What is the religion of the gypsies? Christian or other? Under the wolf sun.
Here is what the Soviet gypsy linguist and ethnographer Lexa Manush (Alexander Dmitrievich Belugin, 1942 - 1997) wrote in his article "The Cult of Shiva and the Gypsies", published in No. 6 of the journal "Soviet Ethnography" for 1979.
The question of the religion of the Gypsies is one of the problems of undoubted interest both for scientists (Gypsies and religious scholars) and for a wide range of non-specialists. When it comes to gypsies, most often, perhaps, one has to hear: “And what faith are they? What is their religion?
However, despite the long history of gypsy studies, very little has been achieved so far in this area, although the authors touch on this issue in almost every monograph on gypsies. True, as a rule, in the sections devoted to religion, it is only reported that the gypsies believe in a god, whom they call devel 'devel', and that his antipode is the devil, whom they call beng 'beng'. among the gypsies, the official religion of a particular country in which they live, i.e., dividing them by religion into Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants or Muslims. At the same time, the Balkan gypsies have a very interesting combination of Islam and Christianity. Many researchers also note, along with the formal religion of the Gypsies, remnants of magical, animistic and other beliefs and rituals. So, in particular, E. Khorvatova points out that inThe religious ideas of the Gypsies were initially dominated by animism and demonology. The desire to comprehend the hierarchy of Christian saints, headed by a triune god, led to a symbiosis of two systems of different development - polydemonism and monotheism. Some of the researchers discover in the religion of the gypsies and traces of the cult of ancestors taken from India, the very foundations of which, according to A.P. Barannikov, the gypsies, however, have long been forgotten.
Some researchers tend to generally deny that the gypsies have any religious feeling, directly proclaiming them to be obvious atheists, devoid of any religion, while others, on the contrary, note their rare commitment to the church, which surprises the priests themselves. Both of these diametrically opposed points of view among researchers of the religion of the Gypsies are pointed out in their book by G. Mode and Z. Wölffling.However, as E. Fitsovsky rightly wrote about this, speaking of the alleged "godlessness" of the gypsies, the gypsies confuse two different concepts. Not respecting the existing religious systems and not creating their own, the gypsies nevertheless believe in God, the devil and in the afterlife, as evidenced by at least their funeral and memorial rites. In addition, they learned some props of Christian church rituals (church building, "holy" water, crucifixion, faces of saints), which is used in connection with specifically gypsy rituals.
Lexa Manush also noted that then the ancestors of the gypsies, who were an Aryanized indigenous people northwestern India, ranked in the caste system ancient india to the varna, the sudra or dasa, undoubtedly before their migration at the beginning of the second half of the 1st millennium to the west, existed along with the agamic cults and the cult of Shiva. The term dasa (dasa), which was one of the ethnonyms of non-Aryan tribes that the Aryans met upon their arrival in India, later acquired in Sanskrit the meanings of 'demon', 'evil spirit', 'savage', 'barbarian' and, finally, 'slave'. In the dialects of the Balkan and some Vlach gypsies, this word has been preserved in the meaning of the South Slavic peoples once conquered by the Turks - Serbs, Croats and Bulgarians. As a self-name, the gypsies adopted the Sanskrit name of a member of the caste of singers and musicians doma ~ domba, which later gave dom in the dialects of the Asian gypsies, lorn in the Armenian gypsies, and rom in the European gypsies, and in the dialects of the Balkan gypsies it is still preserved with the cerebral consonant - rom. It can be assumed that the adoption by the ancestors of the Gypsies of this term as a self-name was associated with their practice of serving Shiva, who is also known as Nataraja, i.e. the king of dance.
Gypsies are one of the most, perhaps, incomprehensible and mythologized peoples on our planet, and this has been the case for many centuries. There are rumors around the world that when gypsies come to town, they seduce men and women and then steal everything they see, including children.
There are also many myths about cunning and mysterious gypsy fortune-tellers and gypsy camps. In any case, even if we put all the myths and misconceptions aside, the gypsies remain one of the most interesting ethnic groups in history.
WHERE THEY COME FROM
The origin of the gypsies is shrouded in mystery. Sometimes it seemed that they appeared on the planet by some mysteriously. This in itself may have evoked a sense of fear among the Europeans and contributed to an atmosphere of mystery around the Roma. Modern scholars suggest that the Gypsies originally migrated en masse from India in the fifth century.
This theory suggests that their flight was due to the spread of Islam, which the Roma were desperate to avoid in order to protect their religious freedom. This theory claims that the Gypsies migrated from India to Anatolia and further to Europe, where they split into three separate branches: Domari, Lomavren, and the Gypsies themselves. Another theory suggests that there were as many as three separate migrations over several centuries.
THE NOMADIC LIFESTYLE OF THE GYPSIES
Many stereotypes have been formed around the gypsies for a long time. Who does not know the phrase “gypsy soul” (which is applied to freedom-loving people). According to these stereotypes, gypsies prefer to live, as they say, not in the “mainstream” and shun social norms to be able to lead a nomadic life full of fun and dancing. The truth is much darker.
For many centuries, the Roma were often forcibly expelled from the countries in which they lived. Such forced evictions continue to this day. Many historians have suggested that true reason The nomadic lifestyle of the Gypsies is very simple: survival.
Gypsies have no homeland
Gypsies are people without a specific citizenship. Most countries refuse to grant them citizenship, even if they were born in that country. Centuries of persecution and their closed community have left the Gypsies with no homeland. In 2000, the Roma were officially declared a non-territorial nation. This lack of citizenship renders Roma legally “invisible”.
Although they are not subject to the laws of any country, they cannot access education, health care and other social services. Moreover, the Roma cannot even obtain passports, which makes their travel very difficult or impossible.
Gypsy persecution
It's worth starting with the fact that the gypsies were actually enslaved people in Europe, especially in the 14th - 19th centuries. They were traded and sold like a commodity, and they were considered "subhuman". In the 1700s, Maria Theresa, the Empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, passed a law that outlawed the gypsies. This was done to force the Roma to integrate into society.
Similar laws have been passed in Spain, and many European countries have banned Roma from entering their territory. The Nazi regime also persecuted and exterminated Roma by the tens of thousands. Even today, gypsies are persecuted.
NO ONE KNOWS HOW MANY GYPSIES THERE ARE IN THE WORLD
No one knows how many gypsies live all over the world today. Because of the discrimination Roma often face, many of them do not publicly register or identify as Roma. In addition, given their “legal invisibility”, the birth of children without documents and frequent moves, many Roma are listed as missing.
Also problematic is that Roma are not provided with social services, which would help to paint a clearer picture of their numbers. However, The New York Times estimates the number of Roma worldwide at 11 million, a figure often disputed.
Gypsies - an offensive word
For many people, the term "gypsy" means nomad and is not considered a racial slur. But for the “Roma” themselves (or “Romals” - the self-name of the gypsies), this word has ominous overtones. For example, according to the Oxford Dictionary English word“gypped” (derived from “gypsie” - gypsies) means a criminally punishable act.
Roma, often referred to as gypsies, were considered losers and thieves, a word burned into their skin during the Nazi regime. Like many other racial slurs, the word "Gypsy" has been used for centuries to oppress the Roma.
FUTURE, CHEAP…
There are many myths surrounding gypsies. One of these myths says that the gypsies have their own magic, which has been passed down for centuries from generation to generation. The myth is associated with tarot cards, crystal balls and fortune-telling tents, as well as other stereotypes. Literature is replete with references to the gypsy language and the magical arts of this people.
In addition, there are many films that show the curses of gypsies. Even in art, there are many paintings describing Roma as mystical and magical people. However, many scientists believe that all this magic is fiction, derived from the fact that people simply did not know anything about gypsies at all.
NO FORMAL RELIGION
European folklore often claims that the Roma made a temple out of cream cheese. Presumably, they ate it when a period of severe famine set in, so they were left without an official religion. As a rule, gypsies join the church that is the most common in the country in which they live. However, there are many traditional gypsy beliefs. Some scholars believe that there are many links between Roma beliefs and Hinduism.
MODESTY
Although gypsy weddings are often accompanied by mass festivities and luxurious attire, one of their main life principles- modesty. Gypsy dances are most often associated with women's belly dancing. However, many gypsy women never performed what is commonly considered belly dancing today.
Instead, they perform traditional dances that use only their bellies for movement, not their hips, as hip movements are considered immodest. In addition, the long, flowing skirts commonly worn by gypsies serve to cover their legs, as exposing the legs is also considered immodest.
THE GYPSY CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CULTURE IS HUGE
From the very beginning of their existence, the gypsies have been closely associated with singing, dancing and acting. They carried this tradition through the centuries, significantly influenced world art. Many gypsies assimilated into different cultures, influencing them. Many singers, actors, artists, etc. had gypsy roots.
What is the religion of the gypsies? It's not just their outfits that are colorful. Their religious views are also very diverse. They mainly depend on where they live. Although, of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
Where do gypsies professing Orthodoxy live?
For example, among those who live in Russia, the prevailing religion is Orthodoxy, as is the case with the main part of Russians. As in the main part of the CIS countries. Romanians are also Orthodox.
In what countries do Muslim gypsies live?
Lyuli (gypsies living in Tajikistan) predominantly adhere to the Islamic faith. Like many who live in Central Asia and North Africa.
And where do the gypsies-Catholics and Protestants live?
Among the Roma living in Poland and other European countries, the main religion is Catholicism. The same is true with Protestantism. In countries where this religion is widespread, they adhere to it.
In art
In the film "Gypsy Aza" the Sun was often mentioned, and even as a deity. Who knows, maybe they worshiped the Sun and followed him? In any case, one of these people could well.
A legend that is common among the gypsies
A beautiful legend is also widespread among this people. When the Romans decided to crucify Christ, they ordered the blacksmith (who, of course, was a gypsy) to make five large nails, that is, to forge, they were needed for the execution. Four are for the arms and legs, and the fifth is for the heart. He, of course, made an attempt to refuse, but he, with the help of whips, was forced to do this work.
When the execution began, the gypsy quietly swallowed the fifth nail intended for the heart. For this, the Lord loved all the gypsies and patronizes them to this day.
Another version is less poetic: the gypsy simply stole the fifth nail, and for this God allowed the gypsies to steal.
As with any nation, there are also atheists among the gypsies. This is especially typical in our time. And in principle, this is the most believing people. They regularly attend church and perform all the rituals typical of the country in which they live. This is especially true for the older generation.
What can be said as a conclusion?
The life and customs of the gypsy people are in many ways similar to the customs of the countries in which they live. That is, this people have the ability to adapt to everything. Including the religion of the state in which they live on this moment. They do not have an official religion, which these people adhere to in all countries of residence.
Let's start with the literary tradition. From the quotes below, one can judge what has been written about the religiosity of the Gypsies for the past two hundred years:
They do not profess any religion, but follow fetishism, that is, they worship objects useful for their life: tents, carts and forges; they believe like the Turks in predestination. In Christian lands they pretend to be Christians, in Turkey they are Mohammedans, and with Jews they are Jews. one
Mikhail Kogalniceanu. 1837
The gypsies do not have a trace of religion, and if one oriental writer asserts that "there are seventy-two faiths and a half in the world", meaning by "half" the faith of the gypsies, then this is not true, because they have no faith at all. 2
"Light in pictures". 1880
Understanding nothing in the Christian faith, the gypsies usually willingly accept it, but only outwardly. At the same time, he does not even distinguish what faith he accepts - for him all faiths are equally incomprehensible; he only looks at what is more profitable for him. 3
A. Schiele. 1878
... Gypsies are generally not distinguished by religiosity and are more likely to be superstitious than pious. As noted by many researchers of gypsy life, to the question: "What faith are you?" the gypsies answered: "And which one do you need?". four
Hope Demeter. 1995
It is interesting, let's say, that in the Russian outback they may well be Orthodox: they go to church, devoutly baptize themselves. If they migrate to Tataria tomorrow, they will be exemplary Muslims. They're kind of "afraid of getting fired. 5
Nikolay Klimontovich. 1997
For the most part, the literature on religious views Gypsies can be divided into two streams. They are not framed in strict schools, since often the same author in the first paragraph tends to one system of views, and then, without blinking an eye, defends another. Such confusion is characteristic of gypsy studies. But, let's still make a distinction. There are two theories:
1. Gypsies are pagans. But they hide it, taking on the appearance of a different faith.
2. Gypsies are conformists who change religion with extraordinary ease, guided only by profit.
Agree, it's not the same thing. In the first case, the gypsies have their own religion. Let them hide it for security reasons - but still it is there.
Pagan religion? AT modern world it's not a crime. In India alone, eight hundred million people worship pagan gods - which by no means prevents governments from concluding diplomatic treaties with this state, but ordinary people to love Indian cinema... So, if we imagine that the gypsies (the people of Indian origin) by inertia would believe in Rama and Krishna, there would be nothing to worry about.
The second theory is much more dangerous. According to her, there is no place to put a brand on gypsies. They are godless, hypocrites. They do not believe in anything, but they pretend to believe.
I will now discuss both belief systems in order.
I'll start with the gypsy "paganism".
There is no doubt that the Gypsies were originally pagans. Their ancestors, wandering around India, professed the same faith as the entire population of this hot eastern country… If we look at the world as a whole, it turns out that many peoples in that distant era worshiped idols, ancestral spirits, and the like. The ancestors of modern Swedes, Norwegians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, Poles, and Irish were then pagans. I'm not talking about our own ancestors. Even in those Western countries that officially adopted Christianity relatively quickly, pagan communities continued to exist, causing a lot of anxiety among the dominant church.
But the indigenous peoples of Europe did believe in Christ, didn't they?
They believed. Someone earlier than the gypsies, someone at the same time, and someone even later ... And another big question is, whose "Christian experience" is longer!
When the camps reached Byzantium, they no longer held on to pagan cults. Their conversion to Orthodoxy was recorded in writing already in 1322 by Simon Simeonis and Hugo the Enlightened. However, the Gypsies did not accept Christianity in Byzantium, but much earlier - while in Armenia. In any case, it was from the Armenian language that some words from church use entered the gypsy language. So word " patridi"(from the Armenian "patarag" - worship) - is found in many dialects of European gypsies, where it means Easter. In the Balkans, gypsies use the Armenian word" hung"(incense). The Indian word" trishula "(Shiva's trident) was transformed into a cross on the territory of Armenia (" trushul"- among European gypsies, and among Armenians" tresul"). So, we Russians should not forget that the Gypsies adopted Christianity two hundred years earlier than us. I am sure that this fact, well known to scientists, will seem amazing to our society.
Since the exit from Byzantium, nothing indicates that at least part of the camps worshiped Indian deities. Of course, when the nomads appeared in Western Europe, not everyone believed their version of the pilgrimage for the atonement of sins. And ordinary townsfolk, and nobles, and churchmen gossiped that the uninvited guests are in fact: atheists, pagans, idolaters, Mohammedans ... 6 That's right, through a comma, all this was said, although atheism, paganism and Islam are conflicting worldviews.
Who won: gossips or sane Europeans? Last but not least, it depended on the gypsies themselves. It was their daily behavior that inclined the church and parishioners to one policy or another. I dare to say that the gypsies with honor "passed the test" for religious loyalty. In any case, the Inquisition did not touch them (for more on this, see).
Let's analyze the situation on the example of one particular country.
In Sweden, the gypsies were greeted with caution. At first they were mistaken for a fragment of the Mongol-Tatar horde, before which the whole West trembled at that time. Considering that they were dealing with pagans, the Swedes even called the newcomers "Tatars" - it took a hundred years for this erroneous term to be replaced by the word "gypsies". Accordingly, the church at first shared the subconscious fear of the pagan East. In 1560, half a century after the appearance of the nomads, a decree was adopted strictly forbidding the clergy to deal with them ... Meanwhile, time passed. The secular authorities of Sweden, following the example of their neighbors, adopted anti-Gypsy laws, which, by the way, were carried out carelessly. Queen Christina discussed with her court council whether to send the gypsies to America, but it was only a discussion. In practice, the gypsies were equated with "tramps and the poor", sending to the galleys only those who were caught red-handed in theft and the like. In a word, the nomadic camps and society, as it were, looked closely at each other. Already in 1686 the church realized its mistake. When the new Church Code was being adopted, a paragraph was included in its third section, according to which it was allowed to baptize gypsy children, and the gypsies themselves, if they wanted to settle in specific location, admitted to the flock. The softening of the church position had an impact on society as a whole.7
So, gradually the situation returned to normal. Swarthy mothers, as befits Christians, brought their children to church in order to perform the sacrament of baptism. The priests performed the ceremony. This situation suited anyone ... except for the gypsy scholars of the Western school. Is it possible to allow people to trust the nomadic people? And now Charles Lelan scares the gullible public with details that are known only to him. According to him, the gypsies of Scandinavia once a year gather under the cover of night darkness in order to "baptise" all the children whose parents recent times baptized in order to lure gifts from strangers. On this occasion wild orgies are arranged. Nomads worship a small idol, which is kept in the greatest secret by the leader of their tribe.8 This was written in the 19th century, but even today you can find in a quite respectable publication cave ideas about the religious views of the gypsies. Rosemary Helen Guili writes:
"The world of gypsies is inhabited by different spirits and deities. Del is both a god and "everything above" - the sky, heavens and celestial bodies. Pharaun is a god who, they say, was once a great pharaoh in the long-lost land of gypsies," Little Egypt". Beng is the devil, the cause of all evil. Like Christians, the gypsies represented the devil as a freak with a reptile-like tail and the ability to change appearance. There are legends about collusion with the devil. The worship of the Moon and fire is strong among the gypsies; obviously, they never worshiped the sun, at least seriously.The moon is identified with the god Alako, the protector of the gypsies, who takes their souls after death.At first, Alako was Dundra, the son of a god sent to earth to teach people the law: he went up to the moon when he completed his mission, and became a god.Fire is considered sacred, capable of healing, protecting, maintaining health and punishing evil.
The cult of Bibi is the worship of a goddess such as the Greek Lamia, who strangles gorgios - non-gypsy children, infecting them with cholera, tuberculosis and typhoid.
Gypsies also practice the worship of the phallus and inanimate objects such as the anvil. The horse and the bear are considered god-like creatures."9
Do not ask where the researcher got such, to put it mildly, unverified information. Conversations about the beliefs of the gypsies have always been conducted according to the principle: "One woman said." Here is a quote from the work of a foreign gypsy scholar, who, however, did not share the theory of the "god-like" horse, and wrote something directly opposite:
“This sacrificing of a horse was also seen among the Gypsies of the Russian Empire. In 1830, a Russian landowner told me that the Gypsies in the vicinity of Moscow and on the Don arrange horse sacrifices and eat part of their meat, performing the most ancient rite of idolatry.”10
The nameless landowner told - the gypsy scholar wrote down. The theory is proven!.. Of course, Russian gypsies will be surprised if they hear that they had such a custom. But who is interested in their surprise and indignation? Paper will endure everything.
Gypsy studies were greatly harmed by the inventions of our compatriot Eliseev. As you know, he published a booklet, according to which the names of the Indian gods Brahma and Lakshmi were preserved in gypsy folklore. Again, I will not dwell here on exposing this falsification. Those interested can refer to a separate ARTICLE on this topic.
Defenders of a dying theory have found a way out. For several decades now, in near-scientific journalism, there has been a thesis that the gypsies have their own pagan God - Deval... The reader, without understanding, may believe. After all, in the Gypsy-Russian dictionary there is a vocative form from the word affairs, sounding devla.11 But I can't resist making a snide comment. "Why," I ask my opponents, "did you stop there? With the same justification, one could argue that the Italians have their own personal God -" Dio ". And the British have a separate pagan deity - they call him" Year". And the French also - "Dieu". And the Spaniards - "Diaz". You can list for a long time, but will such an approach be objective?"
Unfortunately, even now some Russian authors consistently defend the absolutely false point of view that the gypsies of our country have a whole pantheon of pagan gods. At the same time, they cannot introduce us to a single living pagan, usually referring to the fact that they themselves met them, but for a long time, and in a remote province ... and in general, gypsies, this is a very secretive tribe. They reveal their secrets only to those whom they trust implicitly.
Needless to say, this is nonsense. Faith in God is not something shameful. The whole history of mankind shows that they are proud of their faith, they willingly tell strangers about its postulates. Ethnographic science does not know peoples who, in the absence of religious persecution, would hide their true beliefs. This applies especially to our country. Tsarist Russia can hardly be called intolerant, in which Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Lamaism and shamanistic cults coexisted legally. So what was the point for the gypsies to hide their paganism (if it existed in reality)? Exactly the same can be said about Russia today. The state and society are quite tolerant of the revival of traditional religions and even the emergence of many exotic sects. What are gypsies afraid of? Satanists - and they walk around quite openly!
So: not a single gypsy confirms that they worship Dundra or Pharaun, not a single Russian woman who has entered into an interethnic marriage has encountered something unusual in the religious sphere. What kind of people are these? All as one - conspirators are worse than intelligence officers or professional revolutionaries! ..
(Just don’t pass off belief in creatures similar to our brownies, goblin, mermaids as paganism. Such characters were borrowed from the Russian common people during two centuries of ethno-cultural contacts. If we write the goblin into the pagan pantheon, then let’s first deny the indigenous people the right to be called Christian. )
So, with the first theory, we seem to have figured it out. But before parting with it, I will quote a most interesting passage. It's like a bridge. Connecting thread. Smooth transition to theory number two. Western gypsy scholar Charles Lelan, who visited Russia in the late 1980s, was forced to grit his teeth and admit that our gypsies are Orthodox. Look, however, in what form this confession is made:
"I discovered, after studying this subject, that the Russian Gypsies professed Christianity. But the Church of the Greek Rite, as far as I saw, was practically little better than idolatry. Therefore, I cannot consider them a model of evangelical religiosity."12
As you can see, my dear Russian readers, from the point of view of a Western researcher, our Orthodoxy is, in fact, the same paganism. You offended? Now try to put yourself in the place of the gypsies. Where a Russian believer listens to one printed slander, they listen to thousands. In order to better understand the gypsies, let's do a little psychological experiment. Imagine that a Western journalist, having been in Moscow, writes the following:
“From the outside, a Russian person looks Orthodox (this is embodied in icons, prayers and temples). But in the depths of barbarian souls sits a cult imbibed with mother’s milk, which is carefully hidden from the uninitiated. For Russians worship the navel of a whale that vomited up all life.”
Of course, for the Russians, such an article is only poorly written fiction. And the gypsies should be sympathetic. They have been written about in this vein for several centuries now. And they won't stop...
Now about the second theory, which says: "Gypsies are hypocrites."
Unfortunately, in scientific literature there is a preconceived notion that the nomadic people changed religion under the influence of self-interest. Ethnographers based themselves on the fact that in every country the gypsies "adjust" to the dominant church. From their reasoning it turns out that, having driven into unfamiliar places, the head of the family gathered everyone around the fire and made a speech: "Stop praying in the old way. Here are different orders. From tomorrow we pretend to believe in another god!"
Say nonsense? Can't a scientist think so primitively? Maybe. It all went back to the founder of gypsy studies, Grelman, who said so: "Gypsies simply adopt the religion of the country in which they live. Where the gypsies choose parking place, they take religion there. Not a single gypsy knows anything about the basics of religion; it is as easy for him to change his faith in every new place as it is for other people to change their clothes. "13
Following Grelman, the same postulate was repeated by his numerous followers, almost word for word. From the middle of the 19th century, it became good form to add, for completeness, a parable about a nomad who was asked what faith he was. Answers vary depending on the country where the case takes place. A Ukrainian gypsy, for example, allegedly answered: “And what kind of toby, father, do you need it?”.14
You have already read the Russian version in the epigraphs presented by Nadezhda Demeter (who expressed surprise in print that almost all Roma baptize their children).15
In Serbia, according to the local ethnographer Tihomir Djordjevic, the gypsy peacefully spoke to the interlocutor about his faith: "Whatever you want, sir."16
So, Đorđević agreed with other scholars on the issue of Roma indifference to religion. And then - I don’t know how the gypsy scholars do it! - cited in his book the details that undermine the preconceived theory. And no wonder. The founding fathers wrote about the nomadic people in general, while Djordjevic had to talk about his homeland. In short, the situation in Serbia looked like this. In the era of the Ottoman yoke, spiritual influence on the gypsies had Orthodox Church, and a mosque. Those nomads who came from the south wore Turkish names and obeyed the Mohammedan rituals, and the newcomers from Wallachia were baptized and bore Vlach and Serbian names. Part of the Gypsies lived for centuries in the city suburbs, communicating mainly with the Turks. It is only natural that these people sincerely believed in Allah.
Meanwhile, the power of the Porte was tottering. Starting in 1830, ethnic Turks began to gradually leave Serbia, and after independence was proclaimed in 1878 from Ottoman Empire, the Turkish population is practically gone. At least two consequences follow from this. First, mosques and mullahs have disappeared. The second - having lost external Islamic influence, having found themselves in a purely Orthodox environment, Muslim gypsies, according to all the postulates of gypsy studies, had to immediately change their faith "like a dress."
Has it happened? Djordjevic (how to go against the truth?) admits that he is not. Instead of a mass conversion to Orthodoxy, an inexplicable incident occurred. In a number of areas, Muslim gypsies gradually lost their Islamic rituals. Neither the holidays, nor the birth of a child, nor the funeral were no longer accompanied by appropriate ceremonies. And for all that, people from the described communities continued to consider themselves Muslims, and when they were pointed out the absence of rituals, they excused themselves that this was their "pharaoh's" faith.
In 1892, the soul of Bishop Melentius could not stand it, who began to insist on the transfer of "atheists" to Orthodoxy. Gypsies began to be baptized en masse. Again, according to the myth of this people's disregard for matters of faith, everything should have gone smoothly. But some of the gypsies for some reason denied it, and some, although they were baptized, preferred to go away - just not to be called a new Christian name. In places where no one knew them, they hid that they had undergone a rite of baptism.17 In a word, when an honest ethnographer speaks in Djordjevic, he recognizes precisely the firmness of religious convictions. In his essays, he devotes a lot of space to Muslim groups living in Serbia. They were known under different names:
Koran Roma of Turkish origin and "beli gypsies" (who came from Bosnia). All these people, despite the Orthodox environment, firmly held on to the faith of their fathers, celebrated Bairam and Ramadan (although, as in the entire Islamic world, their women did not cover their faces with a veil).18
Let's honestly answer one question for ourselves. Does a person sincerely believe if he sacrifices material things only because of spiritual compulsion? Those whom Bishop Melentius forcibly converted to Orthodoxy left their homes, parted with relatives, friends and neighbors, interrupted the business established for decades. For what? The question is purely rhetorical, since the answer is clear in advance.
 |
| Gypsy in the temple. Photo: Yves Leres. |
The criterion of truth is practice. Since the postulate is widespread in the literature that gypsies change their faith based on profit, you just need to look at what happened in reality. Imagine, in the Ottoman Empire, the corresponding experiment was carried out. Immediately after the conquest of Christian lands, the Ottoman Turks adopted a differentiated tax scale. Already in 1530, it was announced that the tax on Orthodox gypsies would be 25 axe. But those of them who convert to Islam will pay three points less.20 This was not an empty concussion. An effective mechanism for collecting taxes (the so-called "gypsy sanjak") was debugged. To correctly assess the results, let's try to reason with numbers in hand. To do this, we need a time jump to the end of the 17th century. The essence of Ottoman policy has not changed for a century and a half. Just as under Suleiman the Magnificent, the gypsies who worshiped Allah were charged a smaller tax. A Christian gypsy paid six pennies, and a Muslim five. What is the result? It turned out that in the register of 1695, only 10,000 gypsies out of 45,000.21 were listed as Muslims. Less than a quarter! As you can see, the tax pressure did not greatly affect the very people who seem to be guided only by profit. In the Balkans, the myth of gypsy indifference to religion was dealt a crushing blow. For centuries, tens of thousands of people remained faithful to Orthodoxy, being under the rule of Muslims. And they were not tempted by tax breaks.
The situation in our country is extremely interesting. It allows you to beat the last marked card from the deck of falsifiers.
As we know, back in the 19th century, Russian gypsies by all means kept icons in the "red corner" of the tent, observed fasts, and so on.
- Of course, they pretended ... They wanted to please the Russians. - the writing fraternity smirks.
Is it so? History itself took care that the gypsies could adequately object to common accusations. After victory October revolution the party began strenuously instilling a materialistic worldview. Priests were imprisoned and shot, temples were blown up or potato storage facilities were set up there. Monasteries adapted to concentration camps or prisons. The communists treated the believers in every possible way, and school program was essentially atheistic. This policy cannot be said to be ineffective. All the peoples of the USSR, in one way or another, experienced its influence. For some of them, the proportion of atheists in a certain period reached 50-60% (not according to official reports, but in reality). Only the gypsies did not submit to this fad. It would seem that right now, when both the rulers and the majority of the population are unanimous in their godlessness, the gypsies realize their benefits.
- What faith are you, gypsy?
- What do you need?
No, no one has heard such words from this people. Despite the direct danger, the nomads continued to keep icons in a place of honor, noted church holidays, got married, baptized children, and buried the dead with a funeral service. Settled gypsies, including communists and Komsomol members, behaved the same way... Yes, they did not advertise their faith. But they kept the fasts, prayed, and when they were directly asked, they did not hide their Orthodoxy.
It cannot be said that the party has lost sight of the gypsies. Anti-religious pamphlets were published in their native language, the essence of which was reduced to the phrase " religion cheese suffocating gas"22 (translation, I hope, is not required?). The result was zero. This alone shows what the arguments about the indifference of the gypsies to the faith, about their "conformity", "striving for profit" are worth.
The cruel communist experiment had a side effect - one of the most persistent myths of gypsy studies was refuted. Moreover, not only Christian gypsies, but also Muslim gypsies showed firmness of convictions. Crimea and mugat (they are also "lyuli") did not allow the party to distort their spiritual world. It was not possible to impose atheism on them.
By the way, in last years you can find evidence of the steadfastness of faith. Representatives of many ethnic groups migrate far from their traditional habitats. So the gypsies of Central Asia have often come to Russia for the last 10 years. I talked a lot with them, but they never tried to pass themselves off as Orthodox. On the contrary, they spoke sincerely about their faith in Allah. A significant part of the ethnic group kyrymitika Roma moved in the early 1930s from the Crimean peninsula to Russia. However, so far there have been few cases of conversion from Islam to Orthodoxy.
And vice versa. many families servos ended up in Uzbekistan, and some ponies in Azerbaijan. As they were Orthodox, they remained. Although they lived in a Muslim environment for several decades. This is to the question of changing religion "like clothes" ...
A few more words about the "insincerity" of the gypsies in matters of faith.
The most revered holidays of this national minority are religious. Let's assume for a moment that the gypsies, as journalists say, are disguised and pretending. Then why are there practically no Russians at these holidays? If we are dealing with a performance designed for the gullible, we should celebrate Easter and Christmas for show, inviting all the neighbors!
There is another proof of the strength of religious foundations. During the gypsy trial, a person who stands his ground is required to worship the icon. If he swore before God, then, no matter how strong the evidence of his guilt, the words of justification are supposed to be believed. But not only monetary issues depend on the decision of the gypsy court, but also the whole future life of the gypsy, the reputation of children, and so on.
Here we have reached the end of the discussion. As you can see, everything is so clear that there is nothing to argue about. One has only to wonder at a theory that has managed to develop for two hundred years in complete contradiction to the facts.
1. Kogalnichan. Essay on the history, customs and language of the gypsies. Northern bee. SPb., 1838. No. 82. P. 327.
2. Light in pictures. 1880. No. 8. S. 140.
3. Shile A. Gypsies. Nature and people. SPb., 1878. No. 11. S. 34-35.
4. Demeter N. Gypsies: myth and reality. M., 1995. P.74.
5. Klimontovich N. Gypsy essay. Russian telegraph. 10/29/1997.
6. Weideck H.E. Dictionary of gypsy life and lore. NY., 1973. P. 376.
7. Etzler Allan. Gypsies in Sweden. JGLS(3). XXV. Parts 3-4. R.82, 83.
8. Weideck H.E. Dictionary of gypsy life and lore. NY., 1973. P. 428.
9. Guili R. E. Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. M., 1998. S. 616, 617.
10. Weideck H.E. Dictionary of gypsy life and lore. NY., 1973. P. 104.
11. Gypsy-Russian and Russian-Gypsy Dictionary (Kelderari dialect). M., 1990. P.63.
12. Weideck H.E. Dictionary of gypsy life and lore. NY., 1973. P. 65
13 Grellmann H.M.G. Historischer Versuch uber die Zigeuner. Gottingen, 1787. P.102.
14. Shile A. Gypsies. Nature and people. SPb., 1878. No. 11. S. 34-35.
15. Demeter N. Gypsies: myth and reality. M., 1995. P.74
16. Gorgeviћ Tikhomir R. Our people's belly. Book 7. Beograd, 1933. S. 53.
17. Ibid. pp. 52-57.
18. Gorgeviћ Tikhomir R. Our people's belly. Book 6. Beograd, 1932. S. 90-97.
19. Marushiakova E.; Popov V. Tsiganite in Bulgaria. Sofia, 1993. S. 76-7.
20. Ibid., pp. 79-80.
21. Sostyr eme achyam bidevlytka. M., 1934. S. 38.
One of the most frequently asked questions to me is what is the REAL faith of gypsies?
People who ask it are usually pre-configured to hear one of the following options: "Hinduism/Paganism", "Fire worship/Sun worship", or simply "Gypsies don't believe in anything".
And I, as an honest woman, have to destroy their world, explaining that the Muslim gypsies have the Muslim faith, and the Christian gypsies have the Christian faith, and in both cases the real one. And if Christian gypsies are quite mobile in relation to Christian denominations (Catholic Magyars do not see a big problem in moving to the Evangelical camp, because there is a cross here and there, for example), then they rarely and reluctantly switch from Christianity to Islam and vice versa, mostly the transition is made by women to the faith of their husband. True, inter-religious marriages among gypsies are rare.
The adherence to the faith of the ancestors among the Gypsies is surprisingly stable, although I have seen statements many times in tyrnetik that the Gypsies always follow the religious customs of the area where they are ....
Material from Wikipedia
Total population: 8~10 million
Settlement: Albania:
from 1300 to 120 000
Argentina:
300 000
Belarus:
17 000
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
60,000
Brazil:
678 000
Canada:
80 000
Russia:
183,000 (2002 census)
Romania:
535,140 (see population of Romania)
Slovakia:
65,000 (official)
USA:
1 million Handbook of Texas
Ukraine:
48,000 (2001 census)
Croatia:
9,463 to 14,000 (Census 2001)
Language: Romani, Domari, Lomavren
Religion: Christianity, Islam
Gypsy is not a collective name for about 80 ethnic groups united by a common origin and recognition of the "gypsy law". There is no single self-name, although recently the term Romanies has been proposed as such, that is, “rum-like”.
The British traditionally...
Gypsies are one of the most amazing peoples that can only be found in the world. Many would envy their inner emancipation and lifelong optimism. The gypsies never had their own state, and yet they carried their traditions and culture through the centuries. According to the degree of their presence on the planet, they can compete with another people scattered around the world until recently - the Jews. It is no coincidence that Jews and Gypsies were at the very top of the list of those representatives of the human race that were subject to complete destruction, according to Hitler's racial laws. But if about the genocide of Jews - the Holocaust - many books have been written and many films have been shot, dozens of museums in different countries are devoted to this topic, then few people know about Kali Trash - the genocide of gypsies. Simply because there was no one to stand up for the gypsies.
Figure 1. Gypsy girl. Eastern Europe
Source unknown
Both Jews and Gypsies are united by the belief in their own special destiny, ...
History of the Gypsies Resettlement of the Gypsies How do the Gypsies live? Where did the gypsies come from in Russia? Musical culture of the gypsies
In total, there are more than 12 million gypsies in the world. It is practically impossible to count their exact number, since most of them are not registered in the general civil censuses. Most of Gypsies do not want to recognize their true national origin. The reasons for this can be both economic and social.
The Gypsies are a distinct ethnic minority whose main difference lies in their Gypsy blood and the Gypsy language. Until now, scientists around the world are wondering where the gypsies came from on earth.
Gypsy history
Scientists from the University of Rotterdam managed to reveal the secret of the gypsy genealogy. The main part of this people lives in Europe, but most of all the gypsies live in Hungary and Romania. Since the gypsies do not have monuments of written history, their historical homeland is currently ...
Christianity.
Islam is still very widespread.
so they don't have a single religion? What is their national identity based on? Do they have a language or is it also different everywhere?
1. There is such a type of legend:
Why does God love gypsies?
Because when he was crucified, the gypsy stole the fifth nail.
Something like this.
and where is the fifth nail, if there are only 3 of them?
Ah this thieves, too, among themselves so. like a robber nearby stole a nail from the cross of Jesus. so God forgives thieves.
they have no national religion.
depends on the habitat
seriously?
That doesn't happen. Usually the nation is very closely connected with religion.
In the Catholic West, shortly after the appearance of the Gypsies, laws for their expulsion were adopted everywhere, and since the 18th century, the Gypsies have been accused of criminal inclinations, confirming this with a lot of facts accumulated by that time.
The outside world and its inhabitants, i.e. those who are not gypsies, gypsies call the term gaje (gadzhe). Gaje, for gypsies, are "impure" creatures, gajes of any gender and age are absolutely unclean, without any exceptions. Cheating a gaje is not considered a vice, but a virtue.
Contacts with gaje are allowed by necessity: economic or forced. Gaje for Roma is the absolute antipode. Love relationship with gaje and marriage are punished by marime (marime) - temporary or lifelong excommunication.
The religion of the gypsies is adapted to Christianity, but with gypsy tricks - a sort of Catholics with Jewish bells and whistles. The gypsies claim that it is beneficial to them that their ancestors lived in Israel from time immemorial. Sexual life is regulated by the Jewish orthodox…
Historical information about the gypsies, intertwined with myths and roam with them, from century to century, and from country to country. It is now well established that the Gypsies originate from Northern India. However, it is not known what prompted them to leave this region and when it began. They were presumably driven out by the invasions of the Greeks, Persians, Scythians, Kushites, Huns and Arabs. For one reason or another, around the 9th-10th centuries large groups people left their homeland and moved west...
Gypsies are the largest of the peoples who still do not have their own state and they live in literally on the entire planet. Everyone has heard about the gypsies, everyone has seen them, but they do not look like a simple layman, therefore, at the everyday level, numerous myths and stereotypes walk about this people. Mostly negative. And they arose, as often happens, from ignorance and the same unusualness.
Below are the 10 most important myths and stereotypes about gypsies. What is curious - these myths exist in all countries of the world, ...
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