Xoraxane (term)

Xoraxane (also spelled as Khorakhane, Khorakhanè, Horahane, Kharokane, Xoraxai, etc.) is a historical umbrella term to refer to the Muslim Roma population in the Balkans,^[1] or alternatively, all Muslim Roma in the areas of Southern Europe and West Asia.^[2] They are non-Vlax Romani people, who adopted Sunni Islam of the Hanafi madhhab at the time of the Ottoman Empire.^[3] They are colloquially referred to as Lovers of the Koran. There are several subgroups Roma considered to be Xoraxane Roma, named after their old traditional professional activities, also divived in sedentary and nomadic groups.^[2]

Some of them are Derviş of Sufism belief, and the biggest Tariqa of Jerrahi is located at the largest Arlije and Gurbeti Muslim Roma settlement in Europe in Šuto Orizari; locally called Shutka in North Macedonia, they have their own Romani Imam^[4] and the Muslim Roma in Šuto Orizari use the Quran in Balkan Romani language.^[5] The majority of Muslim Roma in the former Yugoslavia speak Balkan Romani and South Slavic languages, while many speak only the language from the host countries. The Albanized Muslim Roma groups from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, speak only the Albanian language and are called Khorakhan Shiptari; they have fully adopted the Albanian culture.^[6] Others have created their own identity like Ashkali and Balkan Egyptians, and some deny their Romani background, especially in Kosovo and are claimed to be Albanians or Turks.^[7][8].

The first Xoraxane Roma came to the USA from Yugoslavia (North Macedonia) around 1960s and settled in the Bronx, where they built a mosque and are cultural Muslims. Later, during the Balkan war in the 1990s, a Xoraxane Roma group came from Bosnia and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. The Xoraxane stay among themselves and have little contact with other American Christian Roma groups. They are not considered Roma by them, but simply as Muslim Americans.^[9][10]

A small group of Xoraxane Roma came from Serbia around the 19th century and settled in Chile, where they converted to the Catholic faith and broke with Islam but by the end of the 20th century, these Xoraxane had all adopted Adventist evangelical beliefs, however they practice Qurban (Islamic ritual sacrifice), which they call it Kurbano.^[11]