Gypsies of Iraq: Cultural Characteristics, Social Adaptation and Integration

Following the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, Gypsy communities-particularly in areas like Kamaliya (Baghdad) and Fawwar (Qadisiya)-were targeted by religious militias. Their homes were attacked, electricity was cut off, and the only local school in Fawwar was destroyed. This violence highlighted the strained and often hostile relationship between Gypsies and their neighbours. The study in question explores the Gypsies as a sub-culture within Iraqi society, examining their social adaptation using a socio-anthropological approach grounded in George Homans’s theory of social exchange, which focuses on the balance of costs and benefits in social interactions.

Using a case study method, with households as units of analysis, the research applies comparative, historical, and statistical techniques. It concentrates on Gypsies in Kamaliya and Fawwar, chosen for their representative and active roles among other Gypsy communities across Iraq, including villages in Mosul, Kerkuk, Diala, Baghdad, Babil, Nasiriya, and Basra.

The study uses interviews, observation, oral testimonies, and documentary data. It has both theoretical and fieldwork components. The theoretical section introduces the research background and the hypothesis that the Iraqi term for Gypsies, Kawliya, may trace back to an Indian king named Kawil.

The fieldwork comprises six chapters. The first analysis of family structures noted large household sizes and weak kinship ties. The second addresses religion, revealing that all studied Gypsies identify as Muslim-a sign of surface-level social integration. The third focuses on economic roles, especially women’s involvement in music, dance, sex work, and bar-related trades. The fourth examines social control, with state law (police) as the dominant force. The fifth chapter studies cultural communication, finding it stronger in Kamaliya due to proximity to Baghdad. The sixth explores forms of adaptation: superficial (dress, religion, language) versus deeper integration through interracial marriage, friendship, and neighbourhood ties.

Finally, the study discusses post-2003 challenges faced by Gypsies under the dominance of militias. It offers recommendations including gathering Gypsies into better-serviced settlements and guiding them toward accessible occupations like agriculture, while ensuring their security and enabling communication under healthy oversight.