The presence of a Roma minority in Ukraine was first documented in the early 14th century. Roma maintained their social organizations and folkways, shunning non-Roma contacts, education and values, often as a reaction to anti-Roma attitudes and persecution. They adopted the language and faith of the dominant society being Orthodox in most of Ukraine, Catholic in Western Ukraine and Transcarpathia, and Islam in Crimea.
During World War II the Nazis and their allies implemented their policies of the extermination of the Roma people in Ukraine. By July 1943 the Romanian authorities transported 25,000 nomad Roma from Romania to Transnistria, along the Bug river, where half perished because of the brutal treatment. In Ukraine it is estimated that 12,000 were killed in Babi Yar in Kiev. Other massacres took place in Crimea, Podilia, Galicia and Volhynia.
Demographics
- Census 1887: 12,000 Roma in Russian Ukraine (without Galicia and Transcarpathia who comprise the highest Ukrainian Roma population)
- Census 1922: 60,000 Roma in Ukrainian SSR (without Galicia and Transcarpathia)
- Census 1959: 28,000 Roma in Ukrainian SSR
- Census 1970: 30,100 Roma in Ukrainian SSR.
- Census 1979: 34,500 Roma in Ukrainian SSR
- Census 2001: 47,600 Roma in Ukraine. The estimate of the World Romany Union and the Council of Europe is considerably higher (around 400,000).
Roma are scattered throughout Ukraine, but their largest concentration is in Transcapathia. Half live in cities. 35% consider Romany their mother tongue. Material culture has not differed from the dominant society except in dress. They have a rich folk tradition. Roma themes can be found in Ukrainian literature.
The term Roma (Ukrainian: Ромá) is not generally used, accepted or understood in Ukraine, even by the Roma themselves. They are referred to by the generic term "Tsyhany" (Ukrainian: Цигaни)
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Ukraine Vol. 2 (G-K) Toronto, 1988
- УКРАЇНСЬКІ ЦИГАНИ
See also
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