The Rom Sociology
The Rom
People of Purity
People of Pollution
By
A. Hertzberg
Anthropology 310
Tuesday – Thursday 11 am
Professor Hertzberg
Spring 2005 The Rom: People of Purity, People of Pollution
Table of Contents
Topic Page
Introduction 2
Purity and Pollution 5
Analysis and Conclusion 11
Works Cited …show more content…
The Gypsies or Rom are such a group. The Rom probably originated in Indiai , however, most of them left India between 400-1000 A.D. When they left India, a large number of them traveled to Egypt, where the Egyptians generally accepted them. The Rom were said to have acquired the name “Gypsy” because of their stay in Egypt. About 1200 AD the Egyptians no longer accepted them as they had originally; that is when the Rom began traveling throughout Eastern Europe and later the rest of the world.
Today the Rom can be found in almost all corners of the earth. They operate within other cultures, but always keep themselves in separate identifiable neighborhoods, or move as a group from place to place, physically isolating themselves wherever they stop. The population size of the Rom today is not definite due to their nomadic and separate nature. “It has been estimated that there are between 1 million and 6 million Gypsies around the world.” (Gropper …show more content…
natsia). These are, in order of social status (higher to lower), the Machwaya, Lowara, Kalderasha, and the Churara. They have a band type society and are typically nomadic, living in communities or kumpaniyi (sing. kumpania). The kumpania is the most important economic group in Romany society. Each kumpania is made up of family units or familiyi. Each large extended family (familia) is headed by the eldest functioning adult. “…together elders make social, economic, and moral, decisions for the kumpania.” (Sutherland 11) These tight-knit groups are the primary support systems of each Rom
People of Purity
People of Pollution
By
A. Hertzberg
Anthropology 310
Tuesday – Thursday 11 am
Professor Hertzberg
Spring 2005 The Rom: People of Purity, People of Pollution
Table of Contents
Topic Page
Introduction 2
Purity and Pollution 5
Analysis and Conclusion 11
Works Cited …show more content…
The Gypsies or Rom are such a group. The Rom probably originated in Indiai , however, most of them left India between 400-1000 A.D. When they left India, a large number of them traveled to Egypt, where the Egyptians generally accepted them. The Rom were said to have acquired the name “Gypsy” because of their stay in Egypt. About 1200 AD the Egyptians no longer accepted them as they had originally; that is when the Rom began traveling throughout Eastern Europe and later the rest of the world.
Today the Rom can be found in almost all corners of the earth. They operate within other cultures, but always keep themselves in separate identifiable neighborhoods, or move as a group from place to place, physically isolating themselves wherever they stop. The population size of the Rom today is not definite due to their nomadic and separate nature. “It has been estimated that there are between 1 million and 6 million Gypsies around the world.” (Gropper …show more content…
natsia). These are, in order of social status (higher to lower), the Machwaya, Lowara, Kalderasha, and the Churara. They have a band type society and are typically nomadic, living in communities or kumpaniyi (sing. kumpania). The kumpania is the most important economic group in Romany society. Each kumpania is made up of family units or familiyi. Each large extended family (familia) is headed by the eldest functioning adult. “…together elders make social, economic, and moral, decisions for the kumpania.” (Sutherland 11) These tight-knit groups are the primary support systems of each Rom