A Comparison Of Certain Roma Culture

Death and Dying:

A Comparison of Certain Roma Cultures and How They Differ From American Practice

Background Information: Roma Culture Roma, also known as Gypsies or Travellers, originated in India around 11AD as a group called Doms. They were one of the aboriginal groups of India and were part of the Hindu religion. They were nomadic and were entertainers and artisans. During the 11th century they started to move towards Romania travelling via Persia, Southern Georgia, Armenia and Constantinople. Some groups stayed in Romania, but others continued traveling, and by the fifteenth century some Roma groups reached the British Isles. (everyculutre.com 2017)

Because of their nomadic nature it is difficult to get an accurate population count,

The illness is seen as an evil that the entire family needs to protect their loved one from. Dying at home is considered to be the preferred end of life experience as the home is considered a heavenly space. During a study the interviewers noticed Romas exhibit distain towards families who had a family member who died at a hospital. (Roman, G. et al 2012)

An aspect of end of life care in the Roma culture that most Americans would see as unthinkable is that the family is first told of a terminal diagnosis and it is then the family’s job to decide if the ill person will be told his or her diagnosis. This is seen among the Roma as a way to protect a family member from worries and stress in their final days. (Roman, G. et al 2012) This is of course in direct contrast to the United States, with its HIPAA laws, that requires all health information to be presented only to the patient, unless otherwise

In some groups that means that caretakers must isolate themselves for 40 days. Belongings of the deceased are discarded as soon as possible. (Roman, G. et al 2012) This isolation and removing personal possessions of the deceased is quite the opposite of the American culture of holding on to mementos of loved ones and the coming together after death to support family.

Most of the world’s religions and cultures allow and encourage organ donation with only a few actively discouraging donation. The Roma are one of these groups. The Roma do not have a formalized religion, instead sharing a belief system that mirrors Christianity and Hinduism with many common folks beliefs also influencing them. One of these is the beliefs is that the soul of the deceased retraces its steps for one year after death; therefore the body must maintain its physical shape from prior to death. (unos.org, 2017)