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

  • Scotland Cultural Genocide
    November 10, 2026
    Equalities Minister Simita Kumar acknowledged the findings of a report labeling historical policies against Gypsy Traveller communities as "cultural genocide"...
  • I Matter
    November 10, 2026
    Alina Șerban, a Romani actor and filmmaker, is part of a movement showcasing Romani narratives at the Seville European Film...
  • KAL
    November 10, 2026
    The Serbian band KAL from Belgrade is releasing their new album "Cinema Caravan" after a ten-year hiatus, showcasing their energetic...
  • Relocation
    November 10, 2026
    The city of Michalovce plans to relocate dozens of Roma families living in poor conditions without electricity or sewage to...
  • The Flag and Roma
    November 10, 2026
    On November 5, 2026, two men and two women from Bosanci, all Roma, performed community service as part of their...
  • Discrimination
    November 10, 2026
    Romanian actress Oana Rusu advises Roma children facing prejudice to embrace their differences and emphasizes the role of society, including...
  • National Council for Minorities
    November 10, 2026
    The Serbian Republic Electoral Commission announced preliminary results for the elections of national minority councils held on November 8. For...
  • Medi
    November 9, 2026
    Medi, a popular pop-folk artist in Bulgaria, is a mentor on 'The Voice of Bulgaria' and is known for writing...
  • Discrimination
    November 9, 2026
    A group of friends, including a woman and her sister, were denied entry to a club despite having a reservation...
  • Segregation
    November 9, 2026
    Dr. Ioan Cristian Irimescu discusses the ongoing segregation of Roma students in Romanian schools, highlighting their placement in separate classes...
  • ELLAN PASS
    November 9, 2026
    The Panhellenic Confederation of Roma (ELLAN PASSE) has undergone a significant leadership change with the election of young Roma scientist...
  • Vote Buying?
    November 9, 2026
    Tsvetelin Kanchev, chairman of the "EuroRoma" party, claims that the buying of votes among the Roma community is becoming less...
  • EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib
    November 7, 2026
    Roma, numbering between 10 and 12 million in Europe, face ongoing discrimination and historical persecution, including genocide during the Nazi...
  • Movie
    November 7, 2026
    The film "SMOOTH THE EDGES," directed by Charles Newland, is a significant step for Roma representation in British cinema, premiering...
  • Illegal Villa
    November 7, 2026
    Matteo Chiantore, the mayor of Ivrea, has been under police protection for two months due to tensions surrounding the demolition...
  • Racist Intent
    November 7, 2026
    A 15-year-old student at a technical school in Levice has been accused of making violent threats against classmates, including a...
  • Settlement
    November 7, 2026
    In Zimna Voda near Lviv, Ukraine, a Roma settlement exists on land owned by Ukrzaliznytsia, with discussions ongoing about relocating...
  • Bulgaria Language Law
    November 7, 2026
    The recent parliamentary vote on the Bulgarian language law indicates a shift towards nationalism, aligning with the ideologies of various...
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