Bergitka Roma or Carpathian Roma (also "Goral Gypsies" in some works) are a Romani ethnic sub-group, living mostly in Poland in the Goral Lands.[1] They were one of the first, if not the first, group of Roma to migrate to Poland, mostly from the territories of the Kingdom of Hungary, through the Carpathian Mountains, sometime during the 15th century. The name Bergitka (sometimes Bergare) is actually the term for the group used by other Roma groups, originating in GermanBerg, meaning "mountain". The members of the group refer to themselves simply as "Roma" or "amare Roma".[2]
Some Bergitka communities also exist in Slovakia, close to the Polish-Slovak border.[3]
Traditional occupations of Bergitka Roma have been iron working and music.[4]
Bergitka Roma are non-nomadic and have lived a settled existence since at least the 18th century. For this reason, and because their interpretation of traditional Roma laws and customs, Romanipen, is regarded as lax by other groups of Roma, other Roma accord them a low social status. Bergitka Roma in turn regard non-Bergitka Roma as of low social status and as "inauthentic Roma".[5]
.svg){kind=small}