People." (Rom, Roma, Romani, and Romaniya should not be confused with=

the country of Romania, or the city of Rome. These names have separate, dis=

tinct etymological origins and are not related.) The use of Rom, Roma, Roman=

i, or the double "r" spelling, is preferred in all official communications a=

nd legal documents. In response to the recommendations put forth by Roma ass=

ociations, the Council of Europe has approved the use of "Rroma (Gypsies)" i=

n its official documents (CLRAE Recommendation 11 - June 1995). The trend is=

to eliminate the use of derogatory, pejorative and offensive names, such as=

Gypsies, and to be given proper respect by the use of the self-appelation o=

f Roma, or Rroma