Camminanti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Camminanti (Caminanti in Sicilian) are a nomadic ethnic group living in Sicily.[1] They are closely associated with the Romani people, given their similar circumstances and lifestyles, and although they are not ethnic Romani,[2] they are legally considered to be so by the European Union.[3][4][5]
The European Union has repeatedly called for the human rights of Camminanti to be respected, as well as Italian Romani.[6]
History
While it is agreed they came to Sicily during the 14th century,[2] the exact origins of the Camminanti are unclear. One theory asserts that they are the descendants of Slavic and Nordic travellers, but this has been met with little consensus.[8] Similar, but unproven, theories hypothesize that the people originated as the survivors of the 1693 Sicily earthquake or that they were initially slaves but transformed into an ethnic group after slavery was abolished. There is still little evidence in support of these claims.[9][7]