Goodbye simple truth!

Even though there is very little literature about the Dom the different sources contradict each other. Once it's said that there are no marriages between Dom and other Arabs, then an article points out the economical and social gain in several of these relationships. A third study counts 7 intercultural marriages and notes that they all got divorced some years later.
In some texts the Dom are presented of a sister-group of the Roma, in other they distance themself from this image.
And the number of Dom in the Old City of Jerusalem differ from 300 to 2000 Persons.
Sometimes the Dom are presented as regular Arabs who just get discriminated because of the ignorance of the people around them and other authors talk about the cultural uniqueness even in the present Dom population.
That wouldn't be suprising if there were different approaches at different times. But either the writings were publishes by the Dom Society Center itself or it is quoted within the text. Unfortunately the quotes and sources are almost never marked. That makes the research a bit frustrating because soon after the exitement of finding a new article by a new expert I have to read the same phrases and sentences as I read before at another scientists paper.

Now I get the proof of what I asumed earlier: There is no way around Amoun Sleem if one wants to know about the Dom. Which isn't bad at all. She does great work, without her probably noone who ever gets to read this blog would have heard about this interesting community and it's only natural, understandable and reasonable for her to protect her family, neighbours, friends and political interests.
Depending on the situation, the recipient and the aim of a certain research there are different results. When strengthening the communitys pride in the own heritage you don't want to write about illiteracy and unemployment. And when you hope to get funding for an educational program you for sure don't mention the great craftsmen skills and the long tradition of astronomics, healing and dancing.
But still, since I don't see a good opportunity to verify the given information I have to tread them more carefully than I could if I could see the tendencies for myself.

At the moment I'd like to do my final report rather on how I eperienced this whole field study than on the Dom and their economical startegies as planned. Because I don't feel able not to doubt the things I am supposed to present as "knowledge". On the other hand: Even if I'd do some dozen interviews with different persons I still couldn't be sure to have heard the truth and the whole truth. Probably I just have to be greatful for the insights I got from Amoun and the Dom Society Center, use them carefully and make sure that I neither harm the political ambitions with my uncertainty nor become an instrument that just repeats the "official" view on Dom live and work.

Well, that's my thoughts on this quiet day after a day at the desk, organizing my sources, reading new papers and trying to contact some of the authors.
Shabat Shalom & mazal tov!