A Gypsy is a member of a racial/ethnic group known as the Romani, generally characterized by darker
skin and black hair. The largest population of Gypsies now lives in Eastern Europe, however communities of Gypsies can be found in many countries around the
world. They first originated in India sometime before 400 AD, and began a nomadic lifestyle that eventually took many of them to Europe. From one initial community in India they have developed into several tribes that exist from India to Spain and from
Russia to Northern Africa, and each tribe consists of countless clans, which vary dramatically in culture and lifestyle depending on which tribe and clan and even family they belong to. Clans usually specialize in a
single, or few trades, such as horsemanship,
fishing,
music, dance and entertainment, metal working, and fortune telling.
They have endured much racial discrimination in the past, which still continues today.