#drabarni

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lord ares

1. We all look exactly alike

This is one that will likely piss me off for years to come. The Roma are an incredibly mixed, diverse culture that spreads all over the world. As such, we’re pretty diverse in appearance too. You will find Roma that are black, brown, white, and every other skin tone going, because we have a tendency to assimilate into the countries we live in.

I’ve met Romani folk online from Vietnam, Nigeria, India, Romania, Scotland and so many other countries. And I can guarantee you couldn’t put us all in a room and assume we were all from the same culture.

2. We’re so free spirited and mystical

Fuck off. Seriously. Fuck. The fuck. Off. As a Romani (or ‘gyspy’ as some gadje call us) I can honestly say most Roma I know are not these witchy, tarot card reading women. All those people at fairs asking to read your palm? Mostly bullshit. We’re not idiots; we can make a living by playing up the schtick, but once at home, most modern Romani folks follow a religion. A lot of Roma I know are devout Catholics.

I’m witchy, but that’s because I’m Wiccan. And there is the Drabarni: a sort of ancient Roma medicine woman role some elderly people take up. I incorporate Drabarni culture into my Wicca, but it’s not always necessary for Rom people to believe in it. Most modern Roma don’t even use Drabarni because it’s ancient as shit.

3. We all travel the world in caravans and are super hippie

Ahaha I fucking wish. I’ve been to Spain and Scotland. That's it. Also, Turkey in August.

We don’t all live in caravans. Some of us gained the luxury of having actual houses, when the government actually deems us as worth the time. And we certainly don’t travel because we’re so free. Its because no fucker will let us have a home. Do you know how many of the Rom are homeless? We’re a hated minority. In the UK we’re often denied land purchase, and then kicked off areas we try to house in.

4. It's apparently okay to call us gypsy

The frick frack fuck it is. Its derogatory as fuck, and you’re essentially calling us thieves. I’m Romani. Not gypsy. The only people allowed to call me gypsy are my Irish traveller relatives, because the Irish use it to separate themselves from the Roma (for those that are confused by that statement: I’m from both Irish traveller and Latvian Roma descent).

I don’t like it. I fucking hate it. So don’t use it.