Draft:Romani in Venezuela

There is a significant Romani population in Venezuela's Northwestern Central Coast region who trace their origins to the Iberian Peninsula, notably Spain, Southern France, and Portugal. Arriving in Venezuela during the 18th century, they settled primarily in agricultural areas near ports, maintaining their Ibero-Romani language, Kaló, and traditional occupations such as horse trading, farming, and herbal medicine. As of now, the Roma community in Venezuela is of around 5,000 recorded individuals, but a large percent of Venezuelans has Romani ancestry. There is also a considerable Lovari and Kalderash community in Caracas.

History

In 1582, Spanish authorities passed a command outlawing the arrival of the Gypsies to the American colonies (See: Great Gypsy Round-up). Their populations are concentrated in Caracas, but most of all in the inner areas of the Northwestern Central Coast region. The newly arrived Cale refugees preferred an agricultural setting, which the Northwestern Central Coast region provided, as it was the closest to the ports from whence, they arrived. Several Cale Romani families settled in the cities of Valencia (Carabobo State), Maracay (Aragua State), La Victoria (Aragua State), and La Gran Sabana (Caracas). Along with their migrations, they kept their Ibero-Romani language, which they refer to as Kalo. Their populations specialized in horse trade, farming, agriculture, hunting, leather, carpentry, and herbal medicine. A unique population, known as the Judeo-Kale, is a group of Roma who came earlier than the Kale from the 18th century, as they arrived on the coasts of Venezuela in the late 16th century, after the expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula to various regions, the colonies being one of the safest places to go. This specific group of Cale-Romani did not speak Kalo but rather spoke a dialect of Judeo-Spanish enriched with Kalo terms. Upon arriving, most families migrated into the inner areas of the Coastal region, in vast camps to continue their nomadic life. Some Cale arrived in Venezuela as prisoners, forced to work as slaves alongside Afro-Venezuelan populations, with some running away and escaping and forming settlements of Afro-Cale descent in the mountains. Those who settled in the larger cities mixed in and assimilated due to forced reasons, by the late 19th century, while those who resided in the countryside kept their culture intact, developing a unique dialect of Kalo, with more Sinte Romani-derived vocabulary intact, and developing an equestrian and agricultural-based society.

Food

Venezuelan-Cale food was unique in that they developed a new cuisine, using Indigenous, African, and European ingredients to replicate dishes made back in the Iberian Peninsula. Some Romani-Venezuelans practice ritual sanctity, avoiding the consumption of chickens, cows, horses, and in some cases pork.

Society

The Romani societies of Venezuela revolved around three main factors: Krisipen (Government and Laws), Romnipen (Romani identity and connection to the specific group), and Religion. Each community had a Romange Kris, or the community's own government who developed and enforced specific laws. They resolved issues within the community, such as if a member set a bad reputation on that specific settlement or community, or if someone is worthy of being expelled from the community due to the breaking of community laws. To be considered Cale, you need Romnipen or the Romani Spirit. This is truly what defined if you would be considered Cale or if you would be considered Jambo (non-Romani, outsider). Crucial factors are if you were born into the community, you spoke the language, you lived a traditional Roman lifestyle, and you have the culture intact. If you or your parents were born into the community but were expelled, then you are considered Jambo. Non-Romani born could be considered Cale if they married into the community or had relatives within the community who could claim them. Some communities even allowed the children of Romani who were forcefully integrated into Venezuelan society to be considered Cale, to keep the community from going extinct.

Music and Dance

The Iberian Kale has contributed significantly to the Andalusian musical tradition known as flamenco. And is widely recognized as Romani music considering it was made by Roma as a response to oppression. Flamenco is strongly associated with this ethnicity and many famous flamenco artists are Iberian Kale people. This style of music, highly influenced by previous Arab rule of Southern Spain, was brought to Venezuela, and preserved. It influenced Venezuelan styles of dance, such as Joropo, Fandango, and Tango. Cale- Venezuelans opened schools of dance in various major cities such as Maracaibo, Caracas, and Ciudad Bolivar. They also developed their own genre of music known as Zambra, different from that of the Cale in Spain, combining Afro-Venezuelan drumming with Cale- style singing.