bo·he·mi·an

/bōˈhēmēən/

noun: bohemian; plural noun: bohemians

noun

1. a socially unconventional person, especially one who is involved in the arts.

Bohemianism is the practice on an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people and with few permanent ties.  It involves musical, artistic, literary, or spiritual pursuits.  In this context, Bohemians may or may not be wanderers, adventurers, or vagabonds.

This use of the word bohemian first appeared in the English language in the 19th century to describe the non-traditional lifestyles of marginalized and impoverished artists, writers, journalists, musicians, and actors in major European cities.

Bohemians were associated with unorthodox or anti-establishment political or social viewpoints, which often were expressed through free love, frugality, and  – in some cases – voluntary poverty.  A more economically privileged, wealthy, or even aristocratic bohemian circle is sometimes refereed to as haute bohème (literally “high” Bohemia”).

The term bohemianism emerged in France in the early 19th century when artists and creators began to concentrate in the lower-rent, lower class, Romani neighborhoods.  Bohémien was a common term for the Romani people of France, who were mistakenly thought to have reached France in the 15th century via Bohemia (the western part of modern Czech Republic), at the time a largely proto-Protestant country, containing followers of prominent Bohemian reformer Jan Hus, and considered heretical by many Roman Catholics.

The Romani people certainly left their mark on the artists and creators who settled among them in France, but who were these mysterious people?  The Romani, also known as Gypsies, are a people group from northern India who essentially forgot where they came from.  Their history is spotty and historians have relied on genetics to fill in some of the details.  Roughly 1,000 years ago they traveled across the continent and arrived in West Asia and Europe.  Since that time, some Romani people have migrated to the Americas and, more recently, to Canada and South America.  Their nomadic tendency is one of the distinct characteristics of the Romani people.

Through all this movement and forgotten history, the spirit of India has remained with the Romani people.  Their use of bright bold colors, intricate design, and textiles display the beauty of India.  They celebrate life abundantly with food, music, and dance.  And what drew the artists to the Romani in the first place… their sense of community and family is an essential part of life in Indian culture.  This is the heart of the Romani and the characteristis that enchanted the artists and creatives in France inspiring them to live life in a more light-hearted way.

The bohemians of England, France, and America adopted much of the Romani lifestyle and culture, infusing it with their own heritage and habits.  Even so, the bohemian style of living has remained much the same and its popularity is seeing a resurgence.  In a society that has demanded “bigger, faster, better” in every area of life, some of us are realizing that bigger and faster doesn’t always mean better.  We crave the slower pace of intentional living.  Taking time to savor the world with our senses, reflecting on our experiences through meditation, and living in peaceful community with those around us.  We want to stroll through life instead of scrolling through it.  This is the essence of bohemian lifestyle, in my opinion.  It’s the heart and soul of Bohemian Relics and I invite you to explore this way of life with me.