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Several theories, in great extent mutually exclusive, address the issue of the origin of the Romanians.The Romanian language descends from the Vulgar Latin dialects spoken in the Roman provinces north of the "Jireček Line" (a proposed notional line separating the predominantly Latin-speaking territories from the Greek-speaking lands in Southeastern Europe) in Late Antiquity.
Often, Romania is wrongly identified as the place of origin of the Roma because of the similar name Roma/Romani and Romanians. Romanians derive their name from the Latin romanus, meaning "Roman", [232] referencing the Roman conquest of Dacia. (The Dacians were a sub-group of the Thracians.)
Romanian revolutionaries of 1848 waving the tricolor flag. The name Romanian is derived from Latin romanus, meaning "Roman". [138] Under regular phonetical changes that are typical to the Romanian language, the name romanus over the centuries transformed into rumân. An older form of român was still in use in some regions.
The absence of a written history has meant that the origin and early history of the Romani people was long an enigma. Indian origin was suggested on linguistic grounds as early as the late 18th century. [9] In the Roma language, "rom" means husband/man, while "romňi" means wife/woman, and thus "roma" means "husbands/people".
These origin narratives would favour the later extensive integrations of foreigners into the Roman world. [40] The origins of the people that became the first Romans are clearer. As in neighbouring city-states, the early Romans were composed mainly of Latin-speaking Italic people, [41] [42] known as the Latins.
Romani dances are influenced by Indian dances. A Romani dance that originated from India is the snake dance. Romani women perform the sapera dance with a cobra to awaken their reptilian powers, mantras and to curse menacing victims forever. [78] Belly dance is performed by the Romani people in Turkey. [79]
Romani actors, singers, musicians, dancers (mostly women) performed for soldiers in the front line and in hospitals. A huge number of Roma, including many of the Ruska Roma, died or were murdered in territories occupied by the enemy, in battles, and in the blockade of Leningrad. After World War II, the music of the Ruska Roma became very popular.
After the First World War, Greater Romania was established which included Transylvania, Banat, Bukovina and Bessarabia and other territories which increased the number of ethnic Romani in Romania. However, despite this increase in the absolute number of Roma in the country, the decline in the relative proportion of Roma within Romania continued.