Roma culture and tradition

The Roma are ancient people who have no

state of their own, but they exist and live in
different parts of the world. The number of
Roma inhabitants, only in Europe, is
estimated to 12 million people. The total of
Roma people in the world is assumed to be
around 20 million. Because of the fact that
the Roma people do not have their own
state, and are outspread worldwide, we ask
the question: Where do they originate from
and which one is their mother state?
According to some specific analysis based upon
the cultural differences, the language and the
tradition, it is proven that the Roma people
originate from India. The Roma people have some
similar holydays as the Indians, with similar
names and practices, and the Roma language has
a great number of identical words and phrases
that are still used in the Indian language. This is
strong evidence with social, cultural and language
aspect for the connection of the two nations.
However, we need biological evidence based
upon genetic analysis which will prove where the
Roma people originate from.
There are several scientific studies which prove the
genetic origin of the Roma from India. In the
scientific study “Origins, admixture and founder
lineages in European Roma” from the authors
Begona Martinez-Cruz, IzabelMendizabal and
their associates published on the 16th September
2015 on the internet page of the scientific journal
“Nature”, there are analyzed 753 genomes (the
complete set of genes) of Roma people and 984
genomes of Non-Roma people from Europe.
The analysis has shown that the Roma samples
have lower genetic diversity (as a result of no
mixing of the Roma genetic pool) in
comparison to the Non-Roma samples.
Because of the genetic drift, the variations
(changes in the genetic structure) are
increased at the Roma population, which,
also, are present at the Indian population, but
are rare at the other populations.
As one of the main evidence, the Roma have a
high frequency of H-M69 Y chromosome (at
males) and mitochondrial DNA М5, М8, М25
and М35haplogroups which are frequent at
the Indian population. As an additional
evidence at the Roma people are found rare
mutations (which cause diseases), and the
same ones are present at the population in
India and Pakistan.
According to the analysis in this study published
in “Nature”, the Roma people migrated from
India around 1000 years ago. They crossed
what was then Persia, Armenia, and Turkey
and got to the Balkan Peninsula. In the 15th
century some Roma groups migrated from the
Balkan to the whole European continent.
 A certain group, known as “Vlahs Roma”,
migrated over the banks of the river Danube
and inhabited the spaces of today’s countries
Romania and Moldavia and a part of Hungary,
where they were captivated from the native
population and were under slavery for a long
period of time.
 Other group of Balkan Roma, known as
“Romungro”, migrated in the Austro-
Hungarian Empire and were a target for
assimilation from the Austro-Hungarians. The
other groups migrated in the west and central
parts of Europe, and part of them stayed on
the Balkan Peninsula.
 GENETIC ROOTS OF THE ROMA
PEOPLE
According to another scientific study named as “Refining the
South Asian Origin of the Romani people” from the authors
Bela I. Melegh,ZsoltBanfai, Kinga Hadzsiev and Attila Miset
published on the 31th of August 2017 on
www.bmcgenet.biomedcentral.com, the Roma people have
identical DNA parts (sequences) with North-Indian ethnical
minorities located in Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
There were found smaller identical DNA sequences at the
Roma and some ethnical minorities in Pakistan as Bloch,
Brahui, Kalash, Makrani, Pashtuns and others.
Thanks to genetics, the Indian origin of the Roma people is
confirmed and certified. Although the Roma people left
India 1000 years ago, the Indian genes are still present in
them, and in their veins runs Indian blood.
• .
As it is known in science, especially in biology, the
last word is given by genetics, which is the DNA
molecule. What is DNA, and how can it possess
answers to difficult questions, as for example the
origin of the Roma people?
DNA is a molecule present in all cells of the living
organisms and carries information about the
individual. The Macedonian alphabet has 31
letters, the English has 26, whereas the alphabet
of the DNA has only 4 letters: A, T, G and C.
The specific order of these 4 letters in the DNA
specifies all genes (information about synthesis of
proteins) at one individual.
Introduction

1. Origin of the Roma (

documents, legends and etc.)
2. Old nation with a long history
( roots in India)
3. Old Indian ethnical
community with Aryan origin
4. Dzingis Kan’s expeditions had
left difficult consequences
5. Leaving of the mother land
India
The name of the Roma

1. Origin from Rama( epos “

Ramayana”)
2. Sints – Germany
3. Roma– Canada, South Africa,
Australia
4. Official name
5. 1000 years old history and
one language which comes
out from the Sanskrit
6. First congress 1971
London(anthem, flag, name)
Language

1. Attention among the

scientific circles (linguists,
anthropologists )
2. Similar with the Indian
language(connection with
culture, music, art, literature
etc.)
3. Indo-European group of
languages (very close with
the Hindustani an)
4. Male,female 2 genders,
plural and singular,
melodically and dynamical
language
Migrations
1. Migrations- collective
characteristics
2. 9th and 14th century massive
migrations in Europe and in
the Balkans
3. 3 three migratory streams:
-northern stream : Russia,
Romania and Serbia
- second stream: Persia, Little
Asia, Greece
- Egyptian stream: From Asia
to the Balkans and Pyrenean
Peninsula
4. They can adapt well,
preserved numerous
characteristics
Populating the Macedonian
territory
1. Arrival on the Macedonian
territory- end of the 12th and
the beginning of the 14th
century
2. Most numerous migrations-
Ottoman reign
3. Forced to declare another
language, name, religion and
ethnicity
Collective characteristics

1. Peaceful and modest people

2. Aren‘t greedy
3. Sociable
4. Cheerful
5. Do not have personal country
6. Often in an inferior position
towards the majority
7. Prejudices among the non-
Roma
Ethnographical characteristics
•Factors that influenced the
change of these characteristics:
1. Migration from one to
another place
2. Pressure from the parent
population
3. Subordinate social position
4. 53. 879 Roma (2, 66 % from
the entire population in R.
Macedonia)
5. Constitution 2001(recognized
as a nation, own council,
mayor and representatives)
6. Roma Decade 2005-2015
7. 18 million Roma, of which 10
million are prevalent in
Europe and the largest
minority in it