Didicoy

Didicoy (Romani: didikai; also diddicoy, diddycoy) is a term of the Romanichal (the English branch of Romani or "Gypsies") for travellers with mixed Romani blood. There was often fierce competition between the groups, and the Romanichal tended to blame their own reputation for criminality on the didicoys and pikeys masquerading as "Gypsies".

Some families of mixed blood would often call themselves "kyes" for short.

Ironically, among the settled population of Britain and Ireland the term became a slang expression for "Gypsy".

An example of an old Romani song about a mixed blooded Romanichal is the "Romano Rai":

I'm a Romano Rai, just an old didikai,
I build all my temples beneath the blue sky,
I live in a tent and I don't pay no rent,
and that's why they call me the Romano Rai.

Didi-a-didi-a-didi-di-kai, chavves,
Tika-dika-tika-a-lai, (or can be; Kakka Chavve, Dekh akai)

Your Daddus tryin' to sell a mush a kushto grai.
I'm a Romano rai, just an old didikai,
I live in a mansion beneath the blue sky,
I were't born in a ditch, so I won't never grow rich,
But that's why they call me the Romano Rai.

Tikka, tikka, didikai, tikka, tikka, didikai
That's why they call him the Romano Rai

Tikka-tikka-didikai, tikka tikka, didikai,
That's why they call him the Romani Rai.

I'm a Romano Rai, a true didikai,
My temple's a mansion beneath the blue stars,
I'm a Romano Rai, a true didikai,
just campin' around, on any ol' ground,

But that's why they call him the Romano Rai.

See also

• Irish Traveller
• Scottish Travellers