Gyptians are a fictional ethnic group in the universe inhabited by Lyra Belacqua; they are roughly analogous to Gypsies. The name Gyptian, like Gypsy, is derived from Egyptian, the original English name for the Roma.
They are divided into large families, the heads of which make up the gyptians' Council, which in turn is ruled by the King of the Gyptians. It also includes the wise Farder Coram. Their culture, while widely spread, is tightly knit. Gyptian children are extravagantly loved and looked after instinctively by other members if they are to stray. Their ethnic group is small enough for all gyptians to know each other by name, yet large enough to supply 170 men to travel north on a rescue mission.
Unlike real-world Roma, gyptians are water-travellers. They mainly live aboard boats traversing the canals and rivers of England. The gyptians' primary source of income appears to be through trading goods as they travel. Lyra describes them as coming and going with the spring and autumn fairs. Furthering this gypsy stereotype, Gyptians are said to pride themselves on their ability at card games.
Gyptians have a distinctive accent, and their vocabulary contains 'Fens-Dutch' words which appear to be generally unused by hegemonic society. They also have a distinctive physical appearance, which Lyra attempts to assume. There are also references that the Gyptians might be equivalent to the Dutch watergeuzen, a confederacy of nobles and other malcontents, who in 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea. They came from a broad heritage, Dutch as well as French and English people, and were based in English ports. One hint to the part Dutchness of the Gyptians is their preference for drinking "jenniver" (Dutch genever), then many Gyptians carry Dutch names like Dirk Vries, Raymond van Gerrit and Ruud and Nellie Koopman, and they are using Dutch terms such as "landloper", which is actually an old Dutch word literally meaning "land-walker", but it is also a derogatory term because it means vagrant. Note that the Gyptians also use it derogatorily to address anybody that is not a Gyptian.
An additional source of inspiration for the gyptians may have been the subculture of cargo narrowboat operators that grew up in the British isles in the 18th century, after the development of the canals but before the emergence of the railways. These families were constantly on the move, like the Roma, and their children were seldom educated beyond what they could pick up from their parents. As a result, narrowboat people tended to be regarded with suspicion by landsmen.
Gyptians sometimes gather in a byanroping, meaning a summons or muster of families. They gather in the fens of Norfolk to discuss and decide important matters. John Faa identifies his group of gyptians as coming from "Eastern Anglia", a place in Lyra's world most likely a counterpart of our world's East Anglia.
Gyptians are an honourable people, and appear to owe debts to Lord Asriel for defeating a proposed Watercourse Bill in Parliament, amongst other things. When they are made aware of the excesses of the Church researchers at Bolvangar they do their best to stop them.
Despite their honourable nature, they are sometimes perceived negatively by hegemonic society. Although they trade fairly, they are described as partaking in "incessant smuggling and occasional feuds" in which they may kill other gyptians. Non-gyptian teenagers that Lyra talks to insinuate that Gyptians steal horses, and are not worried by the disappearance of a gyptian child. At a party held by Mrs. Coulter, Lyra states that gyptians "take kids and sell 'em to Turks for slaves", although this is more likely to be an example of Lyra's wild inventing.
The gyptians believe themselves to be "hit worse off than most" by the spate of child abductions in Northern Lights, and this may be what prompts them as a collective culture to plan a rescue attempt. This could also be a result of gyptians having little other recourse in society, as they are described as having little standing in the law.
Some gyptians and half-gyptians, such as Bernie Johanses, take up employment on land, although it appears that this is a cultural minority. Some hide their gyptian heritage while still reporting information back to the gyptian leaders.
Serafina Pekkala's witch clan, who are based at Lake Enara, share a friendship with the Gyptians. This friendship is born from the relationship between Serafina herself and Farder Coram: Farder Coram once saved Serafina's life, and became her lover and father of her (at the time of the trilogy) deceased son.
Read more about this topic: Panserbjorne