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
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
References
Encyclopedia Britannica
2015 Rom | People. Electronic document.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250432/Rom, accessed May 22, 2015
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
Observing how the Roma sustain their lifestyle and culture has been an interesting journey. Being born in America, myself and others find ourselves taking many things for granted all too often. Studying the culture of the Romani people has provided me with a new outlook on how we live here in America. In America, having air conditioning, ample food, and a decent job seem routine and ordinary but things are not the same around the world.
ReplyDeleteIn looking at the Romani, it is easy to develop an ethnocentric point of view towards them. They do not live in the best of areas or conditions and often work in very low-paying or low-skill jobs. They struggle to find jobs in many places and typically live off of the land rather than the dollar. Yet, they are proud of their circumstances as it is the way their ancestors have lived for centuries. This environment also appears to contribute to their appreciation for tradition and family.
Focusing on subsistence, the job markets in our culture versus their's appear to be night and day. Here, a majority of jobs require an education. The Roma, on the other hand, find jobs that utilize skills learned through practice and teaching from older generations. As we saw, they often work with metal and animals, skills not taught very well through books and as such, many Romani do not have a formal education. However, they do excel enough at their traditional jobs to be sought out for advice and assistance from other community members.
After completing this project, I do feel that the Roma are poor when put up against our standards of living. However, after practicing some cultural relativism, I think that they do not see themselves as poor at all. They have struggled throughout most of their history and are strengthened by it. They recognize that the world is changing and that some generations will go into the city to live the modern life. Still, I believe they are aware of the harshness their culture has endured previously, and because of this they rely on their family and traditions to provide a good life.
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