A History of the Romani People [Hardcover]

Hristo Kyuchukov (Author), Ian F. Hancock (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

A thousand years ago, a group of people who later became the Romani were drive out of northern India by an invading army. This group then took to traveling the world, adopting words, cultural customs, and religious beliefs from the people they encountered throughout their journeys. Little by little, the Romani integrated these new beliefs with their old ways, eventually creating the unique Romani culture known today. Now Hristo Kyuchukov and Ian Hancock give readers the insider's perspective to this fascinating group of people. The Romani authors explain why "Gypsy" is a scornful name, and why they prefer to be called Romanies, as they call themselves. They enlighten readers to Romani traditions, such as those surrounding weddings, the arrival of a baby, and the death of a family member. Readers learn how the Romani work to keep their language and traditions alive while living in cities and towns just like the rest of us. With precision and grace, this book gives readers a glimpse into the lives lived by the Romani in the past and present, helping us to understand and appreciate this distinctive culture.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Kyuchukov and Hancock, both Romanies, offer a brief, useful introduction to their people. Misnamed Gypsies since the 15th century because they were mistakenly thought to be Egyptians, the Romani, and their customs, have been deeply misunderstood. In clear language, the two-page chapters explain their way of life. Marriage, childbirth, occupations (fortune-telling, woodworking, bear-training), traditional law, and death are touched upon. Historical hardships, from mistrust by local populaces to persecution by the Nazis, are also discussed. One statement, Even today....In some places we are forced to live with curfews in walled ghettos with no running water or electricity, lacks documentation. It would be helpful to know where and why these abuses occur. Endpapers show Romani population around the world. Plentiful, full-color photographs, both contemporary and archival, show these people as hardworking, celebratory, and family-oriented. A boxed sample of the Romani language is included. Anne Wallace Sharp's The Gypsies (Gale, 2003) offers more in-depth information.–Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Authored by two celebrated voices in the struggle to advance Romani rights, this title offers a brief introduction to Gypsy history, culture (wedding traditions, occupations, modes of travel, etc.), and hardships--both historical and contemporary. The text is short; each spread features only a few paragraphs, and in some cases the language is so abbreviated that it is abrupt and confusing. The photos, many contributed by the authors, are often poorly reproduced, although the images themselves are fascinating. Still, there are few resources available for this age group about Romani life, and this title offers a very basic outline, which will help dispel stereotypes, introduce the tragic history of persecution (including the Holocaust), and, perhaps, move children to seek out more substantive material. The authors' wrenching personal notes begin the book, and maps showing the distribution of Romani populations around the world close it. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563979624
• ISBN-13: 978-1563979620
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 11.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,323,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Children's Books > History > Middle East

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exceptionally valuable history, January 14, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of the Romani People (Hardcover)

A thousand years ago a group of people, the Romani, were driven out of northern India by invaders: they became world nomads, adapting to local culture and customs but always moving - eventually creating their own unique culture. The Romani authors explain these 'gypsy' peoples, why 'gypsy' is a scornful name for them, and they explore their heritage and traditions. Little is written about these peoples for this age grade of 2-4, making for an exceptionally valuable history.

0 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars ROMANI!!!, April 4, 2009

By 

Romanian NON-GYPSY (Washington DC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of the Romani People (Hardcover)

Since when are they called ROMANI!! The author should study first the ethymology of the word ROMANI, and the history behind attributing this name to the INDIAN nomadic tribes that started migrating towards Europe in the 9th century AD. It is absolutely ridiculous how people play with words. SHAME!