We are more than Samudaripen

We, the Romani People, are more than just, and I say the word just very loudly here, Samudaripen though when we see how the majority of the “leaders” behave and act than it would appear that then entire sum of the Romani Nation is Samudaripen and the remembrance of those awful events.

While those events, and the slavery in Romania and other parts of the Balkans, and also the enslavement of Rom from Britain, and other places, and their transportation to the Americas, should never be forgotten and stand as a reminder what the Gadje are capable of doing we must not dwell on, and especially in, the past.

The events of the past must remind us to remain always vigilant and that especially today where we are, once again under threat as a Nation by overt and covert acts. Some of those acts are coming even from those that are supposedly our own and our very own organizations, such as the ERRC (European Roma Rights Center) and it directors.

However, we need to look forward because only in looking forward can we recognize the danger that might be facing us and we must also move forward to create a better future for ourselves and our children and their children, and we must do this as a Nation, and not as just an ethnicity integrated and assimilated into the international working class, as some of our own – at least they claim to be of our Blood – would like us to end up and the Gadje definitely want us that way.

We are an ancient People, a Nation with an ancient heritage albeit with a history not written; which is not to say that it should not be written. But when written then it must be written by us. In fact, it must be written by us, and not just the history but especially everything about our true Culture, Traditions, Customs and Practices, spiritual, religious and others, and that now – says he who has a lot of material gathered but not put together as yet – before those who still know are gone for ever.

It is true that our history, as to origin and such, is lost in the mists of time but there are those of us, of the old ones especially, who know more than they think they know, and all of this must be put down on “paper”, whether real paper or just electronically, and that now. Our children and theirs must have something to be able to cling onto to enable them to continue the fight for the recognition as a Nation proper.

2024 © Michael Smith (Veshengro) / O NEVO DROM

The Romani People, a lost tribe of Israel?

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Time and again this theory is being banded about that the Romani People are a lost tribe of the Jewish people and, for reasons unknown, a fair number will flock to this idea. An idea that is as fake as Gypsy kings and queens and all that jazz. The Shero Rom, Rom Baro, Baro Rom, or Sherengro and the Puri Dai never were kings and queens, as in sovereign rulers. The Puri Dai was Puri Dai simply buy being the eldest female of the group, which the Sherengro and his like were elected by the heads of the households and could “rule” only for as long as they supported him. Oh dear, I digressed again. I am good at that, I know.

I have had many an argument with the proponents of this fake story as to Jewish origin who go as far as claiming that there are the obvious signs as Gypsies do not eat pork – doh? – and that all Gypsies have their boys circumcised – sorry, pardon, could you run that by me again, but slowly. Neither of those points are true. While circumcision for the boys is practiced among some groups of Roma the rest do not have, and never have had, this practice. And as to eating pork or not eating pork that is a total non-runner for starters for that is often the favored meat among the Rom, regardless of which group.

Regardless of the absence of any kosher rules – though we do have our own rules – this story is being warmed up again and again and the proponents of it will not be told otherwise. They know better and go also as far as claiming that the Indian “origin” is made up by “false prophets” and all one can do is give up – at least at times – and leave them be.

In some quarters of the Rom, however, this notion of the lost tribe of Judah is gaining serious traction and that is rather a shame, aside from the fact that it is outright false.

We, the Romani People, are a People in our own right and while we may have intermarried with Jews as much as with others of the non-Romani population – in some centuries we were not permitted to marry our own – the Rom are not a “lost tribe of Judah” and it is certainly not something that the “Illuminati” are hiding, as claimed by some proponents of this farce.

© 2024

Veshengro WoodWorks

Traditional Romani (Gypsy) Spoon Carver

Traditional Rom Polska wooden spoons, stirring woods, and other wooden products made by Romani-Gypsy artisan of Rom Polska ancestry. Made in Britain from wood from sustainable sources and procedures. All products are made by hand using hand-tools only.

With the exception of chopsticks, which I also make, and also the occasional shamoji (rice paddle), all products are original Rom Polska, either Veshtike or Bergtike, in design and execution with some having undergone a slight design improvement, such as in the case of the butter/pate spreader “knives”.

I come from a family, from my mother's side, that's the Rom Polska side, of knife makers and spoon carvers and, seeing the amount of wood that was going to waste in the woodland and tree maintenance operations in park management I decided to pick up my tools again some years ago and follow, once again, the the footsteps of my ancestors, and to do my carvings in the traditional way in honor of my People.

Sure, I could have gone for other styles such as the Scandinavian, the English, the Russian, or, on the Romani side even the style of the Romanian Roma, but the Rom Polska style is what I learned as a Chavo (boy) and it just came back more or less automatically, and I also wanted to revive many of the old designs of my People.

Do the old crafts of our Romani People still have a future, some may ask. Well, they do and they can make money for the artisan as long as the marketing is got right, and that is where often the problem lies, also the pricing must not bee too cheap. They also should remain having a future for they are part of our heritage.

All my work can be purchased via the website and I ship worldwide. Shipping and handling cost depends on destination.

2024 © Michael Smith (Veshengro)