What's the first thing that you can think of when you see the word "gypsy"? An evil villain who smuggles children at night? A fortuneteller who sits in front of a crystal ball to tell what future has in store for you? Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame? Whatever it is, I'm sorry, you got it totally wrong.

Are Gypsies Even Real?

The term "gypsy" is actually a derogatory word for Egyptians, whom Europeans believed to be the true origin of this ethnic group. There are two mistakes in this. First, the bleak assumption that the Europeans made is actually quite wrong as new evidence suggests that these people originate from India. Secondly, the proper name for this easily stereotyped group is actually Roma, not what many people believe to be true, gypsy.

The Roma do not possess a lot of shared cultural aspects as their population is scattered all over the world. However, many Romani people share the historical Indian culture of subcastes, which are occupational groups that allow group members to specialize in particular skills. Due to these unique subcastes enabling individuals to become experts in their field, the Romani are widely known for being very talented in music, crafts, woodworks etc. Especially in the olden days when transportation of goods and services were not as developed, the Romani would provide their services by traveling through different regions.

The Eternal "Outsider"

After the great exodus from India more than 1,000 years ago, possibly due to a military invasion, the Romani people scattered throughout the world, leaving their permanent settlements behind and starting a new life as foreigners in other nations. However, they have been prone to discrimination, persecution, segregation, and since the Middle Ages, they have been the victims of slavery, the Holocaust, and communist reinforcement.

The Roma have always been classified as outsiders by the locals no matter where they are. For example, not many people remember the genocide of European Roma during the Jewish Holocaust. Although genetically European Roma were Arians, Hitler declared that they descended from the "least desirable parts" of the Arian race and commenced the barbaric "Gypsy Clean-Up Week" to massacre the Roma. Furthermore, when World war II ended, the vast majority of the disoriented Roma population were stranded and expelled from Europe. When the communism era began, Communist leaders tried to force assimilation upon the Roma, by preventing the use of their language, taking away their culturally-valued items and throwing Romani families into settlements such as ghettos without their consent. No efforts have been made thus far to revitalize the Roma culture and no nation seems to accept the Romani people as their true citizens, ostracizing them from the society.

The Roma In The 21st Century

The Roma makes up the largest ethnic minority in Europe, with more than 8 million Roma inhabiting in central and eastern Europe. Despite their large population, the Roma are still the most impoverished, marginalized and segregated ethnic group, especially in Europe. This marginalization is often idealized into "The Imaginary Gypsy," portraying the free, wandering life of a glorified "gypsy," and often creating the common stereotypical image of a "gypsy" as musically talented, fiery and free-spirited Romantic individuals. However, in reality, many Roma are classified as "illegal immigrants"and are deported frequently, with their personal rights stripped away from them. Thus, various efforts to unite the Roma community is strongly needed, whether it be by the Roma themselves or by the European Union. Also, in order to end the unjust discrimination, our perception of the Roma has to change. Whether this was all new information or already known information, i just hope you can walk away with something, something that has changed your stereotype of the Roma.