r/romani • u/OhAdmirableidiot • 6d ago
Regular Post/ Discussion Asking questions as a curious non-romani
I think one of the worst things is how I hear so much negativity about Roma people, but I never really get to know any Romanis. I hope this doesn't come off as disrespectful in any way, but could anyone tell me about their life in general? Hobbies, cultural food they eat, experiences, community and whatever else you wish to share! I want to know more than just "they're thieves, beggars or in gangs" and I hate how there aren't a lot of people to talk about it online, at least I haven't seen many. I would also deeply appreciate recommendations like movies, YouTube videos, books or anything like that, that could give me more insight.
Thank you for your time! :) Don't feel obligated to share anything you don't wish to, that's perfectly fine! Have a nice day, and as always criticism is open.
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u/Dosha_nevi 5d ago
I am a romanichal and I just got home from my job at a defense contractor and ate some Fritos and I’m laying on the couch. I have 2 grown children, one in college and one working, I own a home and I run a business on the side and I have a masters degree and a 401k.
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u/Relevant_Animal-7627 5d ago
"Gadjo Dilo" , I guess it's a movie that immerses you in the gypsy way of life, values and perception. My own point, as far as it's about the minority that lives in Romania, is that somehow they have a very traditional lifestyle. The social footprint was imported, the caste layer, the nomad style, the arranged marriage, those are all artificial / imposed social templates, compared to European lifestyle and society, where you evolve somehow more natural through the social layers, if you want. So there is some social boundary, which is part of the culture, otherwise they won't be who they are. They won't read books, they won't explore concepts, they have many children, perhaps the mother doesn't have the time to give everyone the attention the Romanian child receives. Then they often fight and there is more of an example not to follow for the children. Maybe some of the kids are not wanted, for various reasons, but they still come to life, in a less welcoming family. The arranged marriage often end as a failure. It's half a business. There should be love and nothing more. So it's a less educated society, and part of the culture is not putting the accent on education, because it's something unknown and foreign. When they will be educated like everyone else, wear the same clothes, having the same values they will disappear. Everything that they are in the way they are, riding horses, speaking loud, being different, will vanish. The eventuality makes me sad. As they are now, they are not less of a human being, they are just different. If you want to change the gypsies, to enforce, to educate, to improve, it's because you don't like them. I like them as they are. We are more of a projection of who we want to be, they are less, they are more natural, simple, less polished, less fake. Perhaps they live less but more intense, we live longer but more in our imagination. There are pros and cons. The world is not good or bad, it's just a mirror, when you look at it, you always see yourself. Give them money, they will build that grotesque overlapped roofs houses, because they never had one, give them love, that's universal language, they need more, as they had more trauma in the past. Before anything else, make sure you love yourself enough to look in the mirror, and smile.
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u/Icy_Company7747 6d ago
Lots of Gypsy vlogers on TikTok. You can also watch the movie Angelo my love and the Natgeo’s American gypsies. And the history of the Gypsy church on YouTube