Hi friends!
Istanbul is a charming city. It's all here. History, Bosphorus, Asia, Europe, unforgettable beauty of architecture and delicious Turkish food. But what about Gypsies? They're here too. In Turkey, almost 4% of the population is Roma. Today, a little stroll through the streets of Istanbul, where there are interesting moments of people's lives. Tourists are usually unaware of this shade of one of the most contrasting cities in the world. We will talk about the Roma. How they live in Istanbul and how people who are close to them live.
Where did the Gypsies come from to Turkey?
In Asia Minor, Gypsies were settled in ancient times. There are several legends where there were Turkish Gypsies.
- The first legend. They were the inhabitants of Atlantis, which subsequently were left without a home.
- Second legend. They came from Egypt.
It is unclear what caused the Roma to leave India, which they consider their homeland. But historians believe that the Gypsies in Turkey trampled from Egypt. And there they appeared over a thousand years BC In Turkey and had to be partially Turkish culture and Islam. It was through Turkey, the Roma migrated to European countries.
When the Turks conquered Byzantium, none of the Gypsies was touched. On the contrary, they were given special privileges by Sultan Fatih the Conqueror. What is the merit? The fact that Roma were excellent armourers. They supplied numerous Ottoman army scimitars and swords. We did it with great dedication. Note that the Roma themselves are never involved in hostilities.
For this" constantly wandering tribe " was exempted from all taxes. They were given permission to move freely throughout the vast Ottoman Empire.
Where does the majority of Roma live in Turkey?
The largest Roma neighborhoods are located in such cities of Turkey as Istanbul, Adana, Bandirma, Bilecik, Bursa, Edirne, Eskisehir, Gebze.
In Istanbul, these neighborhoods are Surya Airbase, Sulukule, Adanalian, Sisli, Atasehir
Izmir is considered to be a Gypsy Mecca
In Izmir Roma carry out fair brides, Gypsy wedding shows and fairs. With Ottoman permission to move freely, they are not touched by the police. Very often even pass the Gypsy carts in front of other buses.
Horses wish they Gypsies have a very thin
Basic classes and everyday life of Roma neighborhoods
There are at least two main activities of Roma in Istanbul:
- Garbage business
- Flower business
An interesting Duo is obtained: garbage and flowers...
If we talk in General about Turkey-a flower business
In the early 60s, the flower business began to grow rapidly in Turkey. At that time, many Gypsies moved to live in the city. Bought land and built greenhouses. Planted flowers and sold them. It is worth noting that in Istanbul until now all flower bazaars are led by Gypsies. As a rule, only women and children are employed. Men relax at home and count the income. In Turkey, this is even more pronounced. Since the culture of the Ottoman Empire left a big mark on women.
In Turkey, as elsewhere, there are different classes of Roma. But most Roma live very poorly. Their activities are also different. What do Gypsies in Istanbul do besides garbage and flowers?
- Sell jewelry for gold
- Collect scrap metal
- Trade in the streets and markets
- Panhandle
- Guess
- Wash carpets
- Street musicians (rarely)
Once I saw a Gypsy boy who played the violin in the Park. But he was even neatly dressed. Many Gypsy boys grow and sell pigeons.
Some other Roma classes
The Turks, who live in Roma neighbourhoods, are under constant tension. There is theft, big scandals, a lot of noise, dirt and debris. The photos presented in the article represent life in the old district of Atasehir. Now the district is considered an economic zone of Istanbul. There are global perestroika and demolition of houses.
Turkish residents in the Roma areas are not protected. If there is a problem, even the police are afraid to intervene in the showdown
Many Roma live without documents and are not registered anywhere. Laws they are not particularly respected. The houses they built are usually undocumented. Utilities are not paid. Connect electricity from neighboring houses of Turkish residents. Water is used from the nearest wells.
The showdown between them are the use of weapons. Everything is accompanied by loud screams and fights. Often behave in society in a very insolent and Intrusive.
Roma burn garbage near other houses where Turkish people live. You can't breathe in the streets.
Turks do not let their children out into the street without supervision. Gypsy children behave very ugly. Smoke with a kid and effing and jeffing.
There is also an interesting occupation of Gypsies in Turkey. They work as callsigns in brothels. Turkish women who work in brothels, do not want to dance erotic dancing in the Windows of institutions. Instead, they are engaged in young Gypsies. Earlier on the streets of Turkey often went to Roma girls and danced the belly dance. But now it's quite a rare sight.
The Turkish population says that there is a Gypsy mafia that distributes drugs and weapons. In the press, sometimes something slips in that direction.
Turkish Roma know the Turkish language, but communicate in their own language. With the local population almost no contact. Very rarely happens if the Gypsy will marry someone not from their circle. Or a Gypsy woman marries a Turk, for example. If children go against parents, they are easily expelled from the house. The same applies to the Gypsy's wife. For any flaws it safely expels the Gypsies from home. Roma have their own rules and laws in their clans. As a rule, they live in groups. Or occupy entire neighborhoods.
The main problem of the Turkish Roma is the complete absence of not only documents, but also education. Without education, no one takes Roma to work. Therefore very often they are engaged in illegal Affairs. But the parents are not in a hurry to send their children to school. When I attended a Turkish school in the Roma quarter, I learned that there were only 2-3 Roma children in a class of 40. As a rule, instead of schools, Roma children are sent to work in the streets. Turkish public school Roma can attend for free.
Roma have no right to visit hospitals and clinics without documents. Until now, women give birth at home in complete unsanitary conditions. There are a lot of children in families. It is interesting to observe how Gypsies with babies go with a wheelbarrow to collect garbage around the city.
Measures of the government of Turkey against Roma
Turkey has an Association of Turkish Gypsies that protects their rights. The state was taking action to improve the living conditions of the Roma. But what do the Gypsies want? After all, those who do not live in cities, always lead a nomadic lifestyle. 10 years ago in Turkey the protests took place Roma, which they never take on a job. The European Union has allocated a lot of money to save the Turkish Roma from poverty and unemployment. Roma received loans for agriculture, for the purchase of land for the construction of houses. They got everything, safely sold, sites put and disappeared. So the question arises: what do the Gypsies want?...
In this house, on the roof year-round home to a family of Gypsies.
In the process of restructuring the Roma districts into modern districts, the state relocates the residents to Turkish villages. In these same areas many Turks also have no documents neither on the earth, nor on the house. Just a cheeky Stroy from the beginning of the 60s of the last century, when Istanbul began to intensively settle the villagers.
Gypsy showdown on the street
Below is a small video from the Gypsy district of old Atasehir. Now he began a global restructuring of the area. Running a lot of equipment. Gypsies find something to do here. Climb right under the tractor bucket to get the iron. Look at the real Turkish Gypsies.
The problem of social life of Turkish Roma is not solved in any way. Roma on the one hand want rights, but on the other hand - freedom of action. All the more there is disagreement between the Turkish people and Gypsies. If the authorities do not specifically address these issues, the conflict will continue to worsen.
Photo, video taken on the iPhone 6S+
Thank you for your attention! Today is another wonderful day! All good sentiments!
From Turkey, @ rosy440.
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Hello Rosy,
I absolutely love this article, it's so interesting and shines some light into something not to many people know about. We've actually visited the largest gypsy town in Europe... Skopje. It was so interesting.
I'm also stopping by to give you a heads up. You might know about @curie , they're always looking for high quality content but it has to be be current and not posted somewhere else. I understand you're a writer and your first language is Russian and this article was translated into English which takes some time. But to increase your chances consider to translate your articles as quick as possible.
Again, thank you for this incredible post.
I've seen so many programs about Turkey lately, but haven't heard about the large Roma communities and their interesting history in Turkey. Thanks for your perspective and fascinating photos!A really interesting article @rosy440
@vliet, Thank you for your attention to my humble person! Come again!;)
very clear sense however, that the overall tone is not neutral. There is a clear and relentless flow of criticism of, even prejudice towards, the Roma way of life that runs through your post. The picture I get from your presentation is a negative one - you highlight what is 'wrong' with them. What you say about them seems to betray how you feel about the issue. Is there nothing positive to be said about them? I'm not talking about Ottoman times, but now. It is not an easy issue to get a balanced view of, accepted! Perhaps you have personal experiences that influence how you perceive them, I do not know!Hi there @rosy440, this is a fairly detailed look and you have some interesting pictures and observations. I do get the
Apart from the lack of any celebration of the Roma, what I consider missing from this 'analysis' is the history of persecution that the Roma have been subjected to, and which seems reflected in attitudes towards the Romany people in modern Turkish society. They may have had special status in Ottoman times, but things seems to have changed. Check out this article from a 'Romany' perspective entitled The Perception of Gypsies in Turkish Society. Your conclusions seem to be that they are unwilling to integrate. Isn't the message of the video - which is the final thing you leave the reader with - "look gypsies steal even from those who are trying to help them!" ??
Gypsies/Roma have always been easy targets and scapegoats. Their insularity may also be seen as a defence against a world that refuses to leave them in peace and continues to violently try and force them to submit! To blame them for their insularity and way of life is to ignore centuries-old pain....to do so is to perpetuate the hate, the prejudice, and it does nothing to ease any of the social 'problems' that you discuss.
The conclusion that The Perception of Gypsies in Turkish Society comes to is:
Regards
🚣
I think you exaggerated a lot when introducing gypsies as scapegoats and percecuted. It is the other way round - the ottomans were using them to do their dirty jobs.
https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Turkish_Genocides_-_The_massacre_on_the_Bulgarian_population - Turkish Genocides: The massacre on the Bulgarian population
https://attackingthedevil.co.uk/related/macgahan.php - The Turkish Atrocities in Bulgaria: Horrible Scenes at Batak
and worth to mention, gypsies were there as main criminals, which is documented.
Sweet comment...compared to the next one anyway LOL.
@barge, Thank you very much for your attention! I treat all people very well. I wish all lived together. Understanding and freedom should be an integral part of modern society;)
I hear what you state @rosy440, but your post on gypsies seems to tell a different version and a different story, as stated in my comment. I am saying that I do not see this (treat well, wish all live together, understanding and freedom). When I read your article (and I did so twice), I got the impression you do not like the Roma. In other words, it seems as if your post embodies aspects of the very prejudice that Gypsies have faced, including blame towards them. This is what I am saying.
@barge, I understand you. I described how it related to the Gypsies of the Turkish people.
The stinky gypsy rat demand you declare your admiration for gypsies publicly. He ignores the fact that you have full right to like or dislike.
In fact he is humiliating you.
Why do you submit to the gypsy humiliation woman?
Your opinion is your opinion, and it is well documented.
It is NOT his business to tell you what to do.
Fucking Western feminists cannot open their mouth for self defence but go to be raped from migrants like Lilly who-was-her-shitty-name.
Now fuck off, easy gypsy meat. Gosh, you fell down o much to justify your DICUMENTED article in front of a dirty criminal gypsy demanding your obedience?
Great article explaining the origins of the Roma which is important as not everyone knows their origins. I love gypsy music.
@izzynoelI also love the creativity of the Gypsies!;) Thank you for your feedback!