How, where and why is International Roma Day celebrated?

Lifestyle

Contrary to beliefs, only 1% of Roma living in Russia continue to live a nomadic life. Most of the people settled long ago and found a permanent place of residence. That is why it is impossible to talk about the uniformity of the way of life in the communities, because over the years the nomads adopted the traditions of the land in which they found refuge.

However, this is almost the only people who, despite such disunity, have preserved their language, ethical and moral canons, as well as visible attributes of culture: clothing, jewelry, standards of beauty. Traditionally, Gypsies live in large families in a common house, sometimes in small ones, but not far from each other, in the neighborhood, thus forming an ethnic settlement.

Since historically these are immigrants from India and many still even understand Hindi, they also maintain a division into “castes” based on financial status. However, you cannot get it for money. You can improve your position only by gaining trust and respect. The head of the clan is the council of elders, which assumes the responsibilities of a manager, a household judge, and an adviser. Families listen to older generations, adopting life experience and home rules.

Submission and obedience

From childhood, girls are surrounded by the rules established by their parents. In Gypsy culture, parents have a lot of power, and the girl must treat them with respect and reverence. Special treatment is shown to the father of the family and the older members of the camp. After the wedding, the young gypsy must obey her husband. Men, on the other hand, are endowed with greater freedom and can make their own decisions in their lives.

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Cloth

For women, it is mandatory to wear floor-length skirts, and relatively short ones are only allowed for little girls. But they themselves don’t want to wear them for a long time, since length is considered a sign of growing up. And the more jewelry a young wife has, the more her husband and his family love her - this is what the gypsies believe.

There is a belief associated with aprons, which are part of traditional attire: anything that a married or adult woman steps on is considered unclean or defiled. Even shoes and items of clothing below the waist fall under this rule.

When was the decision made to celebrate the holiday of the Roma people?

When is International Roma Day celebrated? It has been celebrated annually on April 8 since 1971. Want to know why?

On April 8, 1971 in London, the first World Roma Congress, which brought together representatives from more than 30 countries, approved the celebration of this day. This is due to the fact that the Roma are one of the few non-territorial nations.

The Roma have their own anthem and flag. Their flag symbolizes their essence - love of freedom. It is a cloth divided into two parts: the lower part is green, which symbolizes greenery, grass, the upper part of the blue sky is a symbol of the high blue sky. There is also a red wheel in the middle of the canvas. It indicates the nomadic life of the gypsies.

Hair

Roma have long hair. In everyday life, girls braid them into braids and collect them in the form of a bun, hide them under a scarf, but whenever possible they try to show everyone the beauty of long black curls. Men also adhere to these canons. There were never clear instructions regarding mustaches and beards; everything depended on the era and location of the camp. By nature, gypsies could not have weak and short hairstyles; their hair grew thick from an early age.

Short haircuts were evidence of defilement, that is, temporary excommunication from the clan, expulsion, renunciation. Such a punishment should have been received only for a significant offense, but there was still hope for return, since the hair was growing back. For a girl, such a hairstyle was considered a terrible disgrace. Even in the modern world, they remember this written rule, considering a short haircut “unlucky.”

Professions

Due to their character traits and skills, these people cope well with trading. And due to independence and partial detachment from government authorities, he understands construction in order to build his own houses.

In Soviet times, there was a turning point when the authorities gave the go-ahead for integration and created favorable conditions for the introduction of nomadic people into union life. At that moment, many representatives acquired quite ordinary professions, and some became titled artists of song and dance groups.

There are also professions in which careers are not welcomed in the Roma community:

• journalist;
• factory worker;
• street cleaner.

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House

As mentioned earlier, many families live in one building - parents, sons and daughters-in-law, their children, and often grandchildren. For such a crowd there should be enough room for everyone, since the gypsies are not used to feeling discriminated against in any way. That’s why houses are built to perfection—several floors, with large windows, long galleries or columns. It is interesting that sometimes famous architectural monuments become inspiration for construction - their silhouette can be traced in the facade.

The building is decorated fundamentally - with large statues, forged items, and gilded elements. Here they do not waste time and money on small details - luxury and abundance should be visible from afar, and the paint will peel or fade every year. Apparently this is why such houses often look unfinished, although they have been inhabited for a long time. But this is better for the gypsy soul than living in an apartment “box”.

Where is it celebrated?

Gypsies are a free people, so it is not surprising that representatives of this nation can be found on every continent. Most Roma live in countries such as the Russian Federation, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Germany, Italy, France, Iran, Ukraine, Canada, USA, UK, Croatia, Slovenia, Afghanistan, Albania , Poland, Uzbekistan, Moldova and many others.

Dishes

Craftswomen are accustomed to surprising their families with a variety of treats, but the table is especially crowded when they receive guests. For a wedding or father's birthday, the feast is prepared by the whole family (the female half), and preparations are made several days in advance.

Historically, gypsies love game, stewed or fried meat dishes. But an unusual highlight that can surprise a traditional table is hedgehog meat. They began to prepare them during the times when they traveled in camps - they had to set up lodgings for the night wherever they had to, and everything that was at hand was used for food.

Money

Considering the scale of wedding celebrations and the splendor of the architecture, we can safely conclude that there is considerable money to be made here. However, do not delude yourself, because the Roma know what “credit” is. Only they take it from none other than the elder, or at least from each other.

Both men and women earn money in the family. Moreover, physical labor is not encouraged among the stronger sex. More often, financial flow is associated with profitable trade deals and barter. In our everyday life there is a response from frequent communication with enterprising Roma - the word “lave”, which the Gypsies pronounce with an “a”. It means the same thing that is commonly understood by jargon - money.

Children

Gypsies love their children very much, they take care of them and pamper them. Foster parenting is common. According to the canons of gypsy life, there must be a male child in the family. If the boy is never born, the parents can take an adopted child. It doesn’t matter to them whether he is a gypsy, a Caucasian or a Russian. Often a family has a blond or red-haired baby. This is why myths are so widespread that gypsies steal children.

Roma do not favor all procedures related to documents. Therefore, the birth certificate for the child is received very late. It is almost impossible to see a gypsy student older than third grade. It is believed that it is enough for a child to learn to read and write, but to study further is a waste of time, because you need to help your parents earn money.

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Religion and morals

Everything about the gypsies, their way of life and their customs is told by their religion. For the most part they are Christians - Orthodox, Catholics, even Protestants. Community and affinity brought prosperity on the path of faith to the hearts of the Romals. There are always large gold crosses among the gold jewelry, and prayer is present in everyday life, even though the people are not accustomed to church. It is worth noting that faith in one’s roots and devotion to the people are much stronger than the spiritual experiences in the lives of these people.

Freedom-loving nomads here wanted to do things their own way, so they do not observe some canonical rituals. But headscarves, which women wear almost without fail, are considered by some historians to be an attribute of Christianity.

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Library exhibitions dedicated to Gypsy culture

In the libraries of those countries where Gypsy Day is celebrated, exhibitions dedicated to this day are held. Library exhibitions for International Roma Day tell about the culture, history and characteristics of the Roma nation.

There are many legends about the appearance of the gypsies, they all have one thing in common - God loved this ardent people so much and decided that they should not live in one place, their calling is to bring joy to the whole world, which is why the gypsies have been wandering for many, many years.

Library exhibitions show the whole history of the Roma: where they live, what they do, what is the priority of their life. These exhibitions prove that among the Roma there are many scientists, doctors, writers, actors, directors, and athletes of whom the nation is proud. In libraries you can also get acquainted with literary works about the Roma, for example:

• “Makar Chudra” by M. Gorky;
• "Meridon" by F. Gregory;
• “Notre Dame Cathedral” by V. Hugo;
• “Gypsies” by E. A. Druts;
• “Gypsy” by A. V. Kalinin;
• “Thinner” by S. King;
• “Carmen” by P. Merimee;
• “Gypsies” by A. S. Pushkin;
• “Gypsy” by D. I. Rubina;
• “Gypsy Novel” by V.N. Tikhvinsky and many others.

Exhibitions often feature reproductions of paintings depicting gypsies. The Gypsy nation was depicted in paintings by Salvador Dali, Vereshchagin, Petrov-Vodkin. At exhibitions in libraries for International Gypsy Day they also talk about gypsy fortune tellers, fortune telling, and hypnosis.

Early marriages

Parents want to marry off their daughter and marry their son as early as possible, not at all for selfish purposes, in order to get rid of the burden of guardianship. Quite the contrary, it is a manifestation of care, because gypsies believe that the less time there is for teenage nonsense, the greater the chances of creating a family from a worthy, chaste couple.

This is useful for the girl, since the daughter-in-law comes to her husband’s house and becomes under the protection of her mother-in-law - she manages the process of running the house, cooking, caring for her husband and relatives. A young, flexible disposition comes in very handy here, since the young wife becomes a working hand not only for her husband, but also for his entire family.

Women

The head of a gypsy family is a man. A woman should be meek and submissive. The customs are similar to those of Muslim countries. In large houses, the first floor is for women. It is prohibited to go up to the second floor of the house.

Gypsies wear multi-layered skirts. The style was originally taken from Italian women and later changed, according to the canons of gypsy culture. The skirt consists of three parts. This is due to the fact that the lower part of the female body is considered unclean, a breeding ground for sin. Therefore, the petticoat is considered dirty; another one is put on top of it, it is supposedly cleaner. And gypsy women wear an apron on top - it is completely unsullied by sin, even men can wipe their hands on it.

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The richer the gypsy skirt, the more attractive the bride. Therefore, it is customary to hang various trinkets on the skirt, sew on flowers and bright fabrics. Interestingly, it is considered a terrible insult if a gypsy waves or touches another person with her skirt. After this he will be disgraced.

Chastity

For many nations, the fidelity of spouses is important, and this is no exception. But here the attention to this issue is enormous. Keeping yourself clean is a prerequisite for marriage, at least for the bride. On the first night of the wedding, guests joyfully accompany the couple to the bedroom, and then meet to test the girl's innocence. Above the newlyweds, a sheet from their bed is opened, on which there should be traces of a chaste life before marriage. Great shame awaited the newly-made wife if he was not there. And if the outcome was good, the young lady was praised, covered her head with a scarf and put on a new dress.

Life of the young

The girl always moved to live in the house of her husband and his family. When the parents decided to move their eldest sons, their joint efforts built separate housing for the new “unit of society.” This sometimes happened even when they had a couple of children.

This approach to everyday life was caused not only by economic factors. The mother-in-law practically took her daughter-in-law for re-education, trying to make her an ideal woman who could please her beloved son.

And indeed, it is not customary here to “build” a man. The wife is silent, obedient, efficient and even independent. She does not save money if her husband cannot provide for all needs, she goes and earns it herself. Divorces are rare here, but not because of custom and severity. It’s just that the family way of life is always under the strict supervision of the community and with the advice of elders.

Family

Gypsy boys and girls start families very early. At the age of 14 they are already considered sexually mature and ready for marriage. Nationalities prefer not to mix. If the children's choice does not coincide with the parents' expectations, then the groom may kidnap the bride. True, there is no magnificent wedding after this.

The marriage is fun and noisy; there is even a common noun phrase “gypsy wedding”, meaning unbridled fun, dancing, songs and a round dance of relatives. During the celebration, girls who have turned 14 dance, knowing that potential grooms will choose their bride. The age before which you need to get married is 19 years old, otherwise there is a chance to remain a “girl” for the rest of your life.

Before the wedding, the groom's parents buy the bride. The bride's father sets the price in gold. Its quantity is measured in three-liter jars. The number of jars of gold the father assigns is the same amount the groom must bring for the wedding to take place. Inviting a toastmaster or manager is bad form. Their responsibilities are assumed by the head of the family or the eldest in the family.

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Previously, before giving the bride to the marriage bed, women took her to a separate room. There the presence of innocence was tested. In the morning, the newly formed cell of society went to the bedchamber, after which everyone was provided with proof of the bride’s purity in the form of a sheet or bedspread with traces of blood. Now this tradition continues to be maintained. The bride must be a virgin, otherwise it is a shame for the family. A man can “take a walk” before the wedding.

Passion for horses

This feeling is passed on through genes. Rings, decorative items and household utensils are decorated with the symbols of horses. The boys knew everything about these beautiful animals from an early age. Of course, with the new way of life, not everyone can afford to have a herd, but every gypsy should ride a horse at least once in their life. Just as they used to show off their horses, now they are trying to stand out with their cars.

Folklore

Gypsy traditions are concentrated in the creativity of generations. The people's gift to us was the surprisingly pleasant type of song - romance. Carrying the wisdom of hundreds of kilometers from district to district, the Roma showed how they know how to love through deep lyrics and soulful music that cannot leave anyone indifferent.

And if the lyrics of the nationality became familiar to the whole world through soulful voices, then their fun and fervor became clear to us through dances. Noisy, bright, relaxed, with flying hems of fluffy skirts and the melody of coins on the dancers’ chests - they became a symbol of joy and freedom once at fairs and holidays, and now at competitions among professional choreographic groups.

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Gypsy law

An oral set of rules and agreements that differ among residents of different areas, but are united in general values. They regulate relations within the community, outside it and on the border of these concepts. According to him, the elders have the last word both in resolving the issue of judging and in choosing punishment for those who have acted treacherously.

The most important and interesting tenets of Gypsy law state that:

1. Neither can be superior to the other;
2. If a Roma enters into a relationship with a person from the outside, it must be built on external principles;
3. Mixed marriage is not encouraged, although it is not prohibited.
4. Most rules regulate decent appearance for both sexes, traditions of life and communication in the family and society.

Interesting facts about the life of gypsies

The freedom-loving people have their own values, and the most important thing for them is family and belonging to the Roma nation. There is nothing more shameful and terrible for a gypsy if his people renounce him, and he can renounce because of crimes such as murder or theft.

Gypsies believe in God and honor religious holidays. True, not all of them profess the same religion. Among the gypsies there are both Christians and Muslims. This is due to the territory in which they live.

The outfits of the gypsies are of interest. They love everything expensive, lush, shiny, golden. As the gypsies themselves explain, this is also due to their nomadic lifestyle; they do not need to spend money on a house and its decoration, so they buy clothes and jewelry. Jewelry is worn all at once so as not to be lost.

The traditional cuisine of the Gypsies is special. The national dish is hare and hedgehog meat. The houses of settled gypsies are also huge and lush. Gypsies love brightness and luxury in everything; every holiday they celebrate is pompous, pretentious and fun. International Roma Day is an important date for them, so they don’t miss celebrating it.