Whod'a thunk it

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Tacoma Park too, as I recall.

John

Could not say for certain, but the Park does seem to have quite a collection of wierdos.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Tacoma Park too, as I recall.

John

Take it easy on the Peoples Republic of Tacoma Park, Nuclear Free Zone and Berkeley of the East. We all need something in our midst to make ourselves look normal.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Take it easy on the Peoples Republic of Tacoma Park, Nuclear Free Zone and Berkeley of the East. We all need something in our midst to make ourselves look normal.

The analogy sorta breaks down when you try to substitute Columbia Union College for Cal Berkeley.

Oh, and in honor of Romani people everywhere I've been listening to a fair amount of Django today.

John

[Combwork]

In the U.K. we have more travelers than true Gypsies. Our laws are insane; once 'travelers' occupy private land, if they dig in (literally) it can take prolonged civil Court action to move them on. The police can't (or won't) touch them in case they get accused of breaching their 'human rights' (bless the E.U.). There are some true Romanies here but precious few.

There's a woman from a Romanian family working in the local chemists by day and a bouncer in the roughest nightclub bar in Kirriemuir on Saturday night. I've known her for years. Attractive, calm, good to talk with and listen to, good to have a drink with but excuse the language, you do NOT want to fuck with her without permission.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Combwork

In the U.K. we have more travelers than true Gypsies. Our laws are insane; once 'travelers' occupy private land, if they dig in (literally) it can take prolonged civil Court action to move them on. The police can't (or won't) touch them in case they get accused of breaching their 'human rights' (bless the E.U.). There are some true Romanies here but precious few.

In the words of nearly every character in Guy Ritchie's "Snatch":

"I fuckin' hate Pikeys!"

There's a woman from a Romanian family working in the local chemists by day and a bouncer in the roughest nightclub bar in Kirriemuir on Saturday night. I've known her for years. Attractive, calm, good to talk with and listen to, good to have a drink with but excuse the language, you do NOT want to fuck with her without permission.

It's a popular misconception but Romanians and Romani aren't the same thing. The Roma (Gypsies) originated in India.

John

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by Boreas

I

It's a popular misconception but Romanians and Romani aren't the same thing. Romani (Gypsies) originated in India.

John

I'm not sure about that. Throughout Europe there have been been traveling people with their own history and culture for hundreds of years. Common name in the U.K. is gypsies but the old name is Romani. Maybe a good example of two different peoples referred to by a common name.

To me, Romanians are people who come from Romania. Some travel, some don't.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Combwork

I'm not sure about that. Throughout Europe there have been been traveling people with their own history and culture for hundreds of years. Common name in the U.K. is gypsies but the old name is Romani. Maybe a good example of two different peoples referred to by a common name.

To me, Romanians are people who come from Romania. Some travel, some don't.

Romani comes from their word for a man, "rom". The people collectively are Roma and the adjective for describing the people and their culture is Romani. Gypsy is considered, if not actually insulting, at least vaguely unflattering. The word is the the invention of us "Gadje",having its roots in the early misconception that the Roma came from Egypt.

As I said before, the Roma came originally from India. This migration happened over the course of several centuries beginning about 1,000 years ago. There isn't really any doubt about this among anthropologists and ethnographers. It's the why that's still something of a mystery. One thing I read some time ago suggested that the Roma were a military caste that found itself in a bit of hot water for being on the wrong side during some early war or other. Gradually, over a span of several centuries, they moved out.

John

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Boreas

As I said before, the Roma came originally from India.

I should add that your friend could conceivably be both Romanian and Roma. There are plenty of Roma in Romania, just as there are in many other countries, but one doesn't imply the other.

John