[Gili]

Apologies for what's basically a re-posting, but I wanted to make sure that anyone who can benefit from this has a chance to join :-)

Greetings,

This is a notice that the yahoo group for parents of adopted Romany (ethnically Gypsy, as opposed to Romanian, Bulgarian, etc.) children is now up and running. Most of the children adopted from certain East European countries (Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania...) are fully or partly Romany/i -- sometimes their new parents may not even realize it. While a lot of focus is placed in international adoption circles on the "culture of the home country," this makes only limited sense for Roma, because of the very real cultural and social divisions that exist between "Gypsies" and majority societies. (Trust me, I'm Romani :-) For parents who realize that it's important for their kids to explore their Romani identity, accurate information about this ethnic group is VERY difficult to come by.

The new group, which includes interesting photos and will have a wealth of cultural information, is open to parents and prospective parents of Roma or part-Roma. It was set up by two adoptive moms. A separate group for the kids will be formed soon.

To join, go to KARFIN : KARFIN:Parents of Adopted Roma (Gypsies)