‘The Roma' Review: A People and a Prejudice
Today there are an estimated 10 million to 12 million Roma scattered throughout Europe, where they are sometimes called the Continent's largest ethnic minority. Until recently, they were known as Gypsies, a now mildly offensive term coined several hundred years ago in the erroneous belief that the dark-skinned foreigners had come from Egypt. The word 'rom' means 'man' or 'husband' in the Romani tongue, a language related to Sanskrit.
There are enough stories of Romani suffering, past and present, to fill many volumes, but Madeline Potter, the author of 'The Roma,' adds a new perspective. Without overlooking or playing down the Roma's tragic history, she celebrates Romani arts and folklore, honors individual heroes and heroines, and praises the resilience that has ensured the Roma's survival.
Ms. Potter is herself Roma, born in Romania in 1989, and is currently a teaching and research fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Her book adroitly blends personal memoir and academic research to craft a deeply sympathetic picture of Romani life over the centuries.
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