Description
For many people the word Gypsy evokes an air of mystery and romance and scenes of unbridled dancing, fortune-telling, music, and brightly painted caravans of horse-drawn carriages.
The word “Gypsy” has become synonymous with the kind of wanderlust and exhibitionism we find tempting and dangerous, fantasies kept hidden deep within ourselves, rarely acted upon. No other ethnic group in the world has its name so popularly used as an adjective by an artist (all too often written with a small “g”) and advertisers to sell their products or alternatively, as a pejorative. The classes in this series will examine who the Roma (coming from the Sanskrit word for man) people really are and their unique place in European history and world culture.
Wed., April 3: The History of the Roma from Rajisthan to Europe (1000-1700)
This lecture will focus on the origins of the Roma and their dispersion throughout Europe from the British Isles to the Ural Mountains. We will also look at why certain negative stereotypes about the Roma began.
