To Spaw - I do know a bit about it (partly through E. trads) but think Romany Man, if he doesn't mind, would be better at detailing how their lifeways have survived in cooperation with what might be called mainstream English culture over the centuries.
PR! - "What cultural tests would you apply to pink-skinned, English-speaking immigrants?"...it's New Labour that have, after a decade of strongly promoting immigration/diversity, recently brought in cultural/English tests for immigrants. But I don't think they have mentioned skin colour and neither have I - in fact, your obsession with it seems somewhat unique. As I say, I'd increase the regulation of immigration/emigration the world over - including making FUTURE economic/capitalist immigration/emigration illegal; and genuine asylum seekers would be helped to their nearest (especially in terms of CULTURE) safe country, etc.
IB - we were taught in anthropology to refer to peoples in terms of culture not race/skin colour - more in line, in this case, with the modern American way ("African Americans", etc.), rather than the modern English way of "whites" and "blacks". And I thought you would have accepted by now that it's culture not race that I've always referred to. (It's some of the pro-immigrationists here that keep mentioning race.)
Also, 2 months is a tad early, but I don't get that many visits so, if I posted "Cob a Coaling" here say 2 weeks before Bonfire night, hardly anyone would here it. (Similarly, I intend to put my carols up at the start of Advent.)