Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg: Moorish dancing

The first thing that immediately is obvious is that the costumes worn by Ottoman Turks (above) sharply differs from the costumes of Jews, Moriscos, and the Gypsies (New Castilians)!

Flamenco dance in Spain, has been influenced by Morisco culture, and in itself should be considered a separate study. A brief mention of some relevant material. Just as there were New Christians in Spain, meaning newly forcefully converted Jews (Conversos), and newly forcefully converted Muslems (Moriscos), there also were newly forcefully converted Gypsies, called "New Castilians" (Gypsies), distinguished from Old Castilians (non-Gypsies). ¹

The form of Catholicism practiced in Spain was, in simple terms, fanatic rascist hatred. The Gypsies were effectively treated the same way as were the Jews, Moriscos, Huguenotes, Illuminists, etc. As the Spanish Crown considered methods such as mass castration; rape/murder, enslavement, plunder; forced religious conversion, putting populations on ships then scuttling the ships, expulsion, etc. as a basis of "accepting" assimilation, such methods only increased racial hatred and alienation, and failed as a method of securing control based upon a uniform cultural religious identity. The Gypsies were treated in the same way. Thus starting in 1499, 1539 and in 1560, Gypsies were subject to laws that expelled them, allowing one to three months preparation. Gypsies were sentenced to at least 6 years as galley slaves. Gypsy galley slaves sometimes mutinied, in response. Gypsy women were whipped and then banished from Spain. Gypsey music and dances were prohibited in 1633. ²

In 1738 the Santa Hermandad (A Holy Brotherhood) or army delt with the problem of hunting down Gypsies (bounties were created to hunt Gypsies). Use of iglesias frías ("cold immunity") by which protection provided by refuge on church property was called into question: arrest on church premises required return to the church where arrested, else continued appeal to the church could take place. ³

In 1747 through 1749, the Catholic church (Bishop of Oviedo), Gypsies were subject to mass arrests, subjecting them to forced labour ; all men aged 15 to 50 were sent to forced labour in the arsenals, boys aged 12 to 15 were forced into the Navy. As a consequence of the expulsion of the Moriscos, there was a severe shortage of labourers, with economic and financial consequences. Gypsies had filled this need for labour, as blacksmiths, bakers, millers, shhep shearers, etc. Instead, severe shortages of labourers and lack of services occured again (many Catholics viewed them selves as "Hidalgos", refusing to work). These Gypsy men forced into heavy labour were forced into transporting extremely heavy stones, while up to their waists in mud and water while in leg chains. As this was the time of the "Enlightenment", members of the Spanish government emulted Voltaire (recall Voltaire in a letter to Catherine the Great, had proposed genocide as a way to deal with Ottomans - thus we understand what enlightened views meant). Thus it was proposed to separate all male and female Gypsies as a method of extermination. ⁴

Term	Meaning
Caló	"Black" Gitanos (Black Gypsies of Spain and Southern France, and also name of their language)
Carcelera	Gypsie tonás (unaccompanied) prison songs.
Ghawazi	Gypsie dancing girls from Egypt.
Kharja, Jarcha	Final stanza of muwashshah poetry.
Martinete	Tonás song, associated with blacksmith anvil work.
New Castilian	Eighteenth century word used in place of "Gypsie".

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Moorish dancing

Click images or captions to view pages

Glossary