I asked in a facebook romani group how they identify on race forms

[Mortimer]

Here is what I wrote.

Hi my Roma friends. Im a serbian born Roma but live since 1990 in Austria. I have a Question for you all. How do you identify on race census forms? Especially if you live in the United States here in Austria we dont have race census but on dating sites and such I identify usually as "other". Do you identify as "other" as "white/caucasian" or as "asian" (indian/pakistani) or "mixed race"? Roma originated in the indian subcontinent in northern india and on their way they mixed with europeans and middle easterners, technically they are mixed race. But I identify as "other" because we are not indians and that was thousand years ago we are a distinct culture. Please your views. Thanks.

I will tell keep you updated what they replied. Its interesting survey.

[Mortimer]

A interesting reply

This is an interesting question. We have never fit in the Gadje classifications and categories. After more than 1000 years in Europe we are definitely Europeans. Our language Romanes originates in India but the language as we speak it today was formed at the Balkans after the contact with Greek, Slavik and Wallahian languages. One important thing we should not forget. Technically speaking there are no people calling themselves Roma in India today. Roma are exclusivelly European people. Race is an absrtact idea, but in the past the scholars defined us as "white" people, it is obvious that we are not "black" as the people from Uganda or Nigeria for example. Scholars used the term "Mediterranean sub-race" of the Caucasian rase - most Arabs, Hindus, Greeks, Italians, Portugues and Spanish belong to this sub-race. If they classify themselves as "white", then we are also "white/caucasian" and not "other", but it is a matter of self-identification.

My reply

thanks for the interesting reply, but hindus where we originate are classed in the united states as "asian" so i check either asian + white or i check "other". white people are classified as "people indigenous to europe, northafrica or middle east" east indians and pakistanis are classed as "asians" along with east and southeastasians such as chinese, japanese, malaysia and philipines. in anthropology books they are classed as caucasian sometimes but sometimes as caucasian/australoid intermediate, hindus/indians etc. have a good amount of papuan/aboriginal/negrito related blood those australoid. i think roma have less of that but still do. for example southindians and some dalits look aboriginal-related not caucasian.

this should generate a interesting discussion

[Mortimer]

one more reply

Other or white. Depends on the day.

[Tong]

i heard that some mixing took place in roma populations between europeans, so some culturally roma people have lighter skin or hair. I guess it would depend

[Purohit ji]

First guys reply is right and intelligent

[Mortimer]

i heard that some mixing took place in roma populations between europeans, so some culturally roma people have lighter skin or hair. I guess it would depend

First guys reply is right and intelligent

interesting reply from a girl who has family since long in the USA.

Is 1850 till 1880 early enough? For 1850-1880, the codes for enumerators were generally white (W), black (B) and mulatto (M). 1870, Chinese (C) and Indian (I) were added. Self identification was fully in place 1970. So we do have census that some of my family were identified by takers as mullato. From the years 1850 or 1860. Beginning of 1900 family members were most the times white. From 1970 on we identified ourself as Others. Besides the Native side of my family of course. They were identified as I.

[Tong]

yeah, if they were mixed, they might list themselves as the other ethnic group

[Lollipop]

A interesting reply

This is an interesting question. We have never fit in the Gadje classifications and categories. After more than 1000 years in Europe we are definitely Europeans. Our language Romanes originates in India but the language as we speak it today was formed at the Balkans after the contact with Greek, Slavik and Wallahian languages. One important thing we should not forget. Technically speaking there are no people calling themselves Roma in India today. Roma are exclusivelly European people. Race is an absrtact idea, but in the past the scholars defined us as "white" people, it is obvious that we are not "black" as the people from Uganda or Nigeria for example. Scholars used the term "Mediterranean sub-race" of the Caucasian rase - most Arabs, Hindus, Greeks, Italians, Portugues and Spanish belong to this sub-race. If they classify themselves as "white", then we are also "white/caucasian" and not "other", but it is a matter of self-identification.

this should generate a interesting discussion

Bullshit.
Fuck off ,OWD gipsy .

[crazyladybutterfly]

Bullshit.
Fuck off ,OWD gipsy .

north africans and middle easterns have been called mediterranean by some anthropologists so it isnt that weird that some anthropologist might have called the romanis as mediterranean though i disagree with such a label as they re a population , a beautiful one , on their own with a rich diverse ancestry.

[wvwvw]

First guys reply is right and intelligent

The only reason it sounded "intelligent" to you is because it pleased you that he included your filthy gypo people together with Southern Europeans:

"Scholars used the term "Mediterranean sub-race" of the Caucasian rase - most Arabs, Hindus, Greeks, Italians, Portugues and Spanish belong to this sub-race. If they classify themselves as "white", then we are also "white/caucasian" and not "other", but it is a matter of self-identification."