The Roma: A Discussion on Stereotypes

Bright Blessings:

There stereotype of the Roma, or Gypsy, is that of a quaitly dressed individual, earrings for men too, bandanas, violin playing, barefooted, constantina playing, tramp, and thief with divination cards.

As a modern American, soon to be French national, Roma I kinda feel irky when I visualise the stereotypes. I am proud of all my heritage, but wonder if there are others, wanderers, who have thoughts on the stereotypes.

In Service

Comte Geoffrey septime Comte D'Anjou, SAR

Namaste

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Permalink Reply by Angji on April 8, 2011 at 11:52pm

I did a article way a long time ago aobut this I did live next to a group of Americanized ones yes she did tarots....

I never much met any of them everytime i met someone from one of these countries they were very very very much hated group.....

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Permalink Reply by Comte D'Anjou on April 9, 2011 at 3:43am

Light Blessings Angji:

Hmmm. . .interesting account. Thank you.

In Service

Comte Geoffrey septime Comte D'Anjou

Namaste

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Permalink Reply by Columba on April 9, 2011 at 4:36am

For the most part? It makes me absolutely nuts.

I'm 50% Roma, but very few people know what that means. In college, my roommate threw the door open, dressed in flowing skirts, bright bandanas and a ridiculous long, black, curly wig (which looks suspiciously like my own hair, thank you) and announced "I'm a gypsy for Halloween!" No, baby. No. You're not.

I knew a Hawaiian girl who found folks that go to parties as hula dancers just as frustrating. I think the problem comes in when a minority is *such* a minority that its intricacies and stereotypes aren't recognized by the general populace. It doesn't come from a place of distaste, but more a plain old lack of exposure.

That being said, I take a certain amount of pride in my heritage. Folk songs, old recipes and Boppa's life lessons are all an important part of who I am, and not something I get to distance myself from just because it can be misunderstood or seen as campy. I have to find a way to synthesize my heritage with my cultural identity as both a modern American woman and a developing pagan, and just hope for the best.

Good luck with the French national thing, by the way. I could not believe the depths of Roma racism France is dealing with. It blows me away every time I think about it. But then, I wasn't even really aware my ethnicity could be a problem to anyone until I saw Europe, so I'm definitely one of the luckier ones.

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Permalink Reply by Pavlor on April 9, 2011 at 1:30pm

What kind of Romany are you, Columba?

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Permalink Reply by Pavlor on April 9, 2011 at 1:29pm

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking here, Brijdrix. Stereotypes are stereotypes and born out of some kind truth.

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Permalink Reply by Kixs on April 10, 2011 at 8:08am

Truth Pav. really?

Well then here are a few Finnish stero types, so tell me which ones are true, would you please.

Strong drinkers that always ends in passing out.Blonde haired, blue eyes if you don't have them your not truly Finnish, you keep reindeer in your back yard, eat rye bread at every meal, you know 15 different words for snow,pet polar bear right beside the reindeer, you live by at least three lakes that you can see from your window,you have no personality or sense of humor until you have at least 10 shots of vodka. Oh yeah, you only have one month of spring, one month of summer and one month of summer and have beer for breakfast and your pissed off all the time.

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Permalink Reply by Pavlor on April 16, 2011 at 1:11pm

Strong drinkers: Yes

Blond haired/blue-eyed: You certainly have a lot of that here, but not a requisite for being Finnish, although genetically, you should look Finnish.

Reindeer in your backyard: No, but reindeer meat is very normal here

Rye bread: Everyone eats it all the time and *many* different types

Pet polar bears: Nope

You live by at least 3 lakes you can see from you window: Very often so

No personality/sense of humour until you have at least 10 shots of vodka: Often the case but misinterpreted (personality and sense of humour are culturally based)

The seasons: We have 4 seasons, but winter is by far the longest (we still have snow and it arrived in October, and spring and summer sometimes just become one. Last year, however, we had a very hot summer and temperatures were in their mid-30s C)

Pissed off all the time: Yes and no. Again, misinterpretations

In fairness, however, you summed up Finns pretty well. So yes, there is most definitely truth in stereotypes.

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Permalink Reply by Comte D'Anjou on April 16, 2011 at 12:53pm

Bright Benedictions au D'Anjou Pavlor:

But of course you are correct. Love the Roma Music - romantic in me dictates. Hate the Roma stereotypes because often the stereotypes are a kind of propaganda and works.

En Service

Comte Geoffrey septime Comte D'Anjou, SAR

Namaste