The Gypsy Beggars

[andi]

This is a question I did not dare ask on TA, all the gypsy beggar girls around Paris all appear to be from the same ethnic background, what is this? Where do they all live? I have seen the odd one on a park bench asleep but many of the girls are pregnant, so I wondered what happens to their babies? We are normally too busy shooing them away and I wondered what their history was and how long they have been around in Paris? After all they are part of the scene.

[les]

Many are Hungarian, but I don't know their story.

[Truffaut]

Just a head's up that "gypsy" is now considered to be a somewhat offensive term, and the preferred alternative is "Romani". The ethnicity has its roots in southeastern Europe. It's a group that has been mightily discriminated against for centuries by the paler western and northern Europeans, and there are lots on built-in social conflicts regarding their place in society.

[iank9]

BBC refers as the "Travelling Community".

A couple of years ago we were sitting o/s the Taverne de Cluny when a car pulled up, and a lady got out, took a baby of another lady who was standing on the pavement. This lady then got into the car, and the "new" mother continued the begging activities.

I think the travelling community would find these activities upsetting and not a true reflection on their choice of lifestyle.

[andi]

I do apologise for the term I used, I know that many homeless people had tents donated but was not sure if this covered the girls who asked "speak english?". I wondered if there was specific suburbs that housed their community. I am interested in all aspects of the history of Paris, and these girls are very much a part of that history too. Normally they are the last thought on most peoples minds.

[Penny]

Well, it may have been tacky but my response to the "do you speak English?", even though I was standing there talking to someone in English I turn around and say "no Espagnol". I actually saw two women gettting tickets in London for "accosting (begging) people"

[andi]

SPAM!!!!!!! ignore it please!

[joan1]

Pc labels are hard to keep up with, here , where I live it was normal( years ago) to call our natives, "Indians" then they became " Natives" , now they are only referred to as " First Nations people"( which I actually like best as it is most reflective of who they are)
I actually like the term gysypy it sounds so romantic,, but, I do know as a race they are Romini,, and if one dives back I believe they are dark as they decended from northern India tribes.

Personally I rarely feel too much pressure to be "PC" ,, they are gypsies to me, and I don't think that is the worst one could say to or about them.

[joan1]

PS I saw a show on tv where a 12 yr old was forced to marry in their culture( something about joining tow families) ,, I think she ended up being " rescued"( she did not want to marry this old guy) by child welfare people,, but their culture is not very nice to girls regardless.