Gypsies!!!

[Kaylara]

I just found out that there is a band of Gypsies by the place that I work... I want to go find them, I've always been interested in their culture... Anyone know anything about gypsies? And if you are in NJ, do you want to come with me to find them?

Kaylara

[WandererInGray]

*smiles* Call them Romani....not gypsies if you don't want to offend them.

And here's a link..... http://www.romani.org/

Wish I were near you! :)

[Myst]

*remembers discussing that here recently*

Have fun anyway :)

[Kaylara]

Originally posted by WandererInGray
*smiles* Call them Romani....not gypsies if you don't want to offend them.

And here's a link..... http://www.romani.org/

Wish I were near you! :)

Hee hee hee... I know not to call them Gypsies... If I knew which country they were from I could call them by their specific name...

Kaylara

[Topazz]

Be prepared to be condescended to and talked to as if you are a lesser creature who understands nothing. The Rom believe in curses so beware.

[Phoenix Blue]

**Blinks** You're not serious. . ?

[Topazz]

Who's not serious? :huh:

[Phoenix Blue]

You. **Smiles** I mean, were you joking? Or is that sort of condescension and rudeness something one could expect from a Rom? What are your experiences?

[manstranger]

My dad met some in spain.

Hmmm ... finding the Romani would be fun. But they might not speak english.

[Kaylara]

Don't care... I'll learn their language, and different variations...

Kaylara

[Myst]

Serious about being treated that way or serious about being cursed?

Sometimes famtrads tend to look down on "new age Pagans" etc., so the former isn't surprising. The latter isn't surprising either heh.

[Danustouch]

Heh..yep..I posted a link to the Romani's website in History forum a while back.

History of the Romani.

[gunner]

you may find the rom are not all that open to even friendly interest.

[Kaylara]

I know, but I have to at least try.

Kaylara

[Phoenix Blue]

Quoth Myst:
Sometimes famtrads tend to look down on "new age Pagans" etc., so the former isn't surprising. The latter isn't surprising either heh.
I'll send out the memo to cancel that summit between them and Laurie Cabot. ;)

Seriously, if I were to sit down and ask the Romani questions about their culture and history, it would be from a historical angle more than a mystical one. **smiles** But I'm fairly level-headed that way, mayhaps.

[Kaylara]

My interest is the same Phoenix... I've read a lot about them, heard stories, and they have always been a great interest of mine...

Kaylara

[Earthcup]

Famtrads? The Romani are devout Catholics, oh you mean witchcraft, sorry.. lol

I've never met any Romani(love the Gypsy Kings though!) but I've met a couple of Irish Travellers (Irish Gypsies). Interesting folk, it's amazing how they've preserved such a unique culture for so long and gotten such a bad rep.

[gunner]

i understand kaylara, my sister in law is rom, spanish gypsy, and she doesn't say much about it even to me. that's why i commented as i did.

[Topazz]

Well, I've never been cursed by a Rom ~ as far as I know. :lol:

But I have met three or four and they feel that we Gajo are completely different from them. Since we do not live by their rules or laws they do not care to associate with us. They are private people and mostly unwilling to discuss their traditions and history from what I have seen. So some of their "attitude" is stand-offishness rather than outright rudeness.

From what I have read, they live by their own law and our laws are not binding upon them. Their main law is "Do not steal", whether the theft is of material goods, or a sense of safety, or the theft of a life. Rape is also considered theft. However, since our laws do not apply to them, their law does not apply to us and anything we do not care enough to nail down is fair pickin's.

Actually, their ethics and attitudes remind me of biker gangs.

[Danustouch]

Kaylara...

My advice is...

Wear a long skirt.

Don't allow the hem of that Skirt to touch a man.

Dont' cross in front of a man.

Don't bring any cats near the house.

If you sneeze, do so on a disposable material, and immediately wash your hands in a sink. But..Not the sink they do their dishes in.

And if you need to take a bath..don't. They can only cleanse themselves in running water.

Topazz is right. From what I have read...the Romani are still very much a cohesive, and somewhat seperatist group. They want to stay away from "impure" or "polluted" ideals which could come to them via non romani people. Being near them for too long, or prolonged exposure.

Because our way of life, is so vastly differen't than theirs...and we do not have the cultural taboo's that they do, it would probably be good to look into those a bit more:)

Also...they are only allowed to tell fortunes for Non Romani, I thought that was interesting. It is openly admitted in Romani circles, that their fortune telling ability is not true psychism, but, according to them, proficiency at understanding human nature. That you will remember what does come true, and forget, what is not.

They are multi religious in background. And they do believe in a God AND a Devil.

[Raindancer]

I have some interest in Romany as when she was alive, my mother told us kids that we had some Romany blood. She didn't elaborate on it, but it was one of the things she wanted us to know about our background. She was born on the island of Hvar on the Dalmatian coast. I've wondered about it and how far back it could be.

The only thing I can guess is that it could be from a blood grandfather, Anton Kapur, as its also an India Indian name and the Romany originated in India, so maybe. If so, it would make me 1/4 Rom. He was kind of a mysterious figure and nobody seems to know a lot about him except he stuck around long enough to make my mother and disappeared.

I've done some reading about the Romany and Buckland's book on Romany Magic, and would like to know more. There aren't lots of them out here, and to tell you the truth, if I bumped into some, I wouldn't know where or how to start.
Raindancer