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.
We won't throw cold water over their game. We wish all of them success. Our aim in this article is to discuss thoroughly all aspects of Roma associations in Turkey. We believe that this article would be helpful for everybody who want to learn something about the issue.
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First of all, we have to define Roma identity. Who are Roma people? Roma are one of the old European peoples who have a distinct language, culture and history. Language of Roma society is Romanes. It's believed that oldest ancestors of Roma people were related to Indian Gypsies. On the contrary, Roma culture could not be defined completely as an Indian culture. Roma culture is rather a special syntheses of Persian, Indian, Anatolian, Grecian and European cultures. After all, Roma culture is one of the important cultures of Europe nowadays.
What is the difference between Roma and other cultures? There are different ethnic groups like Circassians, Lazs or Georgians in Anatolia. All of them have their own language, culture and history. However, there are manything different between Roma and the other ethnic groups we counted above about lifestyle and relationships with host society. Yes, Roma are different from others because Roma people belongs to Gypsy Universal Nation.
Main subsistence way of Roma before becoming widespread of industry was commercial nomadism differing from non-Gypsy ethnic groups. They prepared craft products and provided various services for settled agriculturalists and nomadic herders in exchange of food. They generally have no chance to have land or herds differing from non-Gypsy ethnic groups and the only capital of Roma people were craft specialisation. Most known traditional occupations of Roma people were basketmaking, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, coppersmithing, musicianship, horse training, bear and monkey performance and acrobatics.
Most of Roma groups lost their traditional occupations with becoming widespread of industry and started to look for new occupations. New jobs of Roma after industry were scrap and paper collecting, flower selling, shoe shining, porterage, pedlar's trade, press working, tobocco working, agricultural working... On the other hand, there also doctors, lawyer, academicians, politicians and businessmen with Roma origin even they are a small minority among Roma society.
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Roma associations are prevail in Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. Because Roma Gypsy are crowded in these regions. On the other hand, association of Dom Gypsies are prevail in South-eastern Anatolia; association of Lom Gypsies are prevail in Blacksea Region; Association of Abdals are prevail in Central Anatolia.
Roma associations are generally being established on the purpose of cooperation and solidarity among Roma society. It's also possible to see some associations to be established on the purpose of solving occupational problems as we see in the examples of Frog Gatherers Association or Porters Association. Some of the associations focused on problems arising from urban transformation process.
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Roma have some problems which are special to them. Roma have also some other problems concerning all Gypsy groups. Social problems like unemployment, housing problem, educational problems and prejudices damage all Gypsy groups including Roma. Extreme poverty, which is related to Gypsy have no capital after industry as they lose their tradional occupations, is common among all Gypsy groups. On the other hand, disappearing of Romanes among many Roma groups and being forgotten of Roma folk is special issue of Roma associations.
Roma associations could organize independent activities to survive Roma culture. On the contrary, it would be better to work coordinately with other Gypsy groups like Abdals, Doms, Gevende, Lom-Bosha-Elekçi to solve social problems. People, who are identifed as Gypsy by descendants of settled agriculturalists and nomadic herders ( Gaco ) regardless of their language, skin colour, homeland ext; have to work together to fight against prejudices targeting Gypsy ethnicities. It is surely beyond doubt that working together to overcome prejudices targeting "Gypsy" is better than blaming eachother to be Gypsy.
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Roma associations are at the bottom of the ladder. They have to work in a pudent and resolute way. They must never forget they are non govermental organizations. They shouldn't chase rainbows. These days, some Roma associations started to reach for the sky. However they don't have enough power to realize this kind of big ideals. This is not a true approach to forget their own limits. They have to know themselves and their limits.
Roma associations could have an important role for determination of local problems of Roma, preparing solution projects of these problems and prompting any individuals or foundings who have enough power to solve these problems. The only sign of consistency for Roma association who claim to aim improvement of Roma society is to do these jobs we explained above. Roma association who are not taking any concrete step in their neighbourhoods but chase rainbows damage Gypsy community. They will understand this soon.
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Roma associations will arouse more interest in the coming days. Various sections of society would have more demands from the associations. Associations have to be more careful under these circumstances. All Gypsy groups including Roma will pay the penalty for a foot wrong by Roma associations. Establishing a Roma association land with you today. I believe that people who are not ready to take this responsibility have to give up!
Honorable administrators of Roma associations! I am your Gypsy brother. Please, listen to me. You could influence destiny of millions of Gypsy positively or negatively. You have to think carefully before taking any step. You have a big responsibility. I know everythink looks like a game for some of you. However you will see that the balloon goes up. Your small mistakes could cause big pains. If you cause our people face problems more than they can bear with your wrong decisions, you would be responsible for their pains.
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Have a nice week.
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