golden-zephyr:

To illustrate what I deal with on a daily basis here is an email I received from “christel-von-der-post@eurovibes.org” … which by the way is NOT a website and is most likely part of an anonymous relay service to hide the original senders IP address.

You think you’re safe? You think any of you…

Lol @ this guy …y u mad bro?

golden-zephyr:

It has been difficult lately to integrate my-self. The more I become open to talking with people about being Roma, the more I open myself to criticism from both sides.

One thing I’ve had leveled at me a lot lately, is the ‘white privilege’ argument. usually it consists of several arguments:

• …

I think it would be difficult to transition from living in a place where…..your ethnicity HAS TO BE something you keep in mind all of the time. A place where if you make one wrong move….and that mistake turns into a mistake made due to you being Rroma….to living somewhere ..where being Rroma is relatively unknown. I would carry that attitude with me. The attitude that my ethnicity = systematic institutionalized racism …even when, in this country, being Rroma doesnt necessarily mean those things. I think being Rroma in America is a minor nuisance whereas being Rroma in Europe…well..there arent any words really for what its like being Rroma in Europe. Its so far beyond my reach that, despite the fact I am AWARE of the hate, the oppression and persecution….I still cannot fathom it. 

Dreadlocks arent a Gypsy thing. I am…not sure why you thought that…..

I would imagine there could be some Banjara and other Indian “Gypsy” groups with dreads, though. Especially if theyre Saivite. 

Anyway..

If you want them….let your hair lock up! Its not hard. 

(Source: gotapocketfullofsecrets)

golden-zephyr:

foulmouthedbastard:

I tried going home again, but as soon as I got there I found a batch of new gypsies camping in my living room. As an added bonus, my roommate was gone.

Fucking gypsies. Those goddamn caravan loving, backpacking, mooching, thieving, lying, stinky…

I have nothing to say about letting random folks in the house. That has to be annoying and I would speak to your roommate immediately, if I were you.

However, youre incredibly racist and you may want to talk to a psychiatrist about that. 

golden-zephyr:

I recently read something written by an amazing Rom (who I can’t name, or share what they wrote.. for reasons)… but it made me think a great deal about what I talk about here and how I talk about it.

I have fallen into the trap… the trap of letting my feelings define my experience. I feel shut…

I have had an incredibly bad experience with American Romanichel and I cannot accept their racist attitudes towards Rroma or anyone else. When I get called a Turk, and Blacks get called chollas or niggers….I just cant deal. I realize that this is my own personal experience, but this racist ideology is prevalent among one of the largest Romanichal groups in the USA - In Houston and surrounding areas in Texas. 

I understand that their struggles have made them want to fiercely ally with white people. I understand that. But you dont do that by jumping on the backs of others and creating some perceived benefit from their pain, the pain you cause them, by treating them like subhumans. 

Ive been super late on this, I know. I havent been keeping up. Its a bad habit of mine..but I try! It generally works best when I wake up with a word in my head or encounter something and I think “oh thats a good word ill use it!”

Well, ive got one for ya!

Devil-like or Devilish.

Bengalo or Bengano.

This is one of my favorites. 

golden-zephyr:

is one of my favourite Lotfitka phrases.

It means a “dark and thick forest”

My grandmother would tell stories of the čemnò ľignjò veš and the vošesko bilačho (evil spirits) who lived there. These were the bormolikò veš (haunted forest). The worst creatures who resided there were the…

This creeps me out. When I was growing up (living with my mother and grandmother)…the house next to us stayed empty for a very long time and my grandmother told me it was inhabited by goblins. I believed it so much that sometimes I would think I caught a glimpse of one, through the old window curtains.

golden-zephyr:

Hiding, most likely.

I don’t know how many have Ph.Ds—I don’t know anyone personally. I’ve heard of famous people, like Petra Gelbart.

I know many are famous for music, which is considered stereotype and therefore not actually doing something.

In order to become educated, most of us have to…

You cant un-become Rroma. Rroma is what you are whether youre educated or not. There is no such thing as books over blood..as our blood is our blood and will be so no matter what anyone says, no matter what family we leave behind, no matter what other smartass Rroma say about being “kicked out” of familija. 

You chose to educate yourself.

You didnt choose to be Rroma. 

You are an educated Rromani woman. If we Rroma entertain the idea that getting an education makes us less Rroma..then we feed into the belief that being a Rroma or “Gypsy” is something one can be by living a certain lifestyle. It is counter productive for our community to entertain these types of ideas.

I have had a rough night. Lets just say I was listening to too much “Tears in Heaven.” 

So, todays word..is pain. Pain as in grief. Emotional pain.

Dukh (doo-kh)

If something is painful, it is dukhavdo (doo-khav-doe)
If something is painful, emotionally..it is dukhalipe (doo-kha-lee-peh)

Si ma dukha. I have pain. Cidav ma..I pick myself up and brush myself off. 

wewanttobe:

mandapolos:

I haven’t seen many of these around lately so I thought I’d chime in with one of the few basic words I do know. I don’t know the dialect, sorry in advance.

Baxt is a word that I and my family use to mean luck, or fortune.

Baxtalo is a happy, lucky feeling,…

Ive been really slacking on my Rromani word of the days…been sooo tired lately. 

Anyhow, bakht and bakhtalo are universal Rromani words, I think. As Qristina (Golden-Zephyr) said. 

We say Bakhtale or Bakhtalipa…but sreca is also used for “luck” and losnipe is badluck. 

golden-zephyr:

I don’t know if there was one, I didn’t see one (maybe there was and I missed it… I’m sorry!!)

I’m going to do several words today (as suggested by my sis Ruby)

COLOURS~

Yellow - either galbeno or žuto (Gurbet) / žiltò (Lotfitka) / gelbera or gelbi (Anglo-Romani)

Green - zeleno (zelija)…

Oops I forgot to do one today!!

Alrightie lets see here…..

Yellow: Žuto 

Green: zeleno

Blue: Plavo 

Red: Lolo

Orange: Narandža

Black: Kalo

White: Parno

The colors seem to be pretty much the same! With the exception of ‘orange’ which is..extremely similar to the Spanish: Naranja!

danceswithfaeriesunderthemoon:

Hi, i’m a Gypsy and;

• Believe it or not, i do wear shoes.
• I’m not a ‘dirt worshipper’.
• I don’t wear feathers in my hair.
• I do not live in a caravan.
• I’m not ‘dirty’. I do have access to soap and water you know.
• I don’t wear bindi’s.
• I will not put a…

Hi. I am a Gypsy and…

• Sometimes I dont wear shoes. Sometimes I dont fucking feel like it. Read some of the benefits of going barefoot http://www.barefootkc.com/benefits.html 
• I am a dirt worshipper. I worship grass, dirt, trees, our Earth, our Universe as well as the internal and external Divine.
• Sometimes I wear feather earrings. If I wear my hair back with them it looks like I have a mullet. 
• I dont live in a Caravan. I do live in an apartment and have moved multiple times in my life.
• Sometimes I do wear Bindis. I am a practicing Hindu (ill wait while everyone gasps). Rroma do not wear bindis. Hindus do. 
• I will put a curse on you and MIGHT physically assault you if I feel like it. That has nothing to do with me being a Gypsy.
• I wont steal your babies. Dont want a gadze baby or any baby. Probably wont steal your money, either. 
• I wear whatever I want. Skirts, pants, chancletas…anything. Gypsies dont dress or look a particular way in general.
• I have no idea what whimsical is but im guessing I am not it.
• I might read your tarot…..
• I do wear big ol earrings! Hoops, dangly ones, feather ones…if I like it, im wearing it!

None of this gives you any right to judge me based on my ethnic background. None of this means I am fulfilling any kind of stereotype. People are people. We differ..from one to the next. Some of us are good..and some of us are not good. Being a bad person or good person doesnt discriminate. Pain doesnt discriminate. Life..doesnt discriminate. Neither should you.

:)