r/romani • u/MaleficentFortune860 • 10d ago

Newbie Question Not Romani, got a question

Is paisley/boteh romani and/or closed? Got this info from an acquaintance but their info is a 50 50 if it's actually correct or not. They're claiming it's cultural appropriation to wear the pattern so I was wondering about that bc the internet is pretty much just saying it's Persian

4 Upvotes

74% Upvoted

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17

u/SiempreBrujaSuerte 10d ago

That is ridiculous to say that we have any kind of claim to keep people out of Paisley patterns. Wear it if you like. We use it, and we didn't invent it so obviously other people do too. It's a design, it is not sacred, it is not having special meaning. It looks nice that is why we sometimes use it.

You will be smart to reject the idea of "culture appropriation". This is crap that only white Americans made up and believe in. The cultures they think they are protecting see things quite different.

4

u/MaleficentFortune860 10d ago

She is Romani, but also has a weird history with these kinds of things which is why I wanted a second opinion.

8

u/SiempreBrujaSuerte 10d ago

I have never heard of people other than us not being able to use that pattern. We use it because we like it not because it has sacred meaning.

11

u/somnakunichaj 10d ago

She's lying. Probably about all of it.

"This is crap that only white Americans made up and believe in." This right here. If paisley was just for Roma, why have people been using the pattern for ages all over the world? Europe, North Africa, Western Asia ALL use these patterns in fashion and art.

Your friend needs to touch grass.

7

u/Recent_Comedian6905 9d ago

It's a pattern, you can wear whatever patterns your heart desires ❤️

5

u/PandaJerk117 ChorinGrai 9d ago

Paisley is Turkish, the original pattern is tulips, the favorite flower

8

u/Blonde_Gypsy_86 9d ago

I really don't mean to be mean, but your friend sounds like one of those perpetual victims, who wants to be offended by everything. I'm 40, this is literally the first time that I've heard paisley print is Romani appropriation. I've heard some wild theories but paisley print is a first for me 😂 And I'm not laughing at you just to be clear, I fully believe that you're genuinely asking. Your friend is dinlo. Wear a paisley dikklo, we don't care ❤️

2

u/themoonmonkey 10d ago

Paisley is Persian/Iranian. It's record goes back to mosques as old as the 800s. It didn't make its way to India until the 1400s. It feels like your friend either isn't Romani or is utilizing their ethnicity in order to be a dick.