12 Aralık 2013 Perşembe

The State, Roma and Urban Renewal 07/23/2012

Urban renewal is an issue which is a particular concern to all citizen living in our country. We will evaluate the issue with its dimensions regarding Roma in this article. Roma living in big metropols like İstanbul, İzmir, Ankara and settlements in Thracia, coastal Aegean, Mediterrenean region, western and central Blacksea region have been influenced by urban renewal projects in last 10-15 years. The urban renewal process will be quickened as far as it's understood from events and important results regarding Roma directly will appear.

Are There any Relation between Roma and the Name Kıpti 05/14/2012

Many Roma families living in Turkey know that the name Kıpti was written in the identification cards of their ancestors in the religion section. The situation preoccupy our people. They wonder if there are any relation between Roma and Coptics or not. Actually, there are no real connection between Roma and the Egiptian Coptics. Semantic change of the word caused Roma and the other Cigany groups to be registered as Kıpti in the Ottoman registrations.

The History Of The Roma 04/16/2012

All Gypsy communities who subsisted on commercial nomadism before the spreading of industry have their own histories. Roma, as one of the most crowded Gypsy groups of Balkans, have their own history which started with a migration process from India to Europe. Roma individuals have to know this history very well if they want to be able to defend their personality and their society against prejudices and stereotypes targeting Romani identity.

About Romanipe and Ciganipe On The Occasion of April 8 04/06/2012

Our readers know that we don't use the word Gypsy (Cigany) as a name defining an ethnic community. The word Gypsy (Cigany) is the common name of peripatetic peoples, who exist all around the world, in Central Asia, Anatolia, Balkans and some regions of Middle East. There is a clear similarity among Roma, Abdals, Loms, Doms, Mugats and the others which unite them under the umbrella term Gypsy (Cigany). Lands, herds and forestal areas these peoples had owned were captured from them throughout history. So they lost the chance of subsisting on agriculture, herding, hunting or gathering. They produced some craft productions and served services in exchange of food with surrounding populations. This process make these peoples a part of universal Gypsy caste.

What Does Being Roma Mean? 03/26/2012

Roma people are one of the biggest Gypsy groups of the Balkans. Roma people have a language named Romanes and a history of 1000 years which started in North India. Although the oldest ancestors of Roma started their long journey in India, Roma Gypsies are real Balkanians. Either Romanes language and the other features of Roma culture were complated in the Balkans after a long migration process.

Why Do We Use The Word Gypsy 14/02/2012

We, as Çingeneyiz.org team, insist on identifying ourselves with the word Gypsy (Cigany). Some of our friends and audiences of our web page wonder the reason of our insistence about the issue. We will explain why we published our web with the name cingeneyiz (amen Cigan isinam-we are Gypsy) and insist on using the word today in this article.

Our Main Problems / Gypsies Suffering From Universal Caste System 02/10/2011

We are Gypsies. Gypsy is the name of a universal caste. Humanity was branched two caste thousands of years ago. On the one hand Gypsy peoples belong to Gypsy Universal Nation. On the other hand, non-Gypsy peoples belong to Non-Gypsy Universal Nation. The main difference between Gypsy peoples and non-Gypsy peoples is that Gypsy peoples survived with Gypsy Ways of Subsistence for thousands of years. Gypsy peoples prepared some crafts (basket-making, sieve-making, musicianship, blacksmithing ext ) and served some services (dentistry, healing, folk medicine, animal training ext )to non-Gypsy peoples in exchange of food before spreading of industrialization. Common name of this activities maden to survive is Gypsy Ways of Subsistence.

Situation In The Balkans / A Time To Wake Up! 29/09/2011

Racist terror run rampant all around Balkans in the past couple of weeks. Paramilitary terror groups are being organized in The Czech republic on the pretext of stopping crime activities similar to Hungary. Firstly in the Czech Republic, and then now in the Bulgaria, mass actions targeting Gypsies are being done. Racists use a traffic accident as a pretence to start racist demonstrations in Bulgaria. People under control of racist ideals shout slogans offering Gypsies to be maden soap in these demonstrations. Our peoples are target of racism now in Balkans.

Çingeneyiz TV: Why and How

Cingeneyiz.org web site is built for two main reasons : Reflecting Gypsy culture with its richness and to give an opportunity to Gypsies to share their problems with the community in its best way. Cingeneyiz TV will give a stronger chance to reach these goals which was adopted at the starting point of cingeneyiz.org. Visuals will be used in ÇİNGENEYİZ TV will help a large segment of the society to get a better idea about Gypsy culture and will also give a chance to gypsies to express themselves.

Collapse Of A Slander 30/01/2011

There is a legend told in Arabian countries, Balkans, Anatolia and Central Asia for hundreds of years. The legend targets Cigans (Gypsy-Çingene). Our people suffered beause of the legend in which Cigans is introduced as a cursed low race. Our people haven't been able to find a regular job, to marry with their beloved one; our people are discriminated, scorned because of the legend. Unfortunately, even educated people also believe in the legend.

Understanding Balkans and Gypsies 23/01/2011

The article named "The Root of Hate" written by Michael J. Jordan is inspritional on several counts. The author researches the sources of racist terror targeting Gypsies in Hungaria. He speaks to historical dimensions of the issue in detail. He also introduce the influence of social problems arising from quick liberalisation of former eastern bloc countries to rising of racist terror. Hungarians, who found themselves in fight for bread after the collapse of eastern bloc, started to look for a scape goat. Unfortunately, Gypsies became target in this process with provacation of racist Jobbik Party.

About Roma Associations 16/01/2011

Numerously Roma associations have been established in last 10 years in Turkey. There are more than 100 Roma associations today. New Roma associations are being established in cities and districts every passing day. Increasing in number and being more visible in media of Roma associations attract attention of various sections of the community. Thus, politicians, academicians, NGOs have focused on Roma associations.

We don't aim to give advice to anyone in this article. Because either administrators of the associations and all kind of individuals or foundings communicating with associations due to various reasons are single-minded. All of them have already focused on being successful about their aims.

Be Sober My Friend 09/01/2011

Various Gypsy groups have faced deathful threats throughout history. We saw the gas chambers of Hitler, We witnessed horrible cruelties. In one sense, history of Gypsy is the history of suffering. However, today, we, as Gypsy peoples, are facing a worse threat than the others we face throughout history. Ones who lost their moral values are trying to disfavor us stigmatizing as a group of drug-dealers.

Hey! My Friend. Keep an eye out for the dangerous game! Be Sober! Listen to me, listen and understand what i mean.

***

Drugs are moving into various countries via an underground economy. This economy is a bonanza for some people which is as big as usual people like us could never imagine. However, real owners of this bonanza are invisible. They distrubute drugs to drug users over poor people. The poorest people of all countries are generally being used as a cat's paw to deal drugs. It's easy to convince hungry people to participate this game promising bread.

Unfortunately, some of our youngs are being a part of this game. Even worse all of Gypsy groups are being blamed to be drug dealers because of a minority who are convinced by crime organizations. Excellent young Gypsies are being stigmatized as drug dealers in any society. There are also some entellectuals who are believed to be friend of Gypsies. However they improperly accept drug use as a part of our culture and solidify prejudices that way.

***

How are our youngs being convinced to deal drugs? Our poor people are ready to accept all kind of help. Crime organizations approach our people as they are helpful people. They generally offer our young to use plantal drugs. Plantal drugs started to be inadequate in time and they offer our young chemical drugs that time. When a young turn to a drug addicted completely, they start to force him / her to sell drugs. Then he / she is getting drugs he / she need as he / she sells to others... Contrary to popular belief, it's not difficult to be transitioned from plantal drugs, which are announced not to addict by some so-called entellectuals, to chemical drugs. People who use chemical drugs can overdose easily and they could lose their lifes.

People could not understand our poverty without an eye. Some of our people are starving in some neighbourhoods. They are happy if they could find a piece of bread to eat. It's almost of impossible for our people to find a regular job. Prejudices targeting our people make harder subsistence for us. Job we could do have low income and they are hard jobs. You can't make much money with shoe shining, scrap and paper collecting or agricultural working.

Under these circumstances crime barons knock on our people's doors and make them dependent with both some herbal and chemical drugs which makes them forget their pain for a short time and hope to win an easy money. Sometimes our neighbourhoods are conquered with violence and ruffianism by barons and used as station. And when these are reflected to the TVs, our people live in neighbourhoods become scapegoats but everybody ignores to think about big barons' responsibility. While kind barons sipping scotchs in classy parties some young people who are used as tool are facing inhuman treatments. That is not fair ! Turn a blind eye for quilty ones but turning victims into a target wouldn't be one's with conscience behaviour.

***

I am a gypsy. I was born in one of the biggest city of the country. The neighbourhood that my family used to live was a Gypsy neighbourhood next to one of the richest regions in the city. My neigbourhood's people paid a big bill because of living next to drug barons' rich clients. Barons turned our neighbourhood to a center for drug selling first for herbal and then chemical drugs. No exaggeration but two generations young peoples lost their lives because of using these drugs. Today this can be the reason people from other neighbourhoods talk about our people as extinct species...

Listen everyone who stigmatize Gypsies as drug users and drug dealers. Our people were the victims of poverty and barons' endless ambition. Despite everything, most of our society didn't fall into that trip. It is still the most of the Gypsy society who prefered to make a living the hard way instead of being barons' slave. And everybody should know our people who fell into barons' trips will wake up one day and build a new life.

***

My brother ! Life was never fair to you. Yes, you are a victim. I know what you are going through at home, at street, at school, everywhere you go. And i know what they did to you. And what things you had to say yes because of being desperate, and feeling yourself like a leaf in the wind. My brother! You got tipsy whenever you felt all your pain again. Forgetting, bow to the pressures, and pressing your conscience's voice were easier to do. But it is changed. It is time to take your inside beauty, which is seen only by me maybe, out. You are not any of they say. Take this junky shirt off, relax! Come to yourself. Remember who you are... You are a honorable Gypsy. Pick up the handcraft flag which is heritage from your ancestors. When the blood goes to your numbly hands again you will see that you can build a big world with those hands. Look at your hands, look and be proud ! The sun is raising in your hands.

My brother ! Stand up ! Be Sober !

***

Have a nice week.

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated? (6) 19/12/2010

Question 4: "Were Gypsy people obstructed to settle in central parts of city and urban areas in various historical periods? Did Gypsy groups who can't settle in central areas have to move to desolate, unpreferable areas? Were gypsies send far away from the city after these areas becoming improved and city center getting bigger?"

Hundreds of groundless legend have been fabricated about our ancestors. One of these groundless legends is about our ancestors to be big on nomadism. According to the people who accepts this legend true, our ancestors refused to settle on account of the fact they like nomadism too much. These words are not true in any way, shape, or form. Gypsies adapted nomadism by necessity in various historical periods. Nomadism was never our ancestors' own choice.

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated? (5) 19/12/2010

Question 3: "Gypsy peoples faced a very big crise after industrialization and lost their traditional jobs. They had to work in jobs which wouldn't be preferred by other people, with little income and without any social security. In the time when these jobs started to become more popular non-gypsies started to show a strong interest on this jobs and brought a competition to the field. Did this competition which was lived under peace conditions come to a point of discrimination for Gypsies by using violence ? Did gypsies go back to jobs with very little incomes?"

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated? (4) 12/12/2010

Question 2: "What so ever happened at the beginning, did tribes, which belong to Gypsy Universal Nation, ever try to do agriculture or animal breeding as livelihood in the later history. Was this try obstructed by Gadjo peoples somehow ?"

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated? (3) 05/12/2010

We evaluated how the peripatetic way of subsistence, which is the common trait of ethnicities Gypsy Universal Nation composed from, existed last week. We exemplify that natural human beings were unable to subsist with hunting and gathering anymore on the account of the fact that invaders seized their natural resources in the places paradisical where they lived in. There was only one possibility to survive under these circumstances: To provide some services and to product some crafts for settled agriculturalist and nomadic herders in exchange of food. In the end, our ancestors adapted Gypsy Way of Subsistence involuntary. On the contrary, they were forced to be peripatetics by hard circumstances. This forcing is the main reason of pains, poverty and deprivals we face from past to present.

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated? (2) 21/11/2010

Question 1: For thousands of years, main way of subsistence of the peoples composing Gypsy Universal Nation was commercial nomadism. They got different food products from settled agriculturists and nomadic herders in exchange of selling crafts and providing services. Why did gypsies choose this subsistence way which force them to beg for a piece of bread? Why didn't they produce their own food by agriculture or animal breeding? Was this a choice or a necessity?

Why Gypsies Aren't Assimilated 21/11/2010

Assimilation is a term with a negative meaning. It means a society to be not oneself anymore losing cultural features and lifestyle completely. Entegration is a term especially used for minorities' and immigrants' adaptation process in Europe. It means a minority to adapt mainstream of society without being assimilated.

It's open that we, Gypsies neither are assimilated or entegrated to society in Europe. In any case, we believe that nobody have to think our people to assimilate. On the other hand, we haven't yet entegrated to the societies we live together in a healthy way too. We always hear words about difficulty of entegration of Gypsies from authorities. It's always being discussed why Gypsies are not assimilated in media, bulletins of NGOs and reports published by academicians.

Is It Free To Insult Gypsies In Dictionaries 14/11/2010

An issue getting big reaction from Gypsy community is brougt to agenda with a news published on our web page. There is some words insulting Gypsies like randy, greedy as mean of the word Gypsy in a dictionary published by a private publisher. There are also some idioms, which is common among society and reflecting prejudices against Gypsies, in the dictionary. In addition that, one of the idioms is published in the dictionary even it's not common among society.

Warnings on Urban Transformation 07/11/2010

The issue of urban transformation have came to the fore for a long time all over the world. Right to make decisions about evictions in the context of urban transformation belogns to a few administrators. We could only explain our ideas and share our critics about urban tranformation process. On the other hand, some news we reveived these days are pointing at great social diseases arising from mistakes maden about urban transformation. Administrators have to do something before it is too lat about the situation.

The New Life 31/10/2010

I am writing about the same issue in "Weekly Agendas" of last weeks. I am trying to evaluate losing process of our traditional jobs, new subsistence ways our people have found after the process and difficulties of these subsistence ways... News published on our web page are excellent examples for discussing on these issues.

We read the sedulity, the determination and the endless sufferings of Roma tobacco workers of Samsun from memoirs of Metin Özbaskıcı. We learned our brothers and sisters, who were basketmakers and tinners before, are working in coal mines under difficult conditions from a news published on our web page about Haci Evhat Neighbourhood. All those examples shows how the life of Gypsies is changing. On the other hand, the Gypsy image in minds have never changed...

From Memory To History 24/10/2010

Our author Metin Özbaskıcı shared a new memoir with us. His memories belongs to the period his family worked as tobacco workers in are being told with a literary style in the memoir. We recommend strongly to the ones not read it yet. After this usefull recommendation, let's come to our point. Are those things told in the memoir about only the life of Mr. Özbaskıcı? I don't think so. If it was only about the life of Mr. Ozbaskıcı, our friends, our brothers and sisters read this memoir wouldn't say that they found something about them in the memoir. The main reason of being impressive of the memoir for people shared similar memories with Mr. Özbaskıcı is that the this is the story of all of us!

Where Did Side-Drum Makers Go? 17/10/2010

An article written by Ali Işık was published in a web page named "İz Literature" at March 14, 2002*. A tradion originated from early age civilizations of Anatolia is introduced in the article. Şivlilik tradition... This tradition was carried on until 40-50 years ago with its all details. Children were playing side-drums on streets before bara'ah night by virtue of the tradition. They were causing to groan playing side-drums and reeds with lambs in their hands all over the city. This tradition originated from Phrygians, one of the oldest civilizations of Anatolia according to Ali Işık. Well, Who maded side-drums prerequisite for Şivlilik tradition? We are interesting in the answer of this question strongly.

Our Names 10/10/2010

We have names in all lands. In this land, we are known as Çingene!

***

We, descendants of peripatetic ancestors, have hundreds of names. Some of them are the names given by our ancestors themselves to identify their peoples or their tribes pointing at their job, origin or language. The name of Roma people left its mark on Balkan Geography or the name of Pavee people, ancient tinkers of Ireland, are the examples of these kind of names of peripatetic peoples.

There are also some names given by peripatetic peoples to the tribes living as a part of them. Lovara, Calderash, Xorahay or Laxo are the examples of the names given by the Roma tribes living in various geographies to themselves. Similarly, Abdal people having a middle eastern origin branches to tribes. The names given by themselves to Abdal tribes generally point at traditional way of subsistence. Fakçıs, Tencili, Beydili, Kara Duman are the best known tribes of Abdal people.

Being Gypsy At All Points (2) 26/09/2010

"Interview with Judith Okely" we published in our web page is composed with written answers to our questions that we sent Okely via email.Surely, the interview wouldn't be enough to understand the view of Okely. This is why i benefited from the book "The Traveller Gypsies" written by Judith Okely on the basis of a field research to write this article. Our main goal is to explain viewpoint of Judith Okely to our audiences and to evaluate her comments from our perspective.

Being Gypsy At All Points 26/09/2010

We published two interviews maden with two important scientists last weeks. One of them is linguist Yaron Matras who is also one of the administrators of the project, Romani Manchester. Matras have also some works on various Gypsy (peripatetic) Languages notably Domani as well as Romanes. Judith Okely wrote a book, "The Traveller Gypsies", have sparked important debates. She criticizes the theory, Indian Migration, accepted as a common truth since 19. century from an anthropoligical perspective. With Okely's works, a new school on Gypsy studies have started to grow.

Hope Coming From The Frog 19/09/2010

A news telling about our brothers and sisters collecting frogs to make money was published in the previous days in our web page, www.cingeneyiz.org. They have an association, Association of Frog Breeders.When the pond they collect frogs from have been drained, a new pond were builded close to Edirne Eskikadın Village with in collaboration with the association. Our brothers and sisters are hopefull. They believe that they will be able to collect approximately 100 ton frogs. They have already started preparings to export frogs to the countries just live France and Georgia where demand for frogs is higher.

To Remember 05/09/2010

We have a new author now. Our friend from Samsun, Mr. Baskici; is writing his memories for us. He is son of a family migrated from Greece to Turkey at 1920's with the Turkish-Grece Population Exchange. He have diffulties for all his life. His memories are also bearing wittnes to the pain and the desire to live of our brothers and sisters. As we read his memories, we feel sorry that we don't have written memories of most of our ancestors. And we also know that losing memories of them also means losing of our recent history. Memories are being lost with losing of traditions and oral culture which let generations to take their memories to next generations. Possibly, This is the reason of why young Gypsies are being scattered around with all winds just like a sappling without any root.

The Responsibility of The 5th Year

Volunteers of Cingeneyiz.org have been working with a great sacrifice for last 5 years. Results are obvious. We get closer to our basic objectives planned when we set out in great measure. What was the goal? Our goal was to overcome prejudices about our society not based on any realistic basis. Our goal was to introduce our society to the people who don't know enough about our society with a realistic depiction. Our goal was to make a contribution to the communication among Gypsies and also between Gypsies and Non Gypsies. Our goal was to fulfill the confidence of our people that they would be able to defend themselves against misconducts arising from prejudices.

The Europe and Gypsies 1

The deathfull virus called anti-ziganism is spreading to different regions of The Europe day by day. The sickness got a higher currency at 1990's in Balkans is slowly moving towards to Western Europe today. As people who think us as a threat to their lifestyle and social structures get a higher population, government policies come to power with votes of them is starting to change towards racism. Getting more and more violent toward Gypsy communities of Policies of Italy and France governments is resulted from these situation. And on the other side there is professional terror organizations working well planned insteaf of individual and spontaneous racist activities we saw at 1990's in Balkans.

The problem is so clear for us. Anti-ziganism we see on different regions is getting more popular with similar discourse. But anti-ziganisms we see on different region is resulted from different reasons. Reasons of reaction toward us in Western Europe and reasons of racist terror targeting our people in Balkans are diffferent from eachother. We want to show this difference and declare our solulitions to these problems in this article.

The Language of the Events

Events essentially speak. People considering of related events and questioning the meaning of experiences can speak the language of the events. Only those people may have a realistic evaluation about the possibilities in the near future. We live in critical times. The past is unprecedentedly quickly connecting to today and today to the future. It is so important to understand the language of the events in these times. Otherwise, events pass over you and you stand behind the passing time in bewilderment.

31/August/2009-03/September/2009

Cingeneyiz.org is sharing the news about different Gypsy communities from different places with its audience. The Gypsies who are living in India and Nepal have a special place by these. Because so many people do not have any idea about the Gypsy communities living in India and Southeastern Asia, although these people believe that Romani Gypsies' ancestors are from India.

Cingeneyiz.org: An attempt that verifies its assertion with its presence 20/08/2009

Today is so important for us. We are near the 4th year of our site. Actually, we enjoy living deeply so that it is nearly impossible to distinguish the time course. Even so, we experience a warmly happiness when we look back and see that 3 years have passed.

What was Cingeneyiz.org? What was the purpose of the founders? Could they accomplish their objects? It is obvious that Cingeneyiz.org is a reaction. A reaction against despising the creative potential of the people who handle this even on difficult conditions. A reaction against the attempts of prejudices which are based on the pains of former generations!

Who the young Gypsies Should Take as Model 26/4/2007

In Turkey, Gypsies have had a preponderant importance all along, especially in the arts. This situation has been same since Ottoman era. However, it is a quite new phenomenon that our people come into prominence stressing on their Gypsy identity. Nowadays, Gypsy artists, who have been on the stage only with their “artist” identity in the past, can stand out with their “Romani” identity. It is another debatable question that if this situation is proper or not. Some may evaluate the display of identities as a cultural wealth while some others as an action that triggers social disintegration. Yet the point that concerns us is the affect of artists, who are on the stage with their “Romani” identity, on Gypsy society.

You Have Aggrieved Us, Mrs. Temelkuran 21/4/2007

Ece Temelkuran cited to the meeting held in Ankara, in her column in Milliyet in 18th of April 2007 on Wednesday. We are not going to discuss this meeting as you guess. The subject of this article is the words that used by Temelkuran in order to describe the people who joined the meeting: “A country, which was established through a struggle against “72 and a half nations” and whose land consists of the bodies of the young people who died for a more enlightened, egalitarian and equitable country through generations, has this right: Living without a shame and fear. This meeting was the meeting of the people who wanted to express this.” We do not have any objection against the general meaning of these words! But unfortunately, the words of “against 72 and a half nations” which were used by Temelkuran while talking about our National Independence War, extremely went beyond the intention.

Urban Reorganization In the Sense of Gypsies 18/4/2007

The urban transformation is not just on the agenda of us, but also the rest of the whole world. Much information about destructions from different regions has been receiving, as people struggling against these destructions. The justifications of the defenders and the challengers regarding the urban transformation are almost same everywhere. The defenders are talking about the beautification of the cities and building healthful houses while the challengers are worrying about losing the houses -only places they have in order to live.

What the Gypsies have to do? 16/4/2007

Gypsies are living all around the world. The pictures of Gypsies living in the different parts of the world have been montaged for a video that we broadcasted in cingeneyiz.org: Irish Tinners, Tanzanian Basket-makers or Japanese Leather-workers. It is so interesting that our people have similar problems everywhere. Throughout the history, we have had valuable contributions to humanity. We have never shed blood with the ambition for power. Even the people, who despise us through using the most unsuitable epithets, know that Gypsies are a peaceful community. Despite these positive characteristics, people we are living together misunderstand us. Prejudices, unjustified criminations, racist beliefs cause our people suffering. Being a Gypsy becomes a barrier while looking for a job, in education and in all parts of everyday life as if it is a shame. What a big pity for human being that we are being labelled as “a half” in the phrase of “seventy two and a half nations”. What have the Gypsies to do in the face of these universal problems? Should we see this situation as a result of destiny and leave it behind or look for proper ways to solve our problems? This shame cannot be defined as destiny. We cannot say “that’s the way life goes”. Our pains have to be salved. But how? What have the Gypsies to do?

Roma or Gypsy? 06/4/2007


We have set out with the discourse of “I am a Gypsy”. This expression is an ordinary one for most of the people. For example, it is meaningless for a German to say “I am a German”, since she/he repeats an obvious reality in this way. But this kind of declaration has a different meaning for our community. If a Gypsy says “I am a Gypsy”, this expression is not a commonplace; on the contrary, it is an example of heroism on its own. People who can say “I am a Gypsy” are the real heroes. This article dedicates to these heroes.

Where the Gypsies From Are: Do not Forget Anatolian Gypsies 02/4/2007

This paper is not regarding the Gypsies' origins, about which there are various discussions. Some people allege that the motherland of Gypsies is India ; on the other hand, the others assert that it is the whole world. I would like to postpone this discussion and cite another subject. It is about a deep rooted impression in our society: When the Gypsies of Turkey are mentioned, Thrace region comes to most of people's mind. For the ordinary people, Gypsies frequently evoke the symbols of Balkan culture, for example the clarinet and the Romani music. Of course, Thrace region has a distinctive place in the culture of Turkish Gypsies. No one can deny this reality. But there is another, hidden reality: The culture of Anatolian Gypsies.