Where did the gypsies come from, and why are they not loved anywhere? What are gypsies forbidden to do?

It just so happens in society that few people trust gypsies. At best, they try to avoid and ignore them, at worst, they mock them. Most often, the reason lies in the fact that people do not know where the gypsies came from. One cannot argue with the fact that among these people there are many people with dubious reputations. Despite this, their history is quite interesting, so in order to judge objectively, one must take into account the influence of constant persecution and humiliation to which the Roma have been subjected for centuries. This attitude of society forced them to unite and become one big family. Perhaps this is what pushed them to dishonest earnings and deception, because let’s be honest - it’s not easy for a gypsy to find a job.

Demography

This people originates in India, on the island of Tsy. Scientists have long established the fact that gypsies appeared in northwestern India about one and a half thousand years ago. This idea was first expressed by two German scientists - J. Rüdiger and G. Grellman. This is confirmed by the fact that the Romani language is one third Sanskrit. It should be remembered that the Persians and Greeks had a significant influence on the formation of the Gypsy language. After 6 centuries, Roma (another name for gypsies) began to immigrate to Europe - genetic scientists came to this conclusion after studying their genome. The reason for possible immigration lies in the displacement of the people by Muslims. Modern calculations suggest that the homeland of this people is the territory of Gujarat and Kashmir.

Geneticists believe that all gypsies are united by two main factors: they came from India and actively married people of different nationalities, immigrating to Europe. Today, about 11 million Roma live there, experts say. Most of it occupies the territory of Eastern and Central Europe, Hungary and Romania. Their number ranges from 2.5 to 8 million people, according to various estimates. It is worth noting that during the tyranny of Adolf Hitler, the Roma were massacred. Since there is no written evidence of the Roma people, scientists decided to compare the genomes of people from 13 different groups of Roma from around the world. The general conclusions of the study showed that the demographic history of the Roma is quite rich. However, the practically powerless situation of people of this nationality around the world does not allow for a more detailed and qualitative study of their historical roots.

It is known that until the 15th century, gypsies in Europe were received very kindly, but after some time they gained a reputation as beggars, charlatans and vagabonds. The displacement of people from the cultural and social life of society occurred on legal grounds. They were evicted outside the city and prohibited from participating in public life. Ordinary people hated the gypsies, mocked and even killed them without a shadow of embarrassment. After 3 centuries, people's attitude towards this people became more tolerant.

A division emerges into sedentary, semi-sedentary and nomadic. What was a nomadic camp like? It was a group of people that moved around a certain territory. The camp always had one leader - woad. He represented his people before the authorities of the country where the camp was roaming. Wajda also had every right to independently resolve internal conflicts. The position of the female gender among the gypsies is unenviable: she had to obey her father, and then her husband. On the shoulders of young girls lay the responsibility of caring for and feeding each family member. The decision to marry off his daughter was also made by the father, who himself found a suitable candidate. It was believed that a good wife would bring her husband large offspring. Sedentary and semi-sedentary gypsies took root everywhere, as they easily moved from one faith to another and obeyed the church customs of the people among whom they lived. Nomads remain faithful to their traditions and rituals, honor them and pass them on through generations. Some nomadic groups still continue to engage in their ancestral activities: dancing, singing, weaving, mystical fortune-telling and prediction, witchcraft, animal training, wood processing.

Where did the gypsies come from in Russia?

They got here through two routes: through the warm Balkan countries, as well as through northern Germany and Poland. Before the revolution of 1917, Roma men were engaged in buying, selling and exchanging horses, and women were engaged in mystical paid affairs. The nomads subsisted on begging and fortune-telling, and sometimes on tinning and blacksmithing. The Gypsies of St. Petersburg, who settled in the city, massively replenished the composition of the choirs. After the revolution, a decree was issued that these people should adopt a more laborious and suitable way of life. Thus, the gypsies quietly joined the huge Soviet family. When the Great Patriotic War began, many men of this nationality fought with the soldiers of the Soviet Army side by side. In 1956, another similar decree was issued, after which a significant part of the vagabonds adopted a sedentary lifestyle. Today, the Roma people are not limited in their rights: they can receive secondary and higher education and freely choose any field of activity. Unfortunately, only a few enjoy these rights. Since the middle of the last century, many countries in which Roma ethnic groups live have taken a number of measures to improve the position of these people in society. Public organizations are beginning to appear that are engaged in raising the cultural and economic standard of living of the Roma. In France there is the “International Roma Committee”, which has been working since 1971; The Institute for Contemporary Gypsy Research operates in the UK. There are similar organizations in India and America.

Despite the fact that researchers have long known where the gypsies came from, among the common people you can still hear the most incredible rumors and legends about the origins of people of this nationality. There is even an opinion that they are the descendants of the sunken Atlantis. It is worth understanding that gypsy groups are very different from each other, so one cannot attribute individual negative qualities to the entire people. Still, in the age of information technology, it is a shame not to know about the origin and history of the Roma.

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Most of our ideas about gypsy culture are true. They really adore bright decorations and pretentiousness, and they do not skimp on emotions: if there is a wedding, so that the whole world will know, if there is a quarrel, so that several future generations will not talk to each other.

Modern communities of, say, American gypsies look a little different than we might imagine: women are not necessarily dressed in long colorful skirts and scarves. However, there is something that all members of the community strictly follow.

For example, it is very rare for a gypsy to receive an education. We are in website They were quite surprised by this and decided to find out about other rules of behavior that gypsy girls should follow.

Marriage traditions

The gypsies sacredly honor their culture, and an outsider who claims the hand of a gypsy is called a Gorger - that is, one who does not belong to their community and is not a gypsy. Girls mostly find love among the community, with rare exceptions. The desire to preserve one's own culture is so strong that marriages between cousins ​​are not uncommon here.

A girl must marry as a virgin. What happens to a gypsy who does not preserve her virginity until marriage? She is considered dirty and has polluted the community. By doing this, she risks being left broke: not a single gypsy man would go against the rules of the community by marrying her after she gave herself to another.

By the way, the average age of marriage is 16–17 years for girls and 18–19 years for boys, and this marriage, according to tradition, should last a lifetime. A gypsy woman who is married may not even think about divorce. In the Roma community, remarriages are not encouraged, and in order not to “desecrate” the community, a woman can only enter into one marriage for the rest of her life.

It is extremely rare for women to separate from their husbands. And, as a rule, they no longer enter into new relationships. In the eyes of the community, this casts a shadow not only on her, but also on her daughters.

Submission to parents

A girl growing up in a gypsy community is surrounded by rules dictated by her parents from an early age. Of course, such a system is present in most other cultures, but in Gypsy culture, parents (and especially the father) have enormous authority, and the daughter is obliged to do what she is told. As she gets older, she is allowed to leave the house only when accompanied by family members (and these do not have to be her parents - sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles can accompany the gypsy).

For the same reason, parents often choose a husband for their daughter without relying on her opinion. Arranged marriages are not uncommon among Roma. And after the parents marry the gypsy, she will be obliged to honor and obey her husband in the same way as her parents.

Boys have much more freedom in this regard - they can leave the house alone, choose their own bride, etc.

You can't call the police

As a rule, gypsies sort out their affairs loudly and noisily, often rushing into fights with representatives of a hostile family. And this is also part of their traditions. However, all problems are resolved within families, without involving the law. It is not in their rules to sue or call the police: the gypsies would rather come in a crowd to the house of their rivals or start a showdown at a wedding. In the worst case, the family will disown the one who calls the police for a showdown. Any person in the Roma community must know that doing so is against the rules. Men accept this, but some girls still try to call their raging relatives to order with the help of the law.

We'll have to put up with violence

The statistics of domestic violence in Roma communities are incredibly high. A study in England found that 61% of married Roma women in England experience violence from their spouse. Women are forced to put up with this. Gypsy Sisters contestant Mellie says her ex-husband once locked her in a trailer and when she managed to get out, he hit her several times. The girl's family convinced her to take the man back. The girl explains why this is so: “This is a gypsy tradition, and it must be honored.”

Keep the house clean

If in most countries a woman can afford not to be a housewife and sometimes be lazy about cleaning, then for a gypsy this is unforgivable. Hygiene plays an important role in Roma culture, and it is the woman who is responsible for keeping the house clean. She must follow several rules, in particular not to share her dishes or cutlery with anyone, including her husband. All utensils are washed several times: under running water, in a separate bowl with boiling water and again under running water.

Men's and women's clothing should be washed separately. The upper part of the body is considered clean, while the lower part is considered dirty, so clothes “up to the waist” and “below the waist” are washed separately from each other. And of course, underwear is also subject to personal washing.

Pregnancy is a special period

Pregnant woman should not make physical contact with anyone. At this time, she does not even sleep in the same bed with her husband. It is recommended to take water procedures only in consecrated water. In addition, a gypsy woman carrying a child is exempt from household duties: during this period, her husband prepares food and keeps the house clean.

American gypsies, however, sometimes neglect this rule - their women are more independent.

Wear bright and provocative clothes

Despite the fact that a gypsy woman’s behavior should be chaste, her outfit should scream the opposite. Thus, she can attract the attention of her future husband without making any effort (because a gypsy girl cannot meet guys first). The most striking example of this behavior is the American gypsies, who dress up every day as if for a holiday. And if there is a wedding or birthday planned, are coming the most spectacular jewelry and the most luxurious dresses.

You can't go up to the 2nd floor

Photographer Evgeny Domansky captured how the male and female parts of a camp of Kotlyar gypsies enter the bus through different doors so as not to touch.

In Gypsy culture, the concept of “filth” is still widespread, which is directly related to the fact that the lower part of the body is considered dirty. This does not apply to girls and virgin girls, but a mature married woman is considered “unclean” from the waist down, and to touch her skirt or shoes means to be “defiled.” Because of this, if a family lives in a 2-story house, a woman was forbidden to go up to the 2nd floor - only children and young girls were allowed there. But in some gypsy houses there is a garage on the 1st floor, so the woman automatically ended up on the 2nd. Other gypsies say about the people living in such houses that they have become “foul.” For the same reason, because of “filth,” women sit separately from men during the feast.

Guests for men and women also come separately

Among the Kotlyar gypsies, it is customary that a married woman can only wear a skirt. Kirill Kozhanov says that unmarried girls from Kotlyarka often wear jeans, and after marriage they can put on a skirt right over them.

Certainly, some features of gypsy life are outdated. Not only that, they are also quite cruel to the girl. What do you know about any other similar traditions in other countries?

Gypsies are an amazing, colorful people. Its representatives can be found in any country in the world. For many centuries, the nationality was considered a mystery to science. Their origin is still controversial in the scientific world today. But the gypsies themselves hardly think about this issue. After all, one of the ancient legends says that God fell in love with this people for their cheerful disposition and talent, and therefore gave them the whole world to live on.

According to the most popular hypothesis, Gypsies come from India. Their ancestors allegedly lived in the north-west of the country and, in search of a better life, rushed to unknown lands. But according to another version, their exodus from their native places is associated with the resettlement of Muslims. The main occupations of gypsies at all times were singing and dancing, as well as jewelry and blacksmithing.

It is believed that the gypsy people, in the form as we know them in the modern world, finally emerged in the first century AD. Initially, the tribes roamed Asia on the outskirts of the Byzantine Empire, after which they gradually spread throughout Europe and North Africa. And in the nineteenth century, the fact of their appearance in North America and Australia was recorded.

There are many other versions about the origin of the Gypsies. Scientists are looking for their roots in Egypt, Persia and African countries. But thousands of years have passed since the gypsies left their ancient homeland, so it is unlikely that anyone will be able to reliably say where their family came from.

Gypsies are a complex name for a people consisting of several nationalities. It can be argued that the gypsies in each country are different. In this regard, they are no different, for example, from the “Slavs” or “Scandinavians”. All gypsies have in common only a language that belongs to the Indo-European group. But, nevertheless, there are many different dialects and dialects, depending on where you live.

Today, nomadic gypsy tribes are rare. Since the 18th century, this nation began to prefer a sedentary lifestyle and in the modern world there are no mass migrations of gypsies.

Today, the largest number of Roma live in the United States - about a million people. In second place in the number of settled representatives of this nationality is Brazil, where approximately 600 thousand people live. In European countries, according to censuses, there are about 10 million Roma.

Gypsies in all centuries have been enveloped in a mysterious atmosphere. This nationality is unique in that, without having their own state, its representatives managed to preserve their own identity. There have always been many rumors around them related to their mystical natural abilities aimed at attracting wealth and prosperity. Gypsies were prescribed unique abilities to predict the future. Gypsy witchcraft is very popular in the modern high-tech world.

A distinctive natural feature of the gypsies is their friendly character, therefore, with a nomadic lifestyle, they easily got along with people of other nationalities. Thus, over the centuries, a variety of knowledge and experience was accumulated, which was passed on from generation to generation. Therefore, the gypsies were able to preserve ancient knowledge about magic, which has always been part of the culture of the ancient people. In the magical practice of the ancient people, there are many ancient signs and beliefs.

The most famous in the field of wealth and wealth are the following:

• If while relaxing in nature, you notice that a red ant has crawled up to you. This means that soon we can expect an improvement in well-being;
• You should make a wish related to money while looking at the sky: if the first bird appears on the right side, there will be profit, on the left - losses;
• To get money, on a full moon, looking at the moon, turn over a silver coin in your pocket;
• A woman with chest hair will always achieve financial well-being in life;
• A few red hairs in a man's beard indicate his financial well-being.

In addition to various signs and beliefs, gypsy magic includes a huge number of rituals and ceremonies aimed at bringing into life:

• Financial well-being;
• Love;
• Good luck.

As a rule, rites and rituals are simple, and their power is associated with hypnosis, which is an innate gift for many Gypsies. That is why many representatives of the Roma people provide magical services. It is noteworthy that only gypsies have natural clairvoyance and hypnotic gifts.

Since gypsy magic includes many curses, many esotericists classify it as dark. Rituals often use not only hypnotic influence, but also elements of voodoo. The effectiveness of rituals is enhanced by linking them to lunar cycles.

Very often, professional gypsy witches can curse a person upon request, even from a distance. This is done through some enchanted object, which is subsequently transferred to the victim. A gypsy can cast the evil eye not only by looking into the eyes, but also by uttering curses at the back of the departing person.

You can resist the gypsy curse only by not believing in it; in this case, you can protect yourself from even the most powerful evil eye with your own energy field. In addition, you should know that only a professional witch can cause severe damage, so you should hardly be afraid of gypsy beggars who work in crowded places. But it’s still better not to talk to gypsies on the street, because almost all representatives of the ancient nation are naturally excellent psychologists. Therefore, they accurately know how to choose those who are most susceptible to hypnotic influence. If you did not stop and noticed that the gypsy began to whisper something after you, it is recommended to take out a small mirror and turn it towards the gypsy’s face. You can also simply walk away with your hands tightly clenched into fists.

Gypsies can predict a person's fate. Basically, all they need to do is look at a person’s hand. Knowledge in the field of palmistry has been accumulated over centuries and passed on from generation to generation. Therefore, looking at the small lines on a person’s palm, an experienced fortune teller can immediately see a predisposition to disease, state of health, intellectual abilities, and character traits. But in order to predict your fate, you need a long time to study and analyze the drawing, so if within a few minutes your fate is predicted, it means that you are dealing with an ordinary charlatan. You should know that professional witches and fortune tellers do not offer their services on the streets demanding that their pens be gilded.

Tarot cards, which are laid out in a special way, are also often used for fortune telling. Such fortune telling is only one of the options for a person’s fate. Therefore, this method of gypsy prediction can be considered a useful hint, but not a guide to further actions.

Gypsies are perhaps one of the most incomprehensible and mythologized peoples on our planet, and this has been the case for many centuries. There are rumors around the world that when gypsies come to a city, they seduce men and women and then steal everything in sight, including children. There are also many myths about cunning and mysterious gypsy fortune tellers and gypsy camps. In any case, even if we put all myths and misconceptions aside, the Roma remain one of the most interesting ethnic groups in history.

1. Where did they come from?

The origins of the Gypsies are shrouded in mystery. At times it seemed that they appeared on the planet in some mysterious way. This in itself may have created a sense of fear among Europeans and contributed to the atmosphere of mystery surrounding the Gypsies. Modern scholars suggest that the Gypsies originally migrated en masse from India in the fifth century.

This theory suggests that their flight was linked to the spread of Islam, which the Roma were desperate to avoid in order to protect their religious freedom. This theory states that the Gypsies migrated from India to Anatolia and further to Europe, where they split into three separate branches: the Domari, the Lomavren, and the Gypsies themselves. Another theory suggests that there were as many as three separate migrations over several centuries.

2. Nomadic lifestyle of gypsies

Many stereotypes have long been formed around the gypsies. Who doesn’t know the phrase “gypsy soul” (which is used in relation to freedom-loving people). According to these stereotypes, gypsies prefer to live, as they say, outside the “mainstream” and eschew social norms in order to be able to lead a nomadic lifestyle, replete with fun and dancing. The truth is much darker.

For many centuries, Roma were often forcibly expelled from the countries in which they lived. Such forced evictions continue to this day. Many historians have suggested that the true reason for the nomadic lifestyle of the gypsies is very simple: survival.

3. Gypsies have no homeland

Gypsies are people without a specific citizenship. Most countries refuse to grant them citizenship, even if they were born in that country. Centuries of persecution and their closed community have led to the fact that the Roma simply have no homeland. In 2000, the Roma were officially declared a non-territorial nation. This lack of citizenship makes the Roma legally "invisible".

Although they are not subject to the laws of any country, they cannot access education, healthcare and other social services. Moreover, Roma cannot even obtain passports, making their travel very difficult or impossible.

4. Gypsy persecution.

It's worth starting with the fact that the Gypsies were actually enslaved people in Europe, especially in the 14th - 19th centuries. They were exchanged and sold as goods, and they were considered "subhumans." In the 1700s, Empress Maria Theresa of the Austro-Hungarian Empire passed a law that outlawed Gypsies. This was done to force the Roma to integrate into society.

Similar laws were passed in Spain, and many European countries banned Roma from entering their territory. The Nazi regime also persecuted and exterminated Roma by the tens of thousands. Even today the gypsies are persecuted.

5. Nobody knows how many gypsies there are in the world

Nobody knows how many gypsies live around the world today. Due to the discrimination that Roma often face, many of them do not publicly register or identify themselves as Roma. In addition, given their “legal invisibility”, the birth of children without documents and frequent moves, many Roma are listed as missing.

Also problematic is that Roma are not provided with social services, which would help paint a clearer picture of their numbers. However, The New York Times estimates the number of Roma people worldwide at 11 million, but this figure is often disputed.

6. Gypsies are an offensive word

For many people, the term "gypsy" means nomad and is not considered a racial slur. But for the “Roma” themselves (or “Romals” - the self-name of the Gypsies) this word has ominous overtones. For example, according to the Oxford Dictionary, the English word "gypped" (derived from "gypsie" - gypsy) means a criminal act.

Roma, often called gypsies, were considered losers and thieves, a word that was burned into their skin during the Nazi regime. Like many other racial slurs, the word "gypsy" has been used for centuries to oppress the Roma people.

7. Future, inexpensive...

There are many myths surrounding gypsies. One of these myths is that gypsies have their own magic, which has been passed down for centuries from generation to generation. The myth is associated with tarot cards, crystal balls and fortune tellers' tents, as well as other stereotypes. The literature is replete with references to the gypsy language and the magical arts of this people.

In addition, there are many films that show gypsy curses. Even in art, there are many paintings that describe Roma as mystical and magical people. However, many scientists believe that all this magic is fiction, resulting from the fact that people simply did not know anything about the gypsies.

8. Lack of formal religion

European folklore often claims that the Roma made a temple out of cream cheese. Presumably, they ate it during a period of severe famine, so they were left without an official religion. Generally, Gypsies join the church that is most widespread in the country in which they live. However, there are many traditional Romani beliefs. Some scholars believe that there are many connections between Roma beliefs and Hinduism.

9. Modesty

Although gypsy weddings are often accompanied by mass celebrations and luxurious attire, the everyday clothing of gypsies reflects one of their main life principles - modesty. Gypsy dancing is most often associated with women's belly dancing. However, many Romani women have never performed what is considered today belly dancing.

Instead, they perform traditional dances that use only their bellies for movement, not their thighs, as moving the hips is considered immodest. Additionally, the long, flowing skirts typically worn by gypsy women serve to cover their legs, as exposing their legs is also considered immodest.

10. The Gypsy contribution to world culture is enormous

From the very beginning of their existence, the Gypsies were closely associated with singing, dancing and acting. They carried this tradition throughout the centuries and significantly influenced world art. Many Gypsies have assimilated into different cultures, influencing them. Many singers, actors, artists, etc. had gypsy roots.

Mysterious peoples lived on our planet in the past. For example, such as .

Gypsies are a mysterious nomadic people. Their life and history are shrouded in many myths and prejudices, and their culture is original and has roots in the distant past. Historians, cultural experts, ethnologists and ordinary people are concerned with the question of where they came from, how they live and what kind of faith the gypsies have.

Gypsies - who are they?

Gypsies are one of the largest ethnic groups in Europe. Bulgarian ethnologists call it an intergroup ethnic formation. The essence of this definition lies in the characteristics of the settlement of Roma in different territories. The mosaic distribution of gypsies is associated with a huge variety of their varieties and distinctive features. Depending on the territory of residence, there are different ethnic self-names: Sinti, Manush - people, Kale - black, Roma (Romani) - a general political designation for all Gypsies living in Europe.

Having no permanent habitat, gypsies live in all corners of the planet except Antarctica.

Types of gypsies

The division of Roma into ethnic groups depends on their territorial location and occupation. Ethnologists distinguish three western and three eastern branches of the gypsies.

Western ones include:

• Roma is one of the largest groups. It includes the gypsies who occupy the territory of Europe.
• Sinti - German and French gypsies.
• Iberians - Spaniards and Portuguese.

The eastern branch is formed by:

• Lyuli are Central Asian gypsies.
• Bosha are gypsy peoples occupying the territories of Turkey and the Caucasus.
• Home - Arab peoples and those living in Israel.

There are small gypsy groups that are difficult to attribute to any specific branch. On the territory of Europe live ethnic groups that are similar in culture, but not related to the gypsies: Travelers from Ireland and Yenish from Central Europe.

Researchers of Gypsy culture talk about the possibility of dividing Gypsies into groups according to their type of activity.

What religion do the gypsies profess?

Gypsy culture is closely connected with the Gypsies, forms their traditions, customs and moral and ethical standards and, as a rule, depends on the territory of residence. The main religions to which the Roma belong are Christianity and Islam. But to this day, features of Hinduism, Shaivism, animism, Zoroastrianism and magical elements have been preserved in official beliefs.

Researchers argue that the adoption of a particular religion was a way of self-defense. When settling in a particular region, the gypsies tried to at least outwardly conform to the followers of the local religion, so as not to come into conflict with the indigenous population.

Regardless of what faith the gypsies of one group or another belong to, their mentality and beliefs, developed over a long period of their existence, leave an imprint on the adherence to certain moral norms.

Outward acceptance of the official religion gives the Roma the opportunity to pay tribute to their pagan and animist idols. For example, Central Asian gypsies had gods representing the Sun. The faith of gypsies in the West is based on the idolization of the Moon. The full moon was considered a holiday on which magical rituals and witchcraft rituals were carried out. The faith of the gypsies in India is based on the idolization of the phallus; the cult of Shiva and the goddess Kali is also widespread here.

Regardless of what religion the Gypsies belong to, they pay great attention to protection from evil spirits. A serious task is to protect the newborn from powerful demonic forces. After birth, he is sprinkled with salt water and given a name that will be spoken only at certain periods of his life. The rest of the time the worldly name is used.

Veneration of the saints

The faith of the Roma is based on the veneration of female religious images. Despite the dominant role of men in society, their main saint is a woman. No matter what religion the gypsies are, everyone honors the mythological image of Saint Sarah. There are several legends associated with it. According to the first, she was the savior of the relatives of Mary Magdalene; during a terrible storm, she saved them by finding the way to the shore by the stars. The second legend says that she was the first to receive the Holy Revelation from the saints who sailed past her camp.

Gypsies who believe in an afterlife try to protect themselves from meeting the deceased. So that nothing holds the souls of the dead in this world, they burn all the things of the deceased and their houses. There are those who do not believe in life after death. Also, according to some ethnic groups, the soul can return to earth three times, once every 500 years. Serbian gypsies claim that after death a person lives the same life, but indefinitely.

Spirits and vampires are designated by the word "mullo". If a gypsy dies at the hands of a person, the mullo will find and hunt down the culprit. Slavic gypsies believe in werewolves. They become those who led a dissolute lifestyle or became victims of a vampire.

Customs of the Gypsies

The faith of the gypsies determines their customs. Russian Orthodox Gypsies are devout and the rite of baptism is obligatory for them. In Gypsy houses there is a “red corner” with icons. In Russia, Gypsies celebrate Christmas and Easter and get married in church. An important stage of a gypsy wedding is the recognition of the union by the community. This is the initial and most important stage of marriage. On Radonitsa, gypsies visit cemeteries where they beg for alms. This tradition is considered good, since those who give at this moment perform a good deed, fulfilling their Christian duty.

Saint George is one of the most revered gypsy saints. Holidays in honor of him are held in Turkey and the Balkans. Muslims also pay great attention to customs. However, women ignore the need to cover their faces, and men do not undergo circumcision.

Myths and legends of the gypsies

Whatever religion the gypsies belong to, there are common beliefs that determine their entire worldview. There is a story that a gypsy stole a nail that Roman legionnaires were supposed to drive into the head of the crucified Christ. For this, God blessed all the people and allowed them to steal. In reality, the tendency to steal is only a consequence of the historically established worldview of the gypsies.

They are convinced that everything created by God belongs to people and exists for the common good. Thus, fruits, animals and birds are a gift from God, given to people for free use. Today, theft is the main way of earning money for gypsies.

Raymond Buckland in his book “Gypsies. Mysteries of Life and Traditions” tells about a real case when gypsy children baptized the same borrowed baby eight times in different churches, because at the baptism the priest gave the child a coin. The lack of ties to a specific territory is also perceived as a gift from God; the gypsies believe that the Almighty has given the whole world at their disposal.

Russian gypsies. Customs and faith of Roma in Russia

According to official data, 200 thousand Roma live in Russia today. Their actual number exceeds these figures by at least five times. This is due to the fact that at the time many indicated other nationalities.

“Russka Roma” have their own dialect - a mixture of Russian, Polish and German. The traditional activities of Russian gypsies are horse breeding, music playing, dancing, fortune telling and the circus. It was in Russia that the genre of gypsy romance was born.

Most Russian Roma are Christians. But what kind of faith the Gypsies have in Russia is not important, the main thing for them is the general Gypsy law. The fewest rules govern relations with non-gypsies: here it is necessary to adhere to the norms of behavior that are established in society. More important are the laws of communication with both gypsies and non-gypsies: the prohibition of murder, rape, and physical mutilation.

Respect for the guest is mandatory. The largest number of rules concern behavior within the Roma community. The main thing is that no one has the right to elevate himself above another. However, in every community there is an unspoken leader and intermediary who is responsible for communication with the outside world. Most often such a person is

Gypsy laws strictly regulate communication with each other, with elders, children and women, the procedure for holding holidays, the rules for choosing clothing and a list of “decent” activities are regulated. Worthy professions are those associated with creativity, handicrafts, pottery and carpentry.

A significant part of Russian gypsies today are associated with crime. Among them, as among other ethnic groups, theft, begging and drug trafficking occur. At the same time, there is another side to the gypsy society, which includes talented singers, musicians and actors. For example, in Russia there is a worldwide popular

Impact on culture

The unique flavor of gypsy art had a tremendous influence on world culture: music, poetry and cinema. Everyone knows the heroes: the gypsy Esmeralda from Hugo’s “Notre Dame Cathedral”, the fatal Carmen of Georges Bizet, Pushkin’s Zemfira and Aleko, the modern boho style, touching romances and the music of Goran Bregovic - humanity owes all this heritage to the gypsies.

Finally

Gypsies are a complex and mysterious people. You cannot fully experience their culture without immersing yourself in it personally. The main thing is not to form your ideas solely based on the image of dirty beggars on the streets. In fact, the Roma are a distinctive and extraordinary ethnic group with their own laws, customs, rich culture and valuable heritage.