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Its members are referred to as Turkish Gypsy, Türk Çingeneler, Turski Tsigani (турски цигани), Turkogifti (τουρκο-γύφτοι), Țigani turci, Török Cigányok, Turci Cigani.[1] Through self-Turkification and assimilation in the Turkish culture over centuries,[2] this Muslim Roma (Turkophilia Horahane) have adopted the Turkish language and lost Rumelian Romani language, in order to establish a Turkish identity to become more recognized by the host population[3] and deny their Romani background[4] to show their Turkishness. During a population census, they declared themselves as Turks instead of Roma. While they have always been allowed to live in Turkish communities as Turks, they face economic discrimination and have conflicting views among Turks.[5], and Christian Romani do not consider them as part of the Romani society.[6] They are cultural Muslims who adopted Sunni Islam of Hanafi madhab and religious male circumcision at the time of the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate and Ottoman Empire.
Their legendary leader was Mansur ibn Yakub Han, called Çingene Han. He built his karavansaray in Malatya in 1224. Today it can still be seen as a ruin. Mansur bin Yakup Han is buried in the Ulu Mosque in Malatya.[7]