吉普赛人

吉普赛人(Gypsies)，亦作Roma。

深色皮肤的高加索人，原住印度北部，现遍布世界各地，尤以欧洲为主。大多数吉普赛人讲吉普赛语，也讲各居住国的主要语言。一般认为，吉普赛人经屡次迁徙，离开印度，於15世纪到西欧。20世纪，吉普赛人的踪迹已遍布北美和南美，并到达澳大利亚。由於吉普赛人流动性强，因之很难估计出其总人口数。一般估计到21世纪初人口总数在200万～300万之间。有多少吉普赛人仍过着流浪生活，其数字不明。所有游动的吉普赛人都是随季节按照固定路线迁徙而不考虑国界。他们经常受到迫害和骚扰。纳粹在集中营处死约40万吉普赛人。吉普赛人一向寻求与其流浪生活相适应的生计。过去以贩卖家畜、驯兽、卜筮和演技等行当。现代吉普赛人成为汽车机械师和修理工或在流动马戏团和娱乐场所工作。酋长由10～100个家庭的集团的名门选出，是终身职，不能世袭。妇女在集团内有成立组织，由本族老妇人作代表，影响力甚强。现代吉普赛文化面临遭受来自工业化社会的都市的腐蚀。没有种族界限的居住条件和经济上的独立状态，再加上与非吉普赛人的通婚，一切已使吉普赛人的律法松弛无效。

English version：

Gypsies

People originating in northern India but now living worldwide, principally in Europe. Most speak Romany in addition to the local language. It is thought that Gypsy groups left India in successive migrations, reaching Western Europe by the 15th century. In the 20th century they spread to North and South America and Australia. Because of their often nomadic and marginalized lives, population figures are largely guesswork; estimates in the early 21st century range from 2 to 3 million. How many Gypsies remain nomadic is unclear, but those that migrate do so at least seasonally along patterned routes that ignore national boundaries. They have often been persecuted and harassed; the Nazis killed about 400,000 Gypsies in extermination camps. They pursue occupations compatible with a nomadic life. In the past they were often livestock traders, tinkers, fortune-tellers, and entertainers; today they are often car mechanics, auto-body repairmen, and workers in traveling circuses and amusement parks. Confederations of 10-100 families elect chieftains for life, but their title is not heritable. Women are organized as a group within the confederation and represented by a senior woman. Modern Gypsy culture faces erosion from urban influences; integrated housing, economic independence, and intermarriage with non-Gypsies have weakened Gypsy law.