Topic summary
Muslim Roma
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Muslim Romani people.
Dance and music
Muslim Roma who practice religious male circumcision, tend to hold their ceremonies (Bijav Suneti) with great pomp and festivity. The boys are often circumcised at the age of five, because the number 5 (panč) is considered a sacred symbol among some Romani people. It is a custom among some Muslim Roma that the prepuce be buried. During the ceremony, the child’s hand and feet are held by his Kirvo (godfather). A Kirvo pays the cost of the circumcision ceremony. The Tradition of a Kirve who is similar to a Sandek, is also practised in Alevism and Yazidism in Turkey.