Introduction
The Gypsies are a nomadic race whose origin remains a mystery to many people. Some believe that they have Irish roots while others think they originate from India before travelling to Europe and America. In the olden days, Gypsies lived and travelled in wagons drawn by horses, but modern day Gypsies live and wander through the world in caravans. One can often recognize a Gypsy from the mode of dressing; their women prefer long colorful skirts and blouses with puffed sleeves and low necklines. Gypsy men, on the other hand, wear vests and brightly-colored poet shirts.
Occupation
Gypsies want occupations that limit exclusive contact with non-gypsies and also allow them to travel freely. Men engage in jobs such as metalworking where they make cooking equipment, tools, and grind knives. Gypsy women play the key role of peddling these wares from house to house.
Fortune telling is also an occupation favored by Gypsy women and which they are most recognized for. It is also this practice that brands them as mysterious people because it involves the use of magic to foretell the future. Gypsies are able to perform this practice by reading palms, tea leaves, crystal balls and character. They earn money by predicting the future of their non-gypsy clients and providing talismans or charms to ward off any danger that the Gypsy predicts.
Gypsies are skilled animal trainers with their forte being in horses and bears. They do not only train horses but also tend to the sick ones for profit. Furthermore, the Gypsies trade healthy horses for sick ones and collect money to square the difference. Then, they care for these sick horses and sell them off when they get better. Most Gypsies secure bear leader jobs because they know how to train bears to dance and entertain people.
Interaction of Gypsies
Gypsies mostly interact during festivals. They believe that every day should be a jubilation of life which explains why they have many festivals spread out through the year. One such festival is the feast of life which takes place from September to October. Gypsy caravans assist host villagers in harvesting their produce and in exchange receive a portion of the harvest. They celebrate this harvest during the month long festival and also make merry for the opulence of life. Additionally, they interact during the festival of spring fire annually held on March 10. This is a celebration of courting and engagement possible couples mark it by jumping over small fires to illustrate the life hastening in them.
Gypsies also take part in marriage ceremonies starting from the engagement to the wedding. The groom’s family marks the engagement by paying bride price. This guarantees that she will be in safe hands and also act as compensation. A barbeque follows where the community comes to dance and sing. Finally, the wedding ceremony comes soon after where a couple joins hands and swears to stay truethful to one another. The caravan prepares a feast to celebrate this marriage. Gypsies roast goose, pigs or chicken over open fires and join in the merrymaking. Moreover, they provide money as wedding gifts to ensure that the couple starts their new life with no financial hiccups.
Social Responsibility
Gypsies abide by the Roman Catholic teachings, and they impose the same strict rules on their children. For example, young gypsy girls cannot talk back to their elders. They also uphold virginity as a virtue and most traveler men insist on marrying virgin girls.
It is the social responsibility of a gypsy to get married to someone within the group to ensure the continuation and extension of the family. However, a Gypsy male can get away with marrying a non-gypsy female if she agrees to abide by the Gypsy lifestyle.
Gypsies treasure children, and it is the responsibility of a couple to ensure that they have several children. Additionally, a traveler child must learn the livelihood of its parents, first by copying, then by helping them.