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The Roma (Roma in Romani, commonly called nawar in Arabic) constitute a minor ethnic group in Syria. This numerically small, widely dispersed people seems to have migrated to Syria from the east in Byzantine times. As in other countries, they tend to keep apart from the rest of the population, which regards them as dishonorable yet clever. The Roma have traditionally provided musical entertainment at weddings and celebrations. The participation of Roma women in such activities is lucrative, yet at the same time it reinforces the group's low status. Roma also appear at festivals to work their trade as fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and animal trainers. In Syria today, one may still encounter Roma encampments in rural areas.
[edit] References
- Commins, David Dean. Historical Dictionary of Syria, p. 118. Scarecrow Press, 2004, ISBN 0810849348.
