by Micheal Smith (Veshengro)
Arise from the low status where you are being kept by the Gadje but also by exploiters within our own ranks and by laziness, as in the case of some, and made-up laws, as is the case with other.
“Yes! We Can!” shall and must be our slogan and our watchword
“Ava! Ame Shai!” Let nothing prevent us from achieving full potential as a Nation, as a People, as families and as individuals.
Far too many, not to say the great majority, of Amare have the “No Can Do” attitude and sometimes it would seem as if it be actually a “Don't Want To Do” attitude.
Others seem to make it their life's work to work the welfare system wherever it can be done. If they would but expend that time, energy and skills on “proper” work they'd really be able to liberate themselves and would not need state assistance; crumbs, like an Uncle Tom, from the White slave master's table.
So many also work the system while doing their own “self-employed” work of whatever kind. They steal from others doing than and it is not only Gadje they steal from but also from those of the People that do work within the system and pay their way.
We must have a new approach to living in this world and while we may want to be apart – something that I completely am in agreement with – we also have to follow the laws of the countries that we live in and if that means paying taxes then so be it. No one likes paying taxes, neither the Rom nor the Gadje but... the accusation from the Gadje to the Rom is always that we, the Rom, steal from the system and that we do not pay taxes – even if we do. We must not give them more ammunition still.
Back to the attitude and to liberation.
Ava! Ame Shai! We can do it. We can help ourselves. We can have our own co-operatives and our own livelihood projects, our own schools and homeschool circles, to raise ourselves up.
But this will only ever work if our People change their attitude. The attitude of “the world owes us a living”, as well as that of “no can do”.
I see too many of ours, especially those in the former Irin Curtain countries, but not only there, where the men sit around all day drinking, smoking and playing cards, while the women and children are sent out begging or stealing or scavenging on the refuse tips. This cannot and must not continue.
Also, the settlements must be cleaned up and made respectable, this also applies to the railer sites in Britain and the USA, even to the official government operated ones in the UK, if we want to be able to advance ourselves. Always there is the talk about how great our laws are as to cleanliness, which they indeed are, but should they not also translate at least to some degree to our immediate surroundings outside out kenna or trailer. A little garden, even in containers, can go a long way, also on government sites.
But, then again, it would appear that the majority do not want to do anything else really – despite the stories the tell the media – and do not want to better themselves. All they seem to want is to be idle and have the welfare state take care of them. Some are so lazy – yes, lazy – that they have leaky roofs at the houses with water coming through everywhere but they cannot, possibly, get up onto that roof and fix it. They wait for some Charity to come along and fix their roofs, their guttering, their drainage, and everything else. Self reliance; what is that? That at least seems to be their attitude.
This attitude is not only found, I would hasten to add, amongst the Roma in the East. Nay, such laziness and dirtiness can also be found, and here I feel physically sick for I have seen some of it, amongst the Sinti and the Romanichals, the latter here in the UK as well as, and especially, in the USA.
We can do it. Honestly, we can. All we need to have is the will and the wish to do it. The wish, the desire and the will to help ourselves and the will to raise ourselves up, as individuals and also and especially as a People.
Dosta penauas!
Ava! Ame Shai!
© M Smith (Veshengro), July 2008
Showing posts with label Gypsy pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gypsy pride. Show all posts
Dale Farm – UK's largest Gypsy Township?
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
If you tell a lie often enough people may believe it seems to be the attitude of various people who insist on calling Dale Farm, in Basildon, Essex (UK), the UK's largest Gypsy township. However, thousands of times over saying it will not make this illegal camp of Irish Travellers into a Gypsy settlement or even township.
Irish Travellers are not Romani and therefore are not Gypsy, as it is or at least was understood in the ruling of the Law Lords. That is the reason why the “Caravan Sites Act” referred to “Gypsies and other Travellers” and was not calling all Gypsies. The Irish Travellers are Travellers but not Gypsy, as they are not Romani, and they cannot be made into Ro mani how ever hard some people may like to try. Even the fact that the Roma(ni) Union basically made them sign themselves into the IRU as “RoMA2 still does not make them Romani or Roma. I do assume, however, that this is rather difficult to understand by some people.
Why the Gypsy Council wants all Gypsies of the UK to unite and then cities to start with this trash about the Dale Farm illegal Irish Traveller camp can only be a mystery.
Gypsy, according to the real and true understanding, are, also according to the old Oxford dictionary, the Romany, of a travelling Race, originally from (Northern) India. It makes no mention of Irish Travellers and especially not of the kind that is illegally encamped in on that location in the Basildon area of Essex.
Those are but pretenders even as far as Irish Travellers are concerned as they are not thos that are of the real Travellers of Ireland but the offspring of those that came to the UK to make use of the welfare state just after WWII. When are the likes of those that are championing their cause are going to understand and admit that. What political mileage are they getting out of this and what financial mileage?
Some of them were jailed in Eire because of their political work for the Irish travellers and they came over into the UK in pursuance of the continuation of this “work” and also, for that reason, never having any real concern for the “real” Gypsy, set up organizations in Britain supposedly for Gypsies but in truth all that was for was for the Irish that cause the Romani, the Gypsy, so much problems. Were it not for the behavior of the Irish Travellers, of the hinditi-meskere, the Romani in the UK would not have been faced with the problems and hostility that we have been faced with ever since around the 1950's.
We want somewhere to live and settle, say the residents at that illegal Irish Traveller camp called “Dale Farm”. So, no problem with that. Get a house or an apartment, rent or buy, you choice. They have been house dwellers before anyway, the great majority of them. Now they, probably, claim “Gypsy Culture” and such like and therefore they could not go and live in a house. The truth is that all they know is scam jobs blacktopping an such and you are not very welcome in a housing estate with tarmac trucks and such.
When it comes to the problems caused by the Irish Travellers to the Gypsy, the Romani, those are now go even beyond the borders of the UK and have reached the European mainland and their behavior is now making it nigh impossible for Sinti and Manouche to go “ap i reisa” in Germany, France, etc. and even the Romani in Norway and Sweden are having problems because of the way Irish Travellers have behaved in those countries.
I shall keep on pointing out the fact that I am pointing out here whether or not some people would like to threaten me and this publication.
We also know why some people kept attacking the background and former affiliations of the late Tom Odley (of blessed memory); it was because he knew of the background of some people that make themselves so big and important in the Gypsy Industry in the UK and elsewhere.
Obviously, some people do not like the truth and Tatchipen is something that they are more afraid of than anything else, it would seem. One can but wonder why. They then to use character assassination in order to make other people look bad, those people that know who and what they really are.
Dosta penauas me djinau.
Remember! Gypsy equals Romani and not simple “people of a travelling lifestyle”. The Gypsy People are a Race, a Race apart. Our People best remember that too.
© M Smith (Veshengro), June 2008
If you tell a lie often enough people may believe it seems to be the attitude of various people who insist on calling Dale Farm, in Basildon, Essex (UK), the UK's largest Gypsy township. However, thousands of times over saying it will not make this illegal camp of Irish Travellers into a Gypsy settlement or even township.
Irish Travellers are not Romani and therefore are not Gypsy, as it is or at least was understood in the ruling of the Law Lords. That is the reason why the “Caravan Sites Act” referred to “Gypsies and other Travellers” and was not calling all Gypsies. The Irish Travellers are Travellers but not Gypsy, as they are not Romani, and they cannot be made into Ro mani how ever hard some people may like to try. Even the fact that the Roma(ni) Union basically made them sign themselves into the IRU as “RoMA2 still does not make them Romani or Roma. I do assume, however, that this is rather difficult to understand by some people.
Why the Gypsy Council wants all Gypsies of the UK to unite and then cities to start with this trash about the Dale Farm illegal Irish Traveller camp can only be a mystery.
Gypsy, according to the real and true understanding, are, also according to the old Oxford dictionary, the Romany, of a travelling Race, originally from (Northern) India. It makes no mention of Irish Travellers and especially not of the kind that is illegally encamped in on that location in the Basildon area of Essex.
Those are but pretenders even as far as Irish Travellers are concerned as they are not thos that are of the real Travellers of Ireland but the offspring of those that came to the UK to make use of the welfare state just after WWII. When are the likes of those that are championing their cause are going to understand and admit that. What political mileage are they getting out of this and what financial mileage?
Some of them were jailed in Eire because of their political work for the Irish travellers and they came over into the UK in pursuance of the continuation of this “work” and also, for that reason, never having any real concern for the “real” Gypsy, set up organizations in Britain supposedly for Gypsies but in truth all that was for was for the Irish that cause the Romani, the Gypsy, so much problems. Were it not for the behavior of the Irish Travellers, of the hinditi-meskere, the Romani in the UK would not have been faced with the problems and hostility that we have been faced with ever since around the 1950's.
We want somewhere to live and settle, say the residents at that illegal Irish Traveller camp called “Dale Farm”. So, no problem with that. Get a house or an apartment, rent or buy, you choice. They have been house dwellers before anyway, the great majority of them. Now they, probably, claim “Gypsy Culture” and such like and therefore they could not go and live in a house. The truth is that all they know is scam jobs blacktopping an such and you are not very welcome in a housing estate with tarmac trucks and such.
When it comes to the problems caused by the Irish Travellers to the Gypsy, the Romani, those are now go even beyond the borders of the UK and have reached the European mainland and their behavior is now making it nigh impossible for Sinti and Manouche to go “ap i reisa” in Germany, France, etc. and even the Romani in Norway and Sweden are having problems because of the way Irish Travellers have behaved in those countries.
I shall keep on pointing out the fact that I am pointing out here whether or not some people would like to threaten me and this publication.
We also know why some people kept attacking the background and former affiliations of the late Tom Odley (of blessed memory); it was because he knew of the background of some people that make themselves so big and important in the Gypsy Industry in the UK and elsewhere.
Obviously, some people do not like the truth and Tatchipen is something that they are more afraid of than anything else, it would seem. One can but wonder why. They then to use character assassination in order to make other people look bad, those people that know who and what they really are.
Dosta penauas me djinau.
Remember! Gypsy equals Romani and not simple “people of a travelling lifestyle”. The Gypsy People are a Race, a Race apart. Our People best remember that too.
© M Smith (Veshengro), June 2008
I am proud to be Gypsy...
...declared Jacques Abardonado (29), who plays for the Nuremberg Football Club in Germany, who until recently was a player for O.G.C. Niece in France, whence he comes, in an interview. Jacques Abardonado, also called “ Pancho”, the blond-headed Manouche, wants, with this declaration, to improve the image of the Romani People. “Gypsies”, 'Pancho' said, “are always seen by the public as people wanting a fight and as thieves and vagabonds. When we arrive at a place the shout immediately goes forth 'Watch out! The Gypsies are in town!' I have got a different image here and I can change the image of the People by doing this”.
This is a very refreshing thing, to have one of the likes of “Pancho” stand up publicly and declare that he is Rom, Gypsy, and proud to be one.
What is stopping you, and you, and yes, you there in the corner too, from doing the same and proclaiming openly that you are ethnic Gypsy and that you are proud to be thus?
Oh, what was that? You say that that is easy for him... he is a professional footballer. Well, he is also not the only professional footballer who is Rom and also not the fist to be open about it but, as far as I can see, he is probably the only one who has ever been that open about it.
All I can say is “good on you, mate!” to “Pancho” and hopefully many young Rom will take him as a role model and, aside from modelling themselves along his lines, so to speak, also follow his lead of publicly declaring membership of the People of the Rom.
© Michael Smith (Veshengro), February 2008
The Ostrich Syndrome
Every time, so it would see, that anywhere and any time Anti-Gypsy-ism by the State is mentioned, our People, especially those Romani not directly affected, instead of standing up in righteous indignation turn into ostriches and bury their heads in the sand. That way they hope that no one notices what they are, e.g. Gypsies, so it would appear.
Pastor Niemoeller of Germany put it ever so well in his poem which starts, if I recall properly, “First they came for the communists but I did not speak out because I was not a communist” and ends with, “When they came for me there was no one left to speak out”.
So, presently they come, maybe, for the Machwaya and other Roma in the East and many of ours here in the West seem to think that it has nothing to do with them because, for one, they are not Machwaya, and often not even Roma, and two, because it does not actually affect them and their families. We have indeed become that narrow minded in our “solidarity”.
There are what amounts to basically nothing else but concentration camps for Rom being planned and constructed under the guise of “solidarity villages” in Italy which is meant to house up to 1500 Rom each and where they are to be placed under the watchful eye of armed – obviously, we are talking about Italy – Ministry of the Interior Anti-Terrorist Police, and the media everywhere, but especially in the EU, is silent – bar one little voice like “O Nevo Drom” – and our People, in general and especially our so-called “leaders” are silent; the ordinary Gypsy goes into hiding and the “leaders” are too much in the pockets of the paymasters of the EU in order to be able to complain against such actions as this might lose their funding.
In the Czech Republic, we hear, the authorities propose to surround Gypsy quarters in towns and Gypsy villages and enclaves with up to eight foot high brick walls topped with razor wire and one entry-exit gate that will be guarded by police “in order to protect the Gypsies from attacks by skinheads and other fascist elements”. Yes, sure! And on an airfield nearby a squadron of pigs is preparing for take-off”. It was the same kind of lies that were believed by Sinti and Roma under Nazi occupation when they were forced into fixed camps and then ghettos.
Also here, in those instances as to yet another EU state, the media is silent as the so-called “leaders” of the People and the People bury their heads still deeper in the sand.
No good doing that, folks! Everyone can see your Gypsy behinds sticking up and that way it is so much easier to kick you.
We should have a definite “No Ostriches Allowed!” policy.
While there may not be much that we can do in practice in way of something practical. We hardly have an army or police force that can intervene there nor do we, as yet, have the political clout – not even as an entire People – to have some serious words with the countries that are (proposing) to do all those things but... In any such case we, as a People, can at least make the world take note that we, the People, are aware of what is going on and are watching them and that way they may just take notice of us as a “force2 to be reckoned with. We have millions of People worldwide and I am sure that we could achieve something together.
But nothing will ever be achieved if the “I am all right, Jack” attitude persists in which others of our People and their situation and plight remains ignored.
I must say that I am not about to help any of ours who have no wish to make any efforts of helping themselves. Like so many of the poor Rom in Eastern Europe who would not need to be thus if they would but be prepared to get the finger out. But we must stand with those, even if we cannot physically do that, that are under those threats as mentioned and others.
Anti-Gypsy-ism is on the rise again and in Bulgaria right-wing parties, are, again, calling for organized Gypsy Hunts. In Hungary a successor organization of the Arrow Cross has been set up and it is using, so it is said, that old insignia.
All this, in this writer's view, is becoming more significant ever since the new EU Constitution is being played with.
What place is there for the Rom in this New Europe? The way things are looking they do not want there to be a place for the Rom in this new entity whatever lip service they are paying to Roma(ni) Rights and all that.
And all our People do – the great majority – is to pretend that it is not happening, to pretend that they are not Rom – like the Sinti in Germany, and simply hide like ostriches hoping that it will all just pass them and their families by.
Get you heads out of the sand and let's do something together for the future of the Romani People as a People. The time is NOW, not next week or next year.
Forwards together for the People.
© M V Smith, August 2007
Pastor Niemoeller of Germany put it ever so well in his poem which starts, if I recall properly, “First they came for the communists but I did not speak out because I was not a communist” and ends with, “When they came for me there was no one left to speak out”.
So, presently they come, maybe, for the Machwaya and other Roma in the East and many of ours here in the West seem to think that it has nothing to do with them because, for one, they are not Machwaya, and often not even Roma, and two, because it does not actually affect them and their families. We have indeed become that narrow minded in our “solidarity”.
There are what amounts to basically nothing else but concentration camps for Rom being planned and constructed under the guise of “solidarity villages” in Italy which is meant to house up to 1500 Rom each and where they are to be placed under the watchful eye of armed – obviously, we are talking about Italy – Ministry of the Interior Anti-Terrorist Police, and the media everywhere, but especially in the EU, is silent – bar one little voice like “O Nevo Drom” – and our People, in general and especially our so-called “leaders” are silent; the ordinary Gypsy goes into hiding and the “leaders” are too much in the pockets of the paymasters of the EU in order to be able to complain against such actions as this might lose their funding.
In the Czech Republic, we hear, the authorities propose to surround Gypsy quarters in towns and Gypsy villages and enclaves with up to eight foot high brick walls topped with razor wire and one entry-exit gate that will be guarded by police “in order to protect the Gypsies from attacks by skinheads and other fascist elements”. Yes, sure! And on an airfield nearby a squadron of pigs is preparing for take-off”. It was the same kind of lies that were believed by Sinti and Roma under Nazi occupation when they were forced into fixed camps and then ghettos.
Also here, in those instances as to yet another EU state, the media is silent as the so-called “leaders” of the People and the People bury their heads still deeper in the sand.
No good doing that, folks! Everyone can see your Gypsy behinds sticking up and that way it is so much easier to kick you.
We should have a definite “No Ostriches Allowed!” policy.
While there may not be much that we can do in practice in way of something practical. We hardly have an army or police force that can intervene there nor do we, as yet, have the political clout – not even as an entire People – to have some serious words with the countries that are (proposing) to do all those things but... In any such case we, as a People, can at least make the world take note that we, the People, are aware of what is going on and are watching them and that way they may just take notice of us as a “force2 to be reckoned with. We have millions of People worldwide and I am sure that we could achieve something together.
But nothing will ever be achieved if the “I am all right, Jack” attitude persists in which others of our People and their situation and plight remains ignored.
I must say that I am not about to help any of ours who have no wish to make any efforts of helping themselves. Like so many of the poor Rom in Eastern Europe who would not need to be thus if they would but be prepared to get the finger out. But we must stand with those, even if we cannot physically do that, that are under those threats as mentioned and others.
Anti-Gypsy-ism is on the rise again and in Bulgaria right-wing parties, are, again, calling for organized Gypsy Hunts. In Hungary a successor organization of the Arrow Cross has been set up and it is using, so it is said, that old insignia.
All this, in this writer's view, is becoming more significant ever since the new EU Constitution is being played with.
What place is there for the Rom in this New Europe? The way things are looking they do not want there to be a place for the Rom in this new entity whatever lip service they are paying to Roma(ni) Rights and all that.
And all our People do – the great majority – is to pretend that it is not happening, to pretend that they are not Rom – like the Sinti in Germany, and simply hide like ostriches hoping that it will all just pass them and their families by.
Get you heads out of the sand and let's do something together for the future of the Romani People as a People. The time is NOW, not next week or next year.
Forwards together for the People.
© M V Smith, August 2007
Romani Solidarity
or
When one of us bleeds we all do!
“When the Union's inspiration through the People's Blood shall run” would be the first line of the rewritten workers' song “Solidarity Forever”, to suit the Romani struggle, the refrain, the chorus, however, remaining the same, e.g. “Solidarity Forever” and it is this solidarity that we will have to learn, methinks, or relearn, to be more precise.
In truth, there was once a time when we seem to have had something of this solidarity, though never, it would appear, for the entire People. If we want to get anywhere in this world as a People, as a Nation proper, then this must change and we must find it in our hearts to have solidarity with our fellow Rom wherever on this planet that may be. If they hurt and are being attacked or discriminated against the n so is and should every one of us feel that hurt and we should fell righteous anger to speak out against such abuses, etc. But most of us, nowadays, just sit on our butts and hands and do nothing. The formula seems to be “I am all right Jack, what do I care”.
Or was this solidarity of the Romani People of old and the community spirit and the helping all Rom in need just something that everyone has imagined and is it but a myth. From what I am seeing in the last 20-30 years or so I must say it could appear to have been just so.
I do know that in fact that this solidarity did exist but that was before envy end jealousy began to rule our hearts and minds. It was, strangely enough, at a time when life was harder and money scarce and in very short supply often that the Rom shared with any Rom in need. Today, however, sadly, we are worse in that respect than the Gadsche.
We must, however, concentrate with this solidarity on our People, the Romani People and not support the wrong causes, such as illegal encampments by Irish Travellers, for instance, who in other instances will not hesitate to use even the force of arms to push Romanichal residents from official council Gypsy sites and then take those over, forcing the Rom to take to the drom again and then illegal encamp. No Irish Traveller has ever, as far as I know, come to the aid of a Romani family that was forced with eviction. Misplaced solidarity will not reciprocated.
Romani are Romani, as I have said before elsewhere, and Irish Travellers are Irish Travellers and while there are some Romani in Ireland, North and South, the majority of Irish Travellers are not Romani and do not share the same Culture and values. While they may lead a similar life to that what the Romani used to, and some still, do live that is about where the similarities end. While the Rom are a Race the Irish Travellers are nothing but Gohja in trailers, and let's not get fooled in believing the stories about them being an ancient pre-Celtic nomadic people of Eire. Those Irish Travellers that are in trailers (and in kennas) in Eire and in the UK (and those that went to the USA and elsewhere from Great Britain and Ireland) are no older as a travelling people than the potato famine and the great majority in the UK especially only came here during the wars and especially after World War II, the men first as laborers on the road build projects who then later brought their families over, having discovered that the British welfare state would give them anything they wanted without much of a question being asked unlike Ireland where no welfare state existed at that time. Am i being unfair? I do not think so.
When it comes to solidarity it is, as said, our race that comes first and must come first and all of us should feel and express a righteous indignation if but one member of our People is being discriminated against. Alas, however, this does not seem to be the case. Rather, it would appear, most are too busy hiding their ethnicity from the Gohja, who know anyway (I shall say again that no one will ever believe that Giovanni Mettbach is an Italian name), rather than standing up for our brothers and sisters so that they may see this solidarity and, should anyone else of us be in trouble, they are inspired to do the same for us.
One for all and all for one, so, apparently, was the motto of the French Musketeers and this is a motto that we, the Rom, in today's world, would do well to adopt.
© M V Smith, June 2007
When one of us bleeds we all do!
“When the Union's inspiration through the People's Blood shall run” would be the first line of the rewritten workers' song “Solidarity Forever”, to suit the Romani struggle, the refrain, the chorus, however, remaining the same, e.g. “Solidarity Forever” and it is this solidarity that we will have to learn, methinks, or relearn, to be more precise.
In truth, there was once a time when we seem to have had something of this solidarity, though never, it would appear, for the entire People. If we want to get anywhere in this world as a People, as a Nation proper, then this must change and we must find it in our hearts to have solidarity with our fellow Rom wherever on this planet that may be. If they hurt and are being attacked or discriminated against the n so is and should every one of us feel that hurt and we should fell righteous anger to speak out against such abuses, etc. But most of us, nowadays, just sit on our butts and hands and do nothing. The formula seems to be “I am all right Jack, what do I care”.
Or was this solidarity of the Romani People of old and the community spirit and the helping all Rom in need just something that everyone has imagined and is it but a myth. From what I am seeing in the last 20-30 years or so I must say it could appear to have been just so.
I do know that in fact that this solidarity did exist but that was before envy end jealousy began to rule our hearts and minds. It was, strangely enough, at a time when life was harder and money scarce and in very short supply often that the Rom shared with any Rom in need. Today, however, sadly, we are worse in that respect than the Gadsche.
We must, however, concentrate with this solidarity on our People, the Romani People and not support the wrong causes, such as illegal encampments by Irish Travellers, for instance, who in other instances will not hesitate to use even the force of arms to push Romanichal residents from official council Gypsy sites and then take those over, forcing the Rom to take to the drom again and then illegal encamp. No Irish Traveller has ever, as far as I know, come to the aid of a Romani family that was forced with eviction. Misplaced solidarity will not reciprocated.
Romani are Romani, as I have said before elsewhere, and Irish Travellers are Irish Travellers and while there are some Romani in Ireland, North and South, the majority of Irish Travellers are not Romani and do not share the same Culture and values. While they may lead a similar life to that what the Romani used to, and some still, do live that is about where the similarities end. While the Rom are a Race the Irish Travellers are nothing but Gohja in trailers, and let's not get fooled in believing the stories about them being an ancient pre-Celtic nomadic people of Eire. Those Irish Travellers that are in trailers (and in kennas) in Eire and in the UK (and those that went to the USA and elsewhere from Great Britain and Ireland) are no older as a travelling people than the potato famine and the great majority in the UK especially only came here during the wars and especially after World War II, the men first as laborers on the road build projects who then later brought their families over, having discovered that the British welfare state would give them anything they wanted without much of a question being asked unlike Ireland where no welfare state existed at that time. Am i being unfair? I do not think so.
When it comes to solidarity it is, as said, our race that comes first and must come first and all of us should feel and express a righteous indignation if but one member of our People is being discriminated against. Alas, however, this does not seem to be the case. Rather, it would appear, most are too busy hiding their ethnicity from the Gohja, who know anyway (I shall say again that no one will ever believe that Giovanni Mettbach is an Italian name), rather than standing up for our brothers and sisters so that they may see this solidarity and, should anyone else of us be in trouble, they are inspired to do the same for us.
One for all and all for one, so, apparently, was the motto of the French Musketeers and this is a motto that we, the Rom, in today's world, would do well to adopt.
© M V Smith, June 2007
Hiding our Gypsy Ethnicity – Does that protect us?
The simple answer would be NO.
It has been going on for ages already, but seems to have really only been done since after World War II whether in places such as Germany or Austria or in the UK. While it is understandable for Sinti and Roma in Germany, especially, to have gone more or less into hiding and denying their ethnicity, especially those that have moved into houses and more or less “ordinary” jobs or into trade, such as scrap yards, and claiming to be of Italian extraction or other southern such but it makes no difference. In the UK one nowadays hears the comments from Romanichals when asked whether they be Gypsy, People with names like Brazil (find me a non-Rom by that name), and the answer more often then not will be, “our grandparents were Gypsies but we are not, we live in a house”. Is that, though, a deliberate hiding of their ancestry? In fact in most cases it is not but just a lack of understanding of the fact that being Gypsy is not a lifestyle but that we are a People and a Race.
However, it would appear that here, but especially in places such as Germany, Austria, France, etc. one might find the Sinti and Roma pretending to be somethings else than what they are and are in fact, at least to outsiders, hiding their ethnicity. It is also my belief that for that very reason many give their children Italian, Spanish or Greek sounding names, such as Marco, Sandro, Pedro, Massimo, Giovanni, and such, in order so that they can claim that they are of Italian or other such Mediterranean ancestry; anything but Sinti or Roma.
Methinks we have a problem and unless we all get away from pretending to be something that we are not and be in fact proud, also to the outside, that we are Sinti or Roma, that we are Gypsy, Zigeuner, with basically the attitude “I am Gypsy and proud of it” (“and if you have a problem with that so be it” - as an undertone).
We can never fight racism and discrimination against us as a People when the majority of our People hide and while wishing to have the discriminations and such go away, without in fact doing anything about it, not even joining an organization as a passive supporting member. Well, we all have to work for it; probably visibly, and I know that at times that will not be easy, but...
© M V Smith, June 2007
It has been going on for ages already, but seems to have really only been done since after World War II whether in places such as Germany or Austria or in the UK. While it is understandable for Sinti and Roma in Germany, especially, to have gone more or less into hiding and denying their ethnicity, especially those that have moved into houses and more or less “ordinary” jobs or into trade, such as scrap yards, and claiming to be of Italian extraction or other southern such but it makes no difference. In the UK one nowadays hears the comments from Romanichals when asked whether they be Gypsy, People with names like Brazil (find me a non-Rom by that name), and the answer more often then not will be, “our grandparents were Gypsies but we are not, we live in a house”. Is that, though, a deliberate hiding of their ancestry? In fact in most cases it is not but just a lack of understanding of the fact that being Gypsy is not a lifestyle but that we are a People and a Race.
However, it would appear that here, but especially in places such as Germany, Austria, France, etc. one might find the Sinti and Roma pretending to be somethings else than what they are and are in fact, at least to outsiders, hiding their ethnicity. It is also my belief that for that very reason many give their children Italian, Spanish or Greek sounding names, such as Marco, Sandro, Pedro, Massimo, Giovanni, and such, in order so that they can claim that they are of Italian or other such Mediterranean ancestry; anything but Sinti or Roma.
Methinks we have a problem and unless we all get away from pretending to be something that we are not and be in fact proud, also to the outside, that we are Sinti or Roma, that we are Gypsy, Zigeuner, with basically the attitude “I am Gypsy and proud of it” (“and if you have a problem with that so be it” - as an undertone).
We can never fight racism and discrimination against us as a People when the majority of our People hide and while wishing to have the discriminations and such go away, without in fact doing anything about it, not even joining an organization as a passive supporting member. Well, we all have to work for it; probably visibly, and I know that at times that will not be easy, but...
© M V Smith, June 2007
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