[Jeff Chandler]

This is not news. It has been commonly accepted that Gypsies came from India.

[muawiyah]

The news here is that all the different Gypsy tribes are related.

I wonder if they included Scottish and Irish Travelers ~ or Russian animal trainers?

[Mamzelle]

A few years back, some otherwise unemployable sociology academics were trying to make a reputation with "Melungeons"--supposedly some dark-haired and dark-complected inhabitants of deepest darkest Appalachia that were possibly descended from Turks. Only trouble is, go to that deepest and darkest spot and talk to the oldest natives and they won't know what the word means. It was a fabricated issue.

Scots-Irish-Welsh are not always blue-eyed and freckled--look at Catherine Zeta Jones. And there's the Cherokees to consider . There were also many Gypsy tribes who'd make their way up and down the hills.

One story of Appalachia and Gypsies intersecting in Depression era--a Gypsy thief was captured and put in the country jailhouse to await trial. All the Gypsy tribes circled their wagons in town and at sundown commenced to cry and wail and make an awful commotion. Sheriff decided that the better part of justice was to cut a quick deal--and the Gypsies got their member out of jail and beat a hasty exit from the county.