Romani people Society
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Based on linguistic analysis of the Romani language, we know that their origin comes from India. However, why migration to the west occurred between the 5th and 10th centuries AD can only be speculated upon.
In the early 15th century, several groups of nomadic Roma, numbering from dozens to hundreds of people, may already have been moving across Czech lands. Records indicate that they presented themselves as Christian refugees expelled from the Holy Land after its conquest by the Arabs. This initial portrayal earned them respect, and many rulers and sovereigns provided them with passes ensuring free passage and protection.
However, along with their migration into continental Europe, cultural misunderstandings and conflicts began to arise. The Roma, with their exotic cultural practices and attire, often faced incomprehension.
Despite the difficult coexistence, the Roma tried to survive as best they could. They were renowned horsemen, blacksmiths, and musicians, and their supposed ability to control the supernatural is often mentioned. The latter, however, is more likely an attribute of our tendency to attribute unknown things to an otherworldly origin.
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