Berkley Center

Before arriving in Spain, my only knowledge of Gypsies came from Disney movies, specifically the female lead of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Esmerelda. My first week in Spain, I learned the connection between gypsies and the ever-popular flamenco dancing and noticed the abundance of “La Gitana” restaurants and cafes. After traveling and touring, I came to associate Gypsies with the women that stand outside Spain's churches, shoving rosemary branches in visitors' faces and demanding “donations.” I had heard they were a marginalized group, but I was unsure why they seemed to live so separately from the rest of Spanish society, and whether the images I'd created were reflective of the whole population.

Talking with my host mother, Maria, and doing web research gave me some insight into the complicated social and political situation of the Gypsies in Spain. In Seville, Maria described a nearby park that had been created five years ago, after the government had to tear down buildings that had been given to the Gypsies; they had destroyed the apartments, lighting wood fires in the living rooms, throwing garbage out the windows, ripping off faucets, and destroying sewage systems. She described the sense of danger felt by many Spaniards when they enter Seville’s Gypsy neighborhood, their fear of being robbed, their memories of the young boy that was mugged and killed a few years ago, their hesitance about a social group perceived as aggressive and antagonistic. She also described her neighbors growing up, a relatively well-integrated and “normal” Gypsy family, but admitted that the neighbor’s parties, weddings, and family celebrations were exclusively Gypsy and that the children were expected to marry within the Gypsy community.

Maria and the news articles both described the problems Gypsy children from both “normal” and less well-integrated families face in the education system. The government mandates that all children attend primary schooling, but Gypsy parents often refuse to send their children. When Gypsy children do attend school, they are often socially isolated, and there have been numerous accounts of non-Gypsy parents protesting the admission of Gypsy children. This situation is complicated by the fact that the Spanish government’s census does not include questions about race. Thus, few statistics on the Gypsy community exist, compounded by the frequent moves made by Gypsies, a historically nomadic group.

The government and the Spanish people seem to be aware of the lack of integration of the Gypsy people, whether they view them positively or not. In 1996, the Parliament of Andalucia declared November 22 “Dia de los Gitanos de Andalucia” (Day of the Gypsies of Andalucia). Non-governmental organizations, such as the Union Romani, work to preserve Gypsy history, provide social services, aid Gypsy associations, and eliminate racism and marginalism. Although Spanish people do not put as much emphasis on being “politically correct” as do Americans, there have been efforts to reduce racism and stereotyping of the Gypsies. Certainly, Maria’s opinions do not reflect that of the entire nation, and her description of mistrust toward the Gypsy community may stem from the racism that many gypsies try to fight against. On the other hand, organizations like Union Romani that express a desire to work within the current government system to decrease marginalization may represent only a portion of the Gypsy community. Thus, although opinions may differ as to why the Gypsies are unable, or possibly unwilling, to integrate into modern Spanish society, the topic is sure to cause controversy and social tension in years to come.