Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 21:59:40 +0200
Subject: Re: Cultural Studies/Postcoloniality conference


 Dear Sir please send the details of the conference to Prof. Devi India who
is interested in presenting a paper  for the conference. Paper for the
presentation will be on following lines. please consider for her
presentation and make all the necessary arrangementds for her to present
paper in the conference. Prof. Devi is one of the only Professors from Asia
who worked intensively on cultural diversities of different "Gypsy" Roma
ethnic groups of  Europe and India  with a comparative perspective.

On Material culture and social identities:

Abstract of the paper follows:

"Some aspects of the socio-economic structures cultural diversities  of
"Gypsies" Roma ethnic groups in Europe and Ghor in India."
followed by a video-film-dration of film 33.mts.

Title of the video film "WE ARE EVERY WHERE"

The Ghors "Lambadas" ("Banjaras") are one of the 457 'tribes' of India and
of the 33 'tribal' groups in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Unlike other
tribes in India the so called "Banjaras" are not confined to any
geographical area.  The Ghor are classified in different categories in
different states:
as Scheduled castes in Karnataka,  Maharasthra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi,
as backward castes in Uttar Pradesh and as Tribes in Andhra Pradesh
and under different names, such as 'Lambadas', 'Sugalies', "Kaachs"
"Vanjaras" 'Banjaras'.
They, or related groups,  are also found in almost all other countries under
different names, such as Roma, Ghor, Kale, Sinti, Manush. They are
generally addressed by foreigners as 'Gypsies', Gitanos, Zingaris, Heidens,
Tsigan, Tsiganos, etc. although they like to be called by their
ethnonyms,  the names they call themselves.
These ethnic groups have spread from northern  India all over the
world. The estimated total number of the Ghor population is 3 million
in Andhra Pradesh  and 20 million  live in more than 100.000 thandas
(Ghor settlements) all over India.
With around 8 million Roma in Eastern Europe and others worldwide
they make up a total of 40 million. These groups share a common
cultural heritage and their languages have many similarities. A
majority  speak the Romani and Domari language outside India and
Ghorboli in India, although there are some minority languages also
spoken such as Beash and Calo.
A minority still choose to practise commercial (and in Asia, also
pastoral) nomadism.  Many however, are forced into migration or
flight or the search for asylum, an entirely different phenomenon.
>From India to America, whether in the mahallas (streets) of Eastern
Europe, the settlements of Asia or the mobile ghetto caravans in
Europe, caves in Spain, United States or Australia, perhaps this is
the only transnational community which shares so much of its culture
and socio-economic characteristics,and suffers from the negative
portrayal of the Ghor, Roma, Romanichal, Manush, Sinti as criminal,
nomadic Gypsies, aggravated by  state  social and
economic discrimination.
In many places they have been  completely or partly driven out of
their original settlements, villages, towns, cities, countries and
continents, and forced to live outside the mainstream, often as the
most deprived section of the population, without the possession of
any means of production.Although in Europe literacy has risen
substantially, in India and in Eastern Europe the majority of them are still
illiterate,and live in relative isolation, economic backwardness and
in social deprivation. Historically the prejudices both by
upper-caste and upper class Indians and westerners about the
Ghor/'Roma "Gypsies'" as being homeless, nomadic tribes,  forced
wanderers  has increased marginalisation of  these Ghor/'Roma
groups.
The mainstream communities in the west and in India have taken
advantage of their marginalisation. The latter could not understand
the cultural importance of the communal ownership of the means of
production of these communities and of their social values. Besides
they are everywhere highky-esteemed musicians of world stature; they
are colourful, skilled  and strong and perform their contribution to
the production process through their labour power in different
forms. Their contribution to the production process has been
depoliticised by naming them as "parasites". Quite often their
communal consciousness and the social values of their traditions and
customs have been projected in a derogatory way by external elements
through social and economic exploitation.
Researchers both West and East on the subject agree that the Romanies of
the West are of Indian origin. There are striking political,
socio-economic, cultural and linguistic similarities between these ethnic
groups. They are included in the capitalist system which uses their labour
power but excludes them as citizens by withholding them basic rights and
facilities.

For Details Please contact : Prof.Devi
Tel.0091-40-7637397 Fax: C/o Mr/E.M.M.Rao.0091-40-3390650
e-mail. brsdevi-AT-hd1.vsnl.net.in

Postal Add:
Prof.B.R.S.Devi.
102-Central veiw Apartments:
Gaganmanhal
Domalguda
Hyderabad.
Andhrapradesh
India. 500029







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