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The Roma throughout Europe have resisted assimilation and clung to their own customs. Relations between local populations and Gypsies It is known that at the beginning the reception was good because the mysterious nature of their origin made a profound impression on Medieval society. In the space, though, of a few decades curiosity was transmuted into hostility as a result of their very different way of life from that of the sedentary population. The European prejudice against Gypsy gradually became more marked discrimination, and then persecution. They are generally seen as traveling in caravans and made a living through trading. There are especially associated with southern Europe, particularly the Balkans. They were esoecially important in Romania and Hungary. Hungary for several centuries was associated in one way or another with Austria. The Austrian Empire evolved into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As Tsarist Russia developed a multi-national empire, Russia also acquired a population of gypsies. The attituudes and policies of these countries changed over time. At times there wre periods of culturral tolerance. At other times there was severe repression and efforts at forced assimilation. The Roma spread throughout Europe, although the numbers and cultural impact in Western Europe tended to be less than Eastern Europe. They were also important in Spain. Their impact has been noted in both Europeasn dance and music. The Roma were strongly affected by World War II as many countries with important Roma populations were occupied by the NAZIs. Under the NAZIs. the Roma were prcecuted. Many were sent to the concentration camps. The NAZIs were unsure at first what to do with them, but then began gassing them like the Jews. It is calculated that a half million Gypsyes were killed during the Holocaust.
The Khoraxané or Xoraxané are a Gypsey group apparently from Anatolia that settled in the central Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Southern Serbia, Macedonia and Albania) during the Ottoman rule. The term 'Saracene' (Muslim) is often used in Europe to describe these Gypsys.
A substantial number of Khoraxané Roma migrated to South America (early-20th century). We are not sure what prompted this. Their primary initial destination was Brazil. Most apparently settled there. Some went on to other countries or subsequently traveled to other countries. Quite a number went on to Chile. A few Roma had previously migrated ton South America. But the Khoraxané Roma became the dominant group. They are the only ″autochthonous″ Gypsy group in this country. The Chilean grooup has become increasingly important. We are not sure why Chile became a preferred destination. In South America the Khoraxané are often referred to as 'Gitano Chileno'. Their dialect is similar to that used by the European Khoraxané, but is even closer to mainstream Romany. They call themselves ″Jorajané″ in Spanish. They aadhere to the Romany Law and are Christians. Most have Christian Slavic surnames (Arestić, Nikolić, and Pantić), but new ones like California have begun to appear. One noticeable characteristic is red hair which is very common. Some Chilean Jorajané have moved on to Argentina and other South American countries as well as Mexico and the United States. There is also a degree of intermarriage between Kalderaša and Mačvaya.
We know little about Gypsey communities in Asia. As far as we know, there are no significant such communities outside of India where they are believed to have originated. This includes the countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, and other countries that they must have passed through to get to Europe. We are not sure just why that is or the historical patterns involved.
Armenia is on the poorly defined boundary between Europe and Asia. It appears to have polayed a major role in Gypsey history, probably one of the major routes out of Iran/Persia into Europe. Very little is know about the Gypsey migration into Europe, but the fact that many words in Romani ort of Armenian origin strongly suggests that the migrating Gyseys spent some time there.
Most scholars believe that the ancestors of European Gypsies began emigrating from northern India (11th century AD). Some sources say they fled Muslim invaders, others that they were expelled by the Muslim rulers who entered norther India. The contemporary Indian people that are believe to shares a relationship with the Roma are the Banjara and to a lesser extent the Domba. One theory claims that the Banjara descended from Jews the Romans expelled from Palestine. The Banjara apparently came to India from Egypt and Persia although there is no real documentation of this. Nor do we know of any DNA evidence of this Jewish relationship. There is no know Jewish religious heritage. The Banjara today are spread out all over India, but are concentrated in the south. The Banjara are primarily Hindu, but there are some Muslims as well. The topic is very complicated. There are more than 50 different names used to describe them, in some case terms for related groups or subgroups. Because of their nomadic life style and migration to different areas, many local mames developed for them. About half of the Banjara speak Lambadi or Lamani and about a quarter speak Banjara. Other speak a wide variety of India's many regional languages. We are unsure about the linguistic relationship of these languages to European Romani. They presumably all have Sanskrit roots with words adopted from the various countries in which different Gypsey bands javce lived over time. The Banjara are often referred to as the gypsies of India. We do not know if there have been DNA studies conducted to prove historical links. The term may desctibe life style similarities as the Banjra like European Gypsies had nomadic life styles. The term Banjara has been variously asessed. One source suggests is derived from the word 'bajika', which means trade or business and from 'banji', meaning peddlers pack. Another source describes Banjara as a colloquial form of the Sanskrit 'vana chara' meaning 'forest wanderers'. This apparently related to their role of as forest wood gatherers. Many Banjara live in poverty in India today. The nomadic life style prevented the children from getting an education. Many have now begun to settle into permanent locations.
The various European Gypsie community all have the same origins. Gypsies are believed to have originated in the northern Asian Subcontinent--modern India. They began a migration to Europe and North Africa through Pakistan and India some 1,000 years ago. Muslim invasions seem to have been the propelling force. This began the nomadic life-style of European Gypsies. Future European Gypsies the proceeded into Anatolia and/ort Armenia. There is no known record of this migration, but the number of Armenian-origin words suggests that that they may have traveled through Armenia. We know that they were in the Byzantine Empire (11th century). They appear to have established themselves in the southern Balkan countries (Serbia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Hungary and the surrounding area) (12th century). It seems that a combinatiin of Mongols and Tartars drove the Gypsies into the Balkans and theen north into Wallachia and than Hungary. Eastern Europe was in turmoil. Russian refugees fled west. Khubilai Khan died (1294). After this the Mongol Empire began a slow decline. This enbded the Mongol threat to Europe. And apparently enabled the Gypsies to expand more rapidly in Europe. They were noted in Dubrovnik (1362) which mean that they were found through the Balkans (early 15th century). Turkish pressure drive the Gypies to the north into Hungary. As a result, they came to be seen as an Eastern and Southern European ethnic group. This was the case because the Islamic socities of the Middle east and North Africa were not very tolerant of them and the more prosperous modern European society proved a powerful draw. As the Austrians reconquered these areas, the Gypies were able to spread into Austria and Germanyvand eventually Western Europe. Traditionally they spoke Romani, an Indo-Aryan language believed to have developed from Sanskrit. Greadually they began speaking the the nationallanguages where they lived.
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