The Romani Relationship for Halloween

The discussion surrounding the issue of culturally appropriative Halloween costumes has made progress in recent years, with a growing amount of revelers realizing that cultures are not costumes. However, while people are beginning to understand that donning blackface or Native American regalia is racially insensitive, that same grace is not extended to Romani culture. In fact, the general public is so unknowledgeable about the plight of Romani people that they do not realize that the word “g*psy” is a racial slur. The unfamiliarity with this ethnic group’s ongoing centuries of oppression enables unwitting trick-or-treaters to perpetuate dehumanizing stereotypes through gaudy costumes. This has the pernicious effect of alienating Romani children during this time of year, who should be enjoying themselves like everyone else in their age group rather than being bombarded with the implicit message that their heritage is a shameful joke. The harm caused by such grotesque caricatures warrants the same scrutiny reserved for other forms of cultural disrespect, and only through understanding and honoring Romani perspectives can Halloween become a more welcoming holiday for children of Roma descent.

            Since first arriving in Europe over a millennium ago, the Romani have been scapegoated as untrustworthy thieves and mythologized as paranormal fortune tellers. They have also been mischaracterized as nomads by nature, a misconception that whitewashes the brutal reality that their continual migration is done out of safety from potential violence. Well-intentioned generalizations of Roma people are detrimental as well, for they still rob individuals of their humanity. The consequence of misconstruing the Romani nomadic lifestyle as free-spiritedness is the global idealization of a falsehood, even conflating the entire ethnic group with the hippie subculture. Roma women experience a particular kind of objectification during Halloween, as they are the basis of the innumerable sexy costumes that reduce them to mere objects of desire. Romani children at Halloween are not only burdened with the stereotypes that deride them as sorcerous tricksters, but Romani girls are completely denied their presumed youthful innocence.

            These pervasive prejudices teach Romani children to despise their ethnic features and compel them to conceal their cultural background. A common childhood experience among Roma is becoming fond of an article of clothing but refusing to wear it due to it being such a discernible signifier of their heritage. This instilled fear within Romani children is made all the more harrowing by them having to watch their peers wear kids Halloween costumes that disparage their identities.

            While pop culture in all its forms has misrepresented the Roma as mystic deceivers, the fashion industry bears a great amount of blame for the commodification of traditional Romani garments as “costumes.” Publications like Vogue and Look Magazine have been guilty of featuring photo-shoots in which non-Roma models were garbed in garish, mismatched cloths serving as crude imitations of authentic cultural dress. True Romani attire, while vibrant and multilayered, is more meaningfully assembled than the sloppy concoction carelessly manufactured by designers attempting to ape their source material. Contrary to mainstream depictions like those present in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Roma fashion is rather modest, with long-sleeved blouses that have shallow necklines and voluminous skirts that flow past the knees. The dikhlo is a headscarf worn by married women that comes in a variety of colors and patterns, while gold and silver jewelry are saved for formal occasions. Ultimately, the most respectful means of engaging with Romani clothing is patronizing Roma fashion businesses and uplifting the talented designers that produce them.

            Romani children deserve advocacy every day of the year, and programs like the Council of Europe’s Roma Youth Action Plan are dedicated to their empowerment and inclusion. However, despite having a Romani population of over one million, the United States lacks such altruistic efforts, and this neglect is echoed even in innocuous celebrations like Halloween night. One’s ancestral wardrobe should not be likened to wench or a pirate costume, and purveyors of Halloween costumes for kids must be more cognizant of the isolation felt by the Roma children who wish to join in the holiday fun. Trick-or-treaters of all ethnic backgrounds are worthy of participating in the beloved annual tradition of costumed candy collection.