Romani creator Londra la Gipsy talks culture appropriation and discrimination

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Published Aug 9, 2024 at 09:00 AM

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Image by @franciele_medeiros from TikTok

If you’re even mildly into fashion, you’ve probably owned a long hippie skirt or what we love to call a bohemian belt. And even if you’re not someone who keeps up with the latest trends, chances are, you’ve seen these items floating around.

From magazines to your latest TikTok FYP trends, pirate outfits, hippie dresses, and bohemian styles are everywhere and all the rage. But, while I was almost tempted to get my hands on some of these fun and whimsical items, I grew more and more torn as I started to consider them under another name and, more importantly, within another culture. Let me explain.

The so-called ‘gipsy style’ has been the target of much controversy, due to allegations of misrepresentation, and, most significantly, cultural appropriation. This is something that seems to have eluded the awareness of many.

You see, ‘bohemian’ was originally a term with pejorative undertones given to Romani people, commonly believed by the French to have originated in Bohemia, a historical country in central Europe.

The Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of the term refers to someone, “especially an artist, literary man, or actor, who leads a free, vagabond, or irregular life, not being particular as to the society he frequents, and despising conventionalities generally.”

However, pieces of clothing that we now refer to as ‘bohemian’ are, in fact, traditional Romani clothes. This style, as well as the many micro-trends that have resulted from it, have become all the rage, popularised by boho-chic lovers. But what most people don’t realise is that we are essentially taking the traditional attire of another culture, renaming it, and claiming it as our own—all while passing it off as a chic and eccentric aesthetic. This appropriation erases the rich cultural heritage and significance behind these styles, reducing them to mere fashion statements.

So, why does it still seem that, as a society, we are not giving enough credit where it’s due? Is cultural appropriation only a concern for certain cultures? And if so, why does the Roma community never get recognised for what they truly represent, instead of being exploited, ridiculed and excluded by the rest of our society?

Time and time again, Romani people are the targets of cultural appropriation The perpetrators are of varying kinds. On Etsy, eBay, and Pinterest combined, there are over 498,000 items tagged “gipsy,” including dangly jewellery, hippie/boho skirts, colourful bed sheets, and even pet supplies with tags like “vintage gipsy,” “bohemian gipsy,” and “gipsy junk.” Meanwhile, fashion designers label their companies and collections using similar terms, relentlessly perpetuating racially stereotypical themes.

As reported by experts on cultural appropriation within this community, there are also appropriators in music and dance who name their bands and dance troupes using various forms of the term ‘gipsy’ without including a single Romani person. These groups escalate their appropriation not only by claiming to be Romani but also by accepting educational funds marked for Romani people and teaching the public their interpretation of Romani history and culture.

Television shows and Hollywood films are also major contributors to the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes by consistently misportraying Romani people and other Travellers as fortune tellers, witches, gangsters, and thieves.

As explained by Romani influencer Florian Tacorian, such appropriation is not, in any way, a gesture of admiration or respect for their culture, despite what many claim. If it were, there would be an understanding of the harm it perpetuates. Offenders, perpetrators and those who claim to admire while appropriating continue to ignore pleas to stop.

In case you don’t remember, let me refresh your mind: historically, the Romani community has faced severe persecution. Dating back to the Mediaeval era, Roma people were sentenced to death in countries like England, Denmark and Switzerland.

Throughout the 19th century, the Romani people faced the harsh impacts of racial theories, culminating in the horrific events of the Nazi era. In the 1930s, Nazi Germany deemed Roma to be “racially inferior” and subjected them to a genocide that claimed over one million lives. During World War II, Roma people were forcibly confined to ghettos, deported to concentration camps and exterminated in gas chambers. It is estimated that approximately 25 per cent of the Roma population in Europe before the war (around 500,000 people) perished as a result of Nazi persecution, a tragedy known as the Porrajmos, or “devouring.”

According to the UN Refugee Agency, Roma individuals continued to face systemic discrimination and oppression after World War II, particularly in the Soviet Union. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, from the 1970s to the 1990s, around 90,000 Romani women were subjected to forced sterilisations against their will.

In the 1950s, agreements were made to compensate Jewish victims of the Nazis. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s, following a determined campaign including hunger strikes by three concentration camp survivors that the Roma people were formally recognised as victims of racial persecution and mass murder. By then, acknowledging the Roma’s suffering came too late for many victims who had already passed away before any compensation was awarded.

“Poison alone is not strong enough for these pests” was the Czech Republic’s official slogan from a local far-right party campaigned during the last local election in 2018.

SCREENSHOT sat down with Londra la Gipsy, a Romani content creator based in Italy with a rapidly growing follower base on TikTok. Inspired by prominent figures like Chiara Ferragni, Londra initially embarked on her influencer journey for fun. But it has since evolved into her passion and calling.

Londra’s unique storytelling ability captivates her audience by sharing the daily life inside a Romani camp. She combines cultural narratives from her Gen Z Romani perspective with contemporary trends and styles. Her content encapsulates the perfect blend of tradition and modernity, without losing touch with her traditional background—one often misunderstood and discredited by mainstream society.

The creator opens a window to her life—a window that, too often when it comes to the Romani community, has been closed by a societal corrupt moral judgement. Through this window, the richness of her community’s culture and the everyday experiences of a young Romani woman can be seen in their true light.

When I asked her about the specific cultural elements of her community that she considered significant in defining the concept of beauty, Londra replied: “It’s difficult to encapsulate the essence of beauty with mere objects. Each Romani girl carries a unique blend of aesthetic and inner beauty, a reflection of centuries of rich cultural tapestry. However, the ability to perform traditional dances through generations is particularly revered.”

“Imagine the graceful swirl of a brightly coloured skirt, echoing the vibrant history of our people,” she continued. “The rhythms and movements passed down through countless years are imbued with the influences of diverse cultures encountered on our ancestral journeys. To witness a Romani girl dance is to glimpse into a world where tradition and beauty intertwine, creating a mesmerising tapestry that speaks of our enduring spirit and rich heritage. It’s a beauty that transcends time.”

When asked about what the importance of the representation of Romani beauty in the media and contemporary society means to the community, the creator replied: “Regarding this question, I must, unfortunately, tell you that newspapers, in most cases, tend to represent the Romani community as inferior and unappreciative people. They often speak negatively about the Romani and never about their communal or aesthetic beauty. Over time, things haven’t changed: perhaps now, compared to the past, there is a core group of people who defend the Romani and denounce discriminatory and racist articles.”

To gain more recognition from the broader community, it is essential to break down prejudices against Romani individuals and communities. Media outlets and society should evaluate what they see without biases and stereotypes. Only in this way can we truly understand and appreciate Romani culture.

Talking with Londra, a recurring question haunted me: how can we put an end to this? How do we stop labelling clothes as ‘gipsy’ while culturally appropriating from a community we’ve marginalised for centuries? How can we make amends for the wrongs done to them?

I kept circling back to the same thought: awareness. It might be the most crucial step. We need to be conscious of cultural appropriation and understand the historical injustices we’ve inflicted. Recognise that what we now call ‘bohemian’, ‘hippie’, or ‘pirate’ styles actually stem from centuries of Romani tradition—traditions we once denigrated and now repurposed as something trendy and new, as if we invented it. To truly address this, we must amplify Romani voices by supporting Romani artists, designers, and influencers. Their perspectives are crucial in challenging stereotypes and reshaping narratives.

So, the next time you’re shopping for that ‘bohemian’ skirt, maybe take a moment to think about where it truly comes from.