Qawliya

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Qawliya means "Gypsy" in Arabic. Iraq's Qawliya are a tiny minority group famous for their dancers and music. They trace their roots to Spain and India and made Iraq their home almost 150 years ago.

Many of the gypsies live in poor tribal areas between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The Qawliya dance is usually played with the Iraqi Chobi style of music. The dancers dress in bright colored dresses and spin their long hair to charm the space in which they perform.

The Iraqi Gypsies had some protection living under the rule of Saddam Hussein as they supplied alcohol, dancers and prostitutes for elite Ba'ath parties. Since the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003 it has been difficult for Iraqis Qawliya population to seek autonomy and safety. Some of the poorest Qawliya areas, known for their red light districts, became easy targets for religious militia groups. Many of their villages have been destroyed or taken over by such militias, and this has forced Gypsies to flee to the north. One of these destroyed villages was itself called Qawliya, located about 100 miles southeast of Baghdad.^[1]

The Gypsies' fate is unknown since many Iraqis view them as second class citizens.