The first and to date only reliable assertion of the origin of word Gypsy for the members of “specific” group, dates back to 1068. At that time the Georgian monah st. George Antonski, from the monastery of Iviron (Greece) reports to his people that on the mountain of Athos in the time between 1001 and 1026 a group of “Athiganos” arrived. The word Athigatos or Acinkan in Greek would be “untouchable”. Different synonyms of this word were used later as name for “that” nation around Europe. In literature we find: latin-Cingarus, Turkey-Cingeneler, France-Tsiganes, Germany-Zinger, Russia-Cjganji, Hungary-Ciganjiok, Italy-Zingari, Spain-Gitanos.

In Croatia the name is Cigani and in Dubrovnik Republic Jedupi or Egyptians. The name Egyptians was probably brought to Dubrovnik by Italians (Greece was at the time under Venetian rule) where together with the former name Jedupi for Gypsies the name Egyptians started to be used.

On 08. April 1791 the first World congress of Gypsies was held in London. Important decisions and accepting of Roma flag, official anthem and official languages were brought. It was decided that the flag consists of two basic colours that symbolises everlasting wandering of Roma. The green is a symbol of boundless natural space as freedom of movement. The blue is symbol of sky and in the middle of the flag is a wheel which marks the everlasting journey of Roma. The official anthem is famous Roma song “Gelem, Gelem” and as official language Lovari Roma language was accepted.

In the same time as unique world wide used name for Gypsies was term “Htom”, which in Gypsy-lovari language means a man. Sound ht does not exist in graphic system therefore for the sake of easy writing this sound is spelled as sound R. Therefore instead of word Htom because of impossibility to write ht word Rom appeared. That is how they are today called in Croatia. Nobody should feel humiliated or degraded also with the name Gypsy if it is said with proper intonation, which means for male - Ciganin and female – Ciganka.

There are several legends on beginning of Gypsies which have been conveyed for centuries by word of mouth. They are very interesting.

One legend says that when the God was giving the land to people he first called Gypsies and offered them to chose a place where their land is going to be. However, they refused not knowing that the God will offer the same to other nations. Later on when they realized that all the people received land from the God and turned them into their states they came in front of the God and asked him to be given a land.The God said that he has given all the land and none is left and they will be destined to live without land because when he offered them to choose land they did not want it. At the end he took pity on them and promised them to help them by giving them wisdom and abilities that are superior to other people in order to be able to find their way around the world as they will forever travel, not being able to settle down and everywhere will be accepted as foreigners.

The second legend says that Roma are sons of Cain. Some researches that interpreted the text from the Book of Genesis (Old Testament, the first book of Moses) found out this. They emphasise that the curse put on Abel’s brother Cain (“Cain” in Semitic languages means – blacksmith), If you try to farm the land, it won’t produce anything for you. From now on, you’ll be without a home, and you’ll spend the rest of your life wandering from place to place. (Genesis. 4,12) Also the Book of Genesis specifically talks about trades with which Cain’s sons were cursed and which traditionally are trades of Roma. We can therefore read: Lamech married Adah, then Zillah. Lamech and Adah had two sons, Jabal and Jubal. Their son Jabal was the first to live in tents and raise sheep and goats. Jubal was the first to play harps and flutes.

Lamech and Zillah had a son named Tubal Cain who made tools out of bronze and iron. They also had a daughter, whose name was Naamah. (Genesis.4, 19-22)

MIGRATIONS OF ROMA (HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ABOUT MOVEMENTS AND MIGRATIONS)

Historical sources which talk about the origin and beginning of migrations Roma are rather limited. Until today many different ideas on beginnings of Roma people as well as the reasons of beginning of migrations were going around.

We are listing down several hypothetical examples, based on work of researches, historian, ethnologist, linguist as well as chronicle record and archives.

Documents from Germany published in 1982 talk about genocide on Roma and researches of anatomy of Roma that was done under command of SS boss Heinrich Himmler, based on the published data done by Nazi.These data bring to conclusion, together with other information, that Roma are from Tibet and that their anatomy is the closest to anatomy of the Aryan. When had they left Tibet and moved to the areas of Khorosan (India) is still not know as there are no concrete information.

It is presumed that they lived in the said areas for several centuries, until 5 th century when they left India through the desert of Tar running in front of Hun. They arrived to today’s town of Karachi in Pakistan where they split into two groups.

One group left through Afghanistan for the Turkistan and Turkmen all the way to the Caspian Sea. After Mahmud Gaznij invaded the northern India (1001-1026) this group was joined by rest of Roma from India. But they split again. The smaller group left across Aserbadjan in Georgia and further on to Caucasus and the second bigger group towards Armenia and Turkey.

The second group from the Tar desert started of towards middle Asia. In Syria this branch also split. One group left for Turkey and the second group along the coast of Mediterranean and arrived to Egypt and Gibraltar. It has been established that the biggest Roma group arrived to the area of todays Balkan before Turks, running before Turks from Asia Minor. In these long journeys Roma mixed with other nomadic groups which brought to the present 60 different Roma groups. The most numerous Roma group are Lovari, 13 million of total 15 million of Roma that presently live in the world (report by International Union of Roma, Prague 2000).

The third path of Roma movement followed the Turks and their invasions. These Roma (Horahaja, Arlija, Gopti, Askalije, Blacksmith, Bear baters etc.) of Muslim religion were deemed to be disdained sons of devil as apparently their ancestors forged nails for crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. With Turks coming to Balkans they experienced strengthening of spirit of liberalism and tolerance which the Turks showed towards all, in line with religion and ethnicity which favoured their nomadic existence. They were migrating and inhabiting and still live today in the country which the Turks invaded. They also continued with their journeys together with the conqueror’s army in which they worked as blacksmith or armourers (Samuel Ellazar, Cronical, DUD).

Today, it is interesting to look at the way Roma look after all these historical migrations. Roma who moved along Mediterranean are of dark skin and mostly brown eyes while Roma who moved towards north have fairer skin and green or blue eyes. After meeting after many centuries on the territory of today’s Austro-Hungaria they joined and mixed. It is interesting to look at their features now. Today there are Roma who have dark skin and green or blue eyes and also there are Roma with fair skin and dark colour of eyes.

In scientific literature on Gypsies (Roma) many opinions but often contradictions are given on when Gypsies came to Europe. A long time frame was considered from the Carlo the Great till the Turks invaders of Balkans. These differences are sometimes based on linguistic reconstructions and dates from questionable dated chronicles and acts.

For now, however, one can be said for certain that the Gypsies were known in Byzantium in the middle of 11 th centuries when they started moving into Constantinople. The presence of Armenian words in all dialects of the European Gypsies according to theses of F. Miklosic brings to conclusion that the Gypsies had to come to Byzantium from Armenia where they lived for long time and where according to data given by historians they came from Persia.

In the sources it was not established when the Gypsies came from Armenia to Byzantium, but it is presumed that this happened in the first haft of 11 th century when Seldjuk attacked Armenia and caused the known movement of people from Armenia towards Byzantium Antolia. From the sources it is also not possible to verify when crossing of Gypsies to Thrace happened. Concrete mentioning of presence of gypsies in today’s Greece is found in practicum of monastery Xiropotamos on Athos from 1325-1330 where it is written that Anna daughter of Limocherval had husband “Egyptian”. According to data it seams that the Gypsies at the end of 13 th and beginning of 14 th centuries lived on Corfu which at the time belonged to Angevins, and there is possibility that at that time they lived in other areas of Byzantium that at the time belonged to Venice as part of Venetia Romania. In any case in the second half of 14 th century the Gypsies were present in the southern parts of Balkan Peninsula. This fact is being brought in connection with advancing of Osmanli in Asia Minor and than with their coming into Europe and battle near Gallipoli in 1354. The Turks progressed towards north which caused movement of Gypsies who took shelter on Venetian properties on land and islands. Some groups also spread over non-invaded parts of Balkans.

Years in which Roma are mentioned in chronicles of other countries and towns: Bulgaria 1366, Moldova 1370, Romania 1385, Ljubljana 1387, Hildeshaim 1407, Basel 1414, Augsburg, Lunenburg, Hamburg, Libek, Vajmar, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Zurich, Bern, Brussels 1417-1420, Netherlands 1420, Belgium 1421, Bologna 1422, Spain 1425 (Barcelona 1447), Paris 1427, Constance 1430, Portugal 1447, Sweden 1512, United Kingdom 1514, Norway 1544 and Finland 1597.

First mention of Roma on the territory of today’s Croatia which come from Dubrovnik and says that;

On 5 December 1362 Egyptian Vlaho and Vitan requested the Duke office that the goldsmith Raden Bratoslavic returns eight silver belts which they left as deposit with him (DAD, Moumenta Ragusina, III Ref XXI, 1 1895., Letters and guidance of Dubrovnik Republic, 1 1935, 101).

Document is cited in all the works published after the Second World War and concerns Roma on Balkans.

According to analysis of personal names of Dubrovnik Roma the following are found in documents:

• Croutatin (Hrvatin) Dimitrouich, 1423. father Dmithar
• Radossauus Cheruatinouich (Hrvatinović), 1458. father Croutatin
• Dmithar Giurgeuvich (Đurđević), 1485. father Jurag
• Stephanus Giurgeuich (Đurđević), 1486. father Jurag
• Medus Stipanaouich (Stipanović), 1488. father Stepan
• Iuan Sainouich dictus Oliuerich, 1490. father Sain

Anthem: Gelem,gelem

Anthem lyrics:

Gelem, gelem

I have travelled over long roads
I have met fortunate Roma
I have travelled far and wide
I have met lucky Roma

Oh, Romani adults, Oh Romani youth
Oh, Romani adults, Oh Romani youth

Oh, Roma, from wherever you have come
With your tents along lucky roads
I too once had a large family
But the black legion murdered them

Come with me, Roma of the world
To where the Romani roads have been opened
Now is the time - stand up, Roma,
We shall succeed where we make the effort.

Oh, Roma adults, Oh, Roma youth
Oh, Roma adults, Oh, Roma youth