Roma people

The word “gypsy” has come to be associated with something illegal, or an untrustworthy person. Even the verb “vytsiganiti”, which is derived from the Ukrainian terms “tsigany”  means “to get something by insistently begging, demanding” or “to fool a person so as to take something from them.” However, such generalizations are nothing more than ethnic discrimination. There are different people among the Roma, as well as among Ukrainians, Americans or Koreans, but national or ethnic affiliation does not affect a person’s character or actions. Therefore, it is better to avoid the words “gypsies” and their derivatives. Although, the term “gypsy theatre” is often used in the cultural sphere, and is not considered offensive in this case.

But the Roma are a people who are much more complicated than our stereotypical one-dimensional view may lead us to believe. As among any other ethnicity, you can meet completely different people among the Roma. The name of the people “Roma” comes from the Greek “romaioi”, and is used to denote a group of peoples of Indian origin living in many countries around the world, including Ukraine.