Values [editar]

Identity pride and diversity

Roma maintain their cultural traits and share values and elements of identity, as well as a strong sense of belonging that adds value to their citizenship.

But at the same time, they are diverse, heterogeneous people.

One of the great values is pride in their identity: pride in being and feeling Roma.

Resistance. A way of life.

Roma culture is a culture of resistance, forged by centuries of persecution, of struggle and also of adaptation. It is a strong culture due to its resistance to adverse situations and the strong feeling of belonging to the group.

Family, an essential pillar

The family is an essential pillar, an extended family, with which strong links are maintained and with which vital moments and celebrations (weddings, births) are shared and with which strong solidarity is shown, for example, when someone falls ill or in times of economic hardship. Deceased relatives are honoured, ancestors are always remembered.

Respect for the elderly

Respect for older Roma is another of the values. The figure of the respected uncle or aunt is one of conciliation rather than authority, providing experience and wisdom.

Religiousness

Religiousness permeates important celebrations and traditions. The Roma community is also plural in religious terms. The majority in Spain declare themselves to be believers, Catholics or Protestant Evangelists. In recent decades many Roma families have joined the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia. Worship, with Roma pastors, is the main celebration. The important Catholic cultural tradition is still present in pilgrimages, especially in Andalusian Holy Week or in celebrations such as Christmas Eve. The first Spanish Roma to be beatified were Ceferino Giménez Malla ‘El Pele’ (1977) and Emilia Fernández ‘La Canastera’ (2017).