Roma, their History, Culture, Traditions, and News

  • The Roma
    The Roma
    Roma are variously known as Rroma, Gypsies, Tsiganes, Tsigan, Gitanos or Gitans, as well as Sinti, Cale, and many other names. They are Europeans, having arrived...
  • History
    History
    Apart from the non-controversial fact that Roma come from India, the rest of the Roma early history is a subject of controversy. When did Roma...
  • Language
    Language
    Roma have an Indian based language, a discovery of 1753.  Romanes, or Romani Čhib, is the language of the Roma. This fact is little known...
  • Traditions
    Traditions
    The Roma culture is not a written one and has kept its unity and consistency in spite of savage assaults. Traditions were one of the...
  • Music
    Music
    What is Roma music? What is Roma music? This seemingly innocuous question has fed quite an industry. From the 18th century onward, musicians, scientist have...
  • Reports
    Reports
    All reports presented here are strictly copyrighted to the Rroma Foundation Zürich. These reports were compiled by our staff while on surveys in various countries.
  • Questions & Answers
    Questions & Answers
    When hearing about Roma, when reading about them, a wealth of clichés, generally accepted “truths” and statements are always present. This summary presents the most...
  • Galleries
    Galleries
    These galleries are either the work of amateurs, documenting the situation in a specific region at a specific time (for example in Bosnia in 2001,...
  • Literature
    Literature
    Various informations and references on Rroma and on this site.

Who are Roma? Where do they come from? What is the difference between Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, Cale, Tsiganes, Zigeuner, Travellers? Do they have a language? Where do they come from? How many are there in Europe? What are their traditions?

These and many more questions are treated at length in these pages on Roma, history, language, traditions, music, but also in shorter form in the questions and answers page.

The page also has resources on literature, reports and many more items.

Recent News on Roma

  • Critique
    July 10, 2026
    The film Pramen, depicting forced sterilization of Romani women in 1980s Czechoslovakia, faces criticism for centering on doctors' perspectives rather than...
  • Traditions
    July 10, 2026
    Andreea Tudor, a young Romani woman, shared her strict childhood rules and traditions on TikTok, highlighting the responsibilities placed on...
  • Kali Sara
    July 10, 2026
    The Roma Alliance in the Republic of Croatia "KALI SARA" has issued a public call to citizens, institutions, researchers and...
  • Is it Normal?
    July 10, 2026
    Zoran Stevanović, before becoming the president of the Slovenian parliament, made various controversial statements online as a local politician. In a...
  • Attack
    July 10, 2026
    Several articles in the Slovenian press about a violent incident where a 28 years old man was injured and needed...
  • Te Prindžaras Amen
    July 10, 2026
    The 22nd edition of the festival "Te prindžaras amen - Let's Get to Know Each Other" will focus on traditional...
  • Brawl in Hospital
    July 9, 2026
    Several articles in the Greek press about a brawl in a hospital where family members of a Rom protested when...
  • Roma Identity and Archive Infrastructure
    July 9, 2026
    The Roma Identity & Archive Infrastructure was introduced in The Hague as a solution for Roma individuals lacking sufficient documentation...
  • 5th International Roma Music Day
    July 9, 2026
    The 5th International Day of Gypsy Music will take place on August 8, connecting 11 venues across 7 countries, with...
  • Racism in Serbia
    July 9, 2026
    A video from Šabac shows a woman physically assaulting a Roma boy while using racist insults, sparking outrage on social...
  • Education In Moldova
    July 9, 2026
    A consultative meeting organized by the Ministry of Education in Soroca focused on improving access to education for Roma children...
  • Viața de Țigani
    July 8, 2026
    Pepe's new single "Viața de Țigani" is accompanied by a documentary film that showcases nearly a century of family history...
  • Monika Lakatos
    July 8, 2026
    The Lakatos Mónika Folk7Festival and Workshop will take place from July 31 to August 3, leading up to the Balaton...
  • Forced Labour
    July 8, 2026
    Historical evidence shows that Roma from Burgenland were forced to work on the Reichsautobahn during the Nazi era, with new...
  • Austrian Minorities
    July 8, 2026
    The Austrian National Council has made a significant step in recognizing the importance of ethnic groups in Burgenland by constitutionalizing...
  • Erdhlezeti Festival
    July 8, 2026
    The "Erdhlezeti" festival returned after a three-year hiatus, celebrating community, music, and human connections with local and international acts, including...
  • Greece and Evictions
    July 8, 2026
    The Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner has raised concerns about the eviction risk faced by a Roma community in...
  • Vojvodina Music
    July 7, 2026
    The event "Days of Roma Music" was organized by the Roma Cultural Center in Pančevo to promote and preserve the...
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