Re: Why Punjabis Do Not Speak Punjabi With Their Kids
Interesting…These people originated in a region which is more or less equally divided between India and Pakistan. Roma has several words sounding similar to Punjabi/Marwari/Gujarati/Sindhi and host of other dialects of this region.
*They were forced to leave their kingdom after invasions in around 7th century AD. Persecution continued till WWII. Nazis were reluctant to harm them because they considered them to be Aryans, so how can one Aryan community harm another Aryan community, but a suitable excuse was found which was purity of race and many were killed during holocaust. Church in Europe did not accept them to be worthy of embracing Christianity. In Denmark, Finland gypsy hunting was common till late 19th century. *
*Sad part of the story is that wherever they went they were mistreated and harmed. Discrimination continues even today. *
You are right they are in Pakistan as well.
The term Gypsy was coined because dim witted Europeans thought they are from Egypt.
My first encounter with a Roma took place in Frankfurt. I was buying souvenirs from a shop when the shop owner told me to be careful about my passport/wallet etc. because there are many gypsy girls in this area who engage people in conversation like’ do you have change for 100$? and will snatch your wallet and run away. I came out of the shop and was accosted by a girl looking for change, but I politely refused. She had very desi features. Wheatish complexion and dark hair.
There are many people who are trying to establish Roma-India kinship these days..you probably know that Govt. of India has been giving Person of Indian origin (PIO) status to many NRI’s but only after looking at their wealth, many Romas are trying for recognition as Indian diaspora.
Check following links for inspiration..I got these from my Roma friends.
www.katarzynapollok.de
www.euroma.dk](http://www.euroma.dk)
To me every person looks like a desi.
*After their kingdom was destroyed they adopted nomadic lifestyle. They are spread almost allover the word. *
Within India, they can be seen even in South Central regions. Many people accuse them of kidnapping children or even elderly people. But that’s not right. Because of nomadic lifestyle these people have a very strong sense of sharing & caring and if they find a homeless person or abandoned person they simply adopt him such is the magnanimity of these people inspite of hardships they have been facing for so many centuries.