Subsistence is defined as "a source or means of obtaining the necessities of life" (Merriam-webster.com 2015) and anthropologically refers to "the way by which a culture obtains its food" (Oregonstate.edu 2015). The term includes methods for obtaining food like farming, hunting, and gathering. However, in a more modern context it also describes the jobs a culture seeks out and how groups maintain their livelihood. Jobs provide a means for acquiring money that can be used to purchase homes and food, contemporary elements of subsistence. For the Roma or Romani people, several of these elements have persisted through time while other areas have seen drastic changes.
In the past, the Romani were mistreated and pushed out by society. Today they are found living in the countryside in rural communities, away from larger groups. The group forms one of the largest minorities in Europe but many of its people continue to live in isolated areas outside of cities. As a result, their lifestyle has remained itinerant, or nomadic in nature. However, as times have changed many Romani have also led more settled lives (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015). Unfortunately, many of the children do not attend school and many families live in poverty, struggling to find affordable housing, health care, and other necessities (LiveScience.com 2015).
The traditional jobs of the Romani included many of the jobs you would expect to find on farms and in the country. A majority of men handled livestock and animals (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015) or worked with metal to repair jewelry and kitchenware (Open Society Foundations 2015). The women in Romani culture found work as entertainers and told fortunes to bring in some money for the family (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015). The Romani were very good at these jobs and were often consulted for advice about animals and livestock (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015). Some people still make a living from these jobs but as the world around them has changed so have they.
The Romani who have chosen the more settled lifestyle over the traditional find themselves in different jobs than their relatives. They are still good traders but have swapped the livestock market for the automobile market and now sell used cars and trailers (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015). The men who had learned to work with metal to fix pots or pans have lost those jobs but still have ways of utilizing their skills. They use their knowledge of metal to fix cars and other machinery working as “mechanics and auto body repairmen” (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015). Today, some Romani continue to find work as entertainers in circuses or at amusement parks. Often, these jobs highlight the traditional skills of the Romani as they are hired as animal trainers or fortune tellers (Encyclopedia Britannica 2015).
For the Romani people, their way of life is greatly affected by their environment. Some continue to live and thrive living as their ancestors did. They live off of the land and find work and money by exploiting the skills they have learned in their rural communities. Other groups have adapted to a changing world and have adapted their skills to match it. In both groups, there is a similarity in skills and job interests that unite them on another level to illustrate their connectedness through culture.
References
Encyclopedia Britannica
2015 Rom | People. Electronic document.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250432/Rom, accessed May 22, 2015
Lallanilla, Marc
2015 Intriguing Facts about the Roma, Livescience.com. Electronic document.
http://www.livescience.com/40652-facts-about-roma-romani-gypsies.html, accessed May
22, 2015
Marsh, Adrian
2015 Gypsies, Roma, Travellers: An Animated History. Open Society Foundations. Electronic
document, http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/gypsies-roma-travellers-
animated-history, accessed May 22, 2015
Merriam-webster.com
2015 Subsistence | The Amount of Food, Money, Etc., That Is Needed To Stay Alive.
Electronic document. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsistence, accessed
May 23, 2015
Oregonstate.edu
2015 Definitions of Anthropological Terms. Electronic document.
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/anth370/gloss.html, accessed May 23, 2015