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The Peripatetics (Gypsy) of Japan 16/02/2010

“Gypsies from all over the world"s last topic was about the Rwanda Peripatetics: Batwas and our new topic is Japan Peripatetic group Burakamins; the untouchables of Japanese ; they will be our guests with their life conditions which is built by the systematic discrimination that they are facing and their handicrafts . It is estimated as 6 million burakamins which refers to 2% of the population live in Japanese.

Until the 19th century when discriminations were banned Burakamins were a part of a cast called “Senmin”. Senmins who don’t have fields to plow were connected to “eligible” people “Konmin”s. Some of the Senmins were working in Konmins' fields as field-hands and some of them were doing the traditional handicarafts. This second group who wasn't working in the fields was accepted as magicians and they were believed as in they were able to communicate with the hyperphysical powers. Burakamins started to be considered as political threat after the Buddhism integration to the Japan culture and depending on this they faced more discrimination.

Japan Peripatetics used to do jobs like bathing the deceased, executioner, gravedigger, lather workers, butcher but today those professions lost their importance. But this reality didn’t change the low status of Burakamins in Gadjo people’s eyes. In 1960s Japanese government started a very big assimilation program. Government made observable amendment on Burakamin’s life conditions by spending spent 12 trillion yen and also they also accepted discrimination as a crime. But still being a Burakamin is a bad sign for traditional Japan Gadjo for employments and marriage. Today 9% of the Japan Peripatetics are working as officers in state institutes and municipalities, but these usually have low status and most of the people who are working for the municipalities are garbage collecters. In cities Burakamins have more chance to take part in social life by hiding their identities but in rural regions they face more social exclusion.

Resource: www.iheu.org
www.blhrri.org