Nawar people

Nawar is an Arabic term for several sedentary communities used primarily in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine.[1] The term, regarded as derogatory, is used by Arabs for several diverse ethnic groups.[1] They have historically been called "Gypsies", though as a whole they only have economic activities and lifestyle in connection with the Romani, possibly having distant linguistical relationship; only the Dom people (the largest of the groups) have a clear connection with the Roma.[1] The Dom people are especially known as Nawar.[2]

Nawar

Regions with significant populations
Syria 100,000–250,000
Languages
Domari, Arabic, Aramaic, Kurdish, Turkish
Religion
Predominantly Islam
Related ethnic groups
Dom people, Roma people, Kawliya

This numerically small, widely dispersed people have migrated to the region from South Asia, particularly from India, in Byzantine times. As in other countries, they tend to keep apart from the rest of the population, which regards them as dishonorable yet clever. The Nawar have traditionally provided musical entertainment at weddings and celebrations. The participation of Nawar women in such activities is lucrative, yet at the same time it reinforces the group's low status. Nawar also appear at festivals to work their trade as fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and animal trainers. In Syria today, one may still encounter Nawar encampments in rural areas.

Population

Nawar is an Arabic term for several sedentary communities used primarily in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.[1]

Syria

The Nawar in Syria number 100,000 to 250,000 people according to estimations.[3] The vast majority is sedentary.[3] The sub-groups of the Nawar include Dom (Sunni), Turkmen (Sunni), Turkmen (Shia), Abdal (Shia), Albanian (Sunni), Kurd (Sunni), and Kaoli (Sunni).[4] The Dom and Turkman are the largest groups.[3]

Israel

The Nawar in Israel are also known as tso'anim (wanderers in Hebrew).[2] A small community in Jerusalem lives in Bab Huta neighborhood, in the Old City of Jerusalem.[5][6][7][8]

Jordan

Jordan's Romani community numbers around 70,000 according to estimates in 2015.[9]

Languages

Domari

The Dom language (Domari) in the Middle East is known as Nawari.[2] Domari shows Turkic, Kurdish and Arabic influence.[2]

See also

• Ghorbati, community in Iran and Afghanistan

Notes

1. Berland & Rao 2004, p. 71.
2. Law 2014, pp. 138–139.
3. Berland & Rao 2004, p. 73.
4. Berland & Rao 2004, p. 74.
5. Selig, Abe. Jerusalem’s Herod’s Gate receives face-lift. 06/29/2010. Jerusalem Post
6. A People Apart: The Romani community seeks recognition. By Eetta Prince-Gibson. Dom Research Center. 2001
7. Danny Rubinstein. People / Steve Sabella: Blurring the lines. Haaretz. 2005
8. Joseph B. Glass and Rassem Khamaisi. Report on the Socio-Economic Conditions in the Old City of Jerusalem. Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto. p.4
9. Mohammad Al-Fdeilat (8 August 2013). "Jordan's Gypsies Maintain Identity Amid Stigmatization". Almonitor. Retrieved 10 April 2020.

References

• Berland, Joseph C.; Rao, Aparna (2004). Customary Strangers: New Perspectives on Peripatetic Peoples in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 71–74. ISBN 978-0-89789-771-6.
• Law, Ian (17 October 2014). Mediterranean Racisms: Connections and Complexities in the Racialization of the Mediterranean Region. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 139–. ISBN 978-1-137-26348-3.
• Dupret, Ghazzal, Courbage and Al Dbiyat, Collective 'La Syrie au présent : Reflets d'une société', entry "Musiques nawar entre tradition et modernité" by Benoit Gazzal, 2007, ISBN 978-2742768523
• Commins, David Dean. Historical Dictionary of Syria, p. 118. Scarecrow Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8108-4934-8.