Introduction / History

Romani call themselves Roma, which in their language means "men." Rom is derived from the Indian word Dom, meaning "a man of low caste who gains his livelihood by singing and dancing." The Romani language, therefore, comes from the name the Romani call themselves.

A small number of Romani people live in the northern European countries of Finland, Denmark and Sweden. Some of these speak their own language, the Kalo Finnish Romani dialect. These Romani people arrived in Finland in the 1500s when it was the Sweden-Finland kingdom. Some still live in Sweden and a smaller number are in Denmark. The Kalo Finnish Romani were forced to live in the eastern part of this kingdom. In the 1800s they were being forced to integrate with the majority population. That policy changed in the 1960s when they were allowed to keep their own identity.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Like other Romani groups, the Kalo Finnish Romani are much poorer than the general society in Sweden and Finland. They often drop out of school before they have the chance to get adequate schooling. Many get married young, forcing them to deal with marriage and childcare.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Many Romani have maintained their religious traditions and beliefs. They believe that ghosts, lizards, and snakes are capable of harming humans. They believe that men have the power to curse others by giving them the "evil eye." Others have put their faith in Jesus Christ, especially among those who speak the Kalo Finnish dialect.

What Are Their Needs?

A lack of adequate education has led to high unemployment among the Kalo Finnish Romani community. There have been hate crimes against them and their children face bullying at school. Despite efforts of the Finnish government to improve the housing situation for the Kalo Finnish Romani, they still face inadequate housing and housing discrimination.

Prayer Points

Pray that the people who have been rejected and discriminated against will find love and acceptance through Christ.
Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect Kalo Finnish Romani who have become Christians.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to use the Kalo Finnish Romani to reach secularized people in Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

Scripture Prayers for the Romani, Kalo Finnish in Finland.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Kale
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_people_in_Finland
https://minorityrights.org/communities/roma-6/#:~:text=But%20since%20the%201960s%2C%20the,their%20own%20language%20and%20culture