Hindus, Egyptians or Finns?
Gypsies are the descendants of the Dravidian people who inhabited India several millennia ago, the founders of the ancient Harappan civilization. This people was one of the first to invent writing, built cities with temples, sculptures and pools in the jungle, and created a complex structure of power. But burials with remains of the Dravidian type were also found in Egypt of the period before the pharaohs. And also - in the Voronezh region of the Upper Paleolithic era. In historical times, this territory was inhabited by the Finno-Ugric peoples. The Dravidian language is considered to be related to the Finno-Ugric and Ural-Altaic language groups.
The cult of childhood and motherhood
Pregnant women are surrounded by special care of the whole camp. If labor has begun, the whole camp stops. Some set up a tent, others bring water, and still others help a woman in labor. Children have a high status regardless of who they are. Therefore, adoption has always been widely practiced among the Roma, including homeless orphans of any nationality.
How gypsies get married
Matchmaking sometimes occurs very early: the bride and groom can be babies, the choice is based on the assessment of the family's wealth. A girl can go to live with the groom's family when she reaches 10 years old, and the wedding is played when the bride turns 13-15 years old. If there is no prior agreement, the father chooses the groom for the bride. The beauty and thrift of the girl herself plays a role. Refusing to marry is regarded as disobedience and a great shame. It happens rarely: marriage gives a girl a higher social status. Roma are usually not registered in the registry office, but Orthodox Gypsies must get married.
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In some communities, a rather large ransom is made for the bride, as gratitude for the worker. The negative side of this custom is that the young wife is forced to work unreasonably in order to quickly recoup the investment. Now it is customary to give part of the ransom to the newlyweds.
Girls are sometimes kidnapped; in case of failure, the punishment is very severe.
Modern matchmaking begins with the bride's “promotional” video being sent to the parents of potential groom. If the parents agree, the wedding can be played the next day. And the process of the first execution of a conjugal duty can take place in the presence of the two oldest representatives of the family. If the girl's innocence is not confirmed, the wedding is canceled!
The cult of gold
According to gypsies, gold is a magic talisman against various misfortunes and should be worn as much as possible. Let the dress be in tatters: a status item - gold teeth and a pound of jewelry all over the body. The source of this custom is also the historically nomadic way of life and life in the camp according to the principle “whoever got up before everyone else dressed the best”. And aside from jokes, the most valuable is not the purchased gold, but donated or obtained in another free way.
Nowadays, imitation of gold is quoted: mobile phones, shoes, buttons. The house has gilded furniture, cornices on the windows.
Children are even given names associated with gold - for good luck in life.
Gypsies' concept of filth
"Unclean" is considered a sexually mature woman below the waist, with the exception of conjugal contact. This custom goes back to ancient Indian traditions, but among the gypsies it is raised to the rank of law so that everything that is on a woman below the waist is considered "dirty": for example, shoes. Therefore, Gypsy men are wary of offending women: in return they can “defile” by hitting them with their skirts.
"Filth" is capable of penetrating ceilings: if a man turns out to be one floor lower than a woman, he will be "defiled" and in turn become a source of "filth."
Gypsies wear aprons to protect themselves from "filth" - it is believed that this way she protects food and dishes.
The concept of "filth" has passed into the criminal world. Therefore, the “thieves in law” have some prohibitions of the Roma community: for example, kissing a woman on the lips (or intimate places).
Where did the lush ruffles of Spanish dresses come from?
Gypsies always wear long skirts, respectively, their hem is quickly frayed. The worn part was cut off and a frill from old skirts was sewn in its place. Such an element of the wardrobe has even entered the Spanish national costume.
Who works in the family
In gypsy families the wife is the breadwinner. Perhaps this is a distant echo of Indian traditions. Husbands dress up, socialize, dance, compose and sing songs. This skill is considered important and prestigious. Men are also involved in horse breeding and handicrafts.
How gypsies are treated
Gypsy shuvani and shuvano are treated with herbs that they know very well, as well as with slander. Sometimes at the level of superstition, such as treating a toothache by sucking a hedgehog's foot. But it also happens more successfully than European doctors. For example, gypsies know how to treat hair loss.
What is considered a shame and what is not
It is considered shameful to get drunk. The woman's code of conduct forbids commanding a man or an older woman. It's a shame to be abandoned by your husband, even if everyone knows the wife is not to blame. At the same time, the woman herself can leave her husband.
"What is natural is not ugly": having sex in front of witnesses is not a shame, unlike visiting a gynecologist, even being pregnant. It is not a shame to relieve a small need without leaving the bushes, including for women.
Are gypsies relatives of Buddha Shakyamuni?
One of the ancient peoples of Hindustan, akin to the Dravids, are the Nevars: famous artists, architects, stone and wood carvers. The Shakya clan belongs to the Nevars, the representative of which was the Buddha Gautama.
Gypsy hypnosis
Another echo of Indian antiquity. Gypsies from childhood were taught the techniques of psychic manipulation. There are claims that they have genetically built hypnosis abilities. First you need to choose a potential victim in the crowd. Then get attention - let's say, ask some minor question. This is done in the most disposed form: the gypsy even controls her breathing and the size of her pupils, and always tries to touch the object's right hand. Then the person gets a blockage of consciousness: he freezes, his eyes glaze over, and he obediently performs the actions required by the gypsy.
Gypsies do not have an intellectual, but an intuitive and sensory perception, therefore they can be called a relic of another civilization.