10. Gypsies are nomadic people who wander around the world a lot. One of them involves saying the Lords prayer while you light up a match and put it off in a glass of water, then either drink the water or spread some on your face. One tradition is that you should put a spoon in your mouth and lean over the sink, or try drinking a glass of water upside-down. If you kill the bee, then the visit will be an unpleasant one and bad luck will haunt you all day. Despite settling down, the Roma remain one of Europes most disadvantaged ethnic groups, with 80% of Romanies living below the poverty line as of 2016. One of the most famous superstitions is that if you are carrying your handbag, it will make any woman or child who passes you by give birth to a baby girl. Thank you for compiling this! Make sure you never leave a knife with the sharp part upward on the table: this means that there will be a huge scandal in your family! In some regions, it is thought that if rain falls on a wedding day, then the marriage will be blessed with many children. If a cat washes her face and paws in the hallway, it means guests are coming. Its even better if you place that horseshoe somewhere near the entrance to your home. Yes, I do believe that most superstitions have a common root or at least people found similar interpretations for various things. This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 16:46. If youve lost something important, put a gall upside down on the window sill, and you will find it. This has been both a blessing and a curse, as the Gypsies' place in society has oscillated from "tolerated" to "actively persecuted.". If youre dreaming mice, you are or you will be pregnant. Contrary to popular belief, Romany life is anything but carefree. Avoiding dirtiness impacts how we act, think and speak. This is one of the biggest events of a Romanian wedding: it's usually close friends who "kidnap" the bride and take her to a club or restaurant to party a little bit. We are taught what is marime and what is not from the moment we are born. Europeans have long portrayed the Roma/Gypsies as cunning outsiders who stealfrom local residents before moving on to the next town. We can be belittled, ostracized and excommunicated for something as little as dropping a cloth. You don't kill a gypsy by cutting him in ten pieces-you will only make ten more gypsies.-Romanian Proverb. 66. 8. Gypsy families are often quite large, with many children and extended family members living together in one home. Are you getting ready to play the lottery, In virtually every society, ghost stories exist. When you sew a cloth while wearing it, you need to keep a small piece of thread in your mouth, or else you will sew your mind. If you stay in the corner of the table, you will never get married. A black cat crossing your path brings bad luck, and so does a priest you meet on the road. Enormous, full of relatives, public mourning and solemn ritual, their burial rites amount to a massive procession taken very seriously by everyone involved. Gypsies offer flowers to people they meet on the road in Romania, as a gesture of peace and goodwill. Avoiding dirtiness impacts how we, Because certain conditions are marime, those who suffer from these conditions are given special treatment. Thank you very much for this work, Meeroona. Souls go to heaven, a floral paradise, and those who "don't have God" go to a fiery hell. Origin: Romani. Superstitions are avoided like the plague and anything Romani men and women can do to keep any evil energy away from expecting parents comes first. Indeed, it seems that you have to be very careful with what you do not to bring bad luck over . Isnt there something about draftswindows kept shut to prevent drafts which All Rights Reserved. In August 29, 2002, Madalin Voicu, one of the most well known Romani politicians in Romania and one of two Romani representatives in the Romanian parliament, made the following statement: Our gypsies are stupid. The belief is that if the glass falls onto a person, it will pierce the skin. The Roma are an ethnic people who have migrated across Europe for a thousand years. 31. 11. Romanies/gypsies are also expected to support the larger Romani community by attending events within the community such as weddings, christenings, and funerals. I take back all the times that I wished I was some sort of Casanova;) I guess I am fortunate that women arent falling head over heels for me often? 1867, oil painting.Russian. In fact, for a Romany person, using the kitchen items of marime individuals is the fastest route to becoming marime like them. Bogdan. If you sing before 7 AM, you will cry before 11 PM. If a painting falls from a wall, it means a close friend or a relative will die very soon. Maybe not a cause of bad luck, but maybe a bad cold? For example, before a wedding, Gypsies might believe that if they find a penny, it will bring them good luck. Gypsy History and Folklore. Irish Travellers and people who work on fairgrounds are not Gypsies. When they came across others on their travels, Gypsies would offer them flowers as a token of peace. Oh, my! 41. Gypsies also believe that if they wear anything new on Easter Sunday, it will bring them bad luck. These made me laugh I was constantly told Id wet the bed if I played with fire as a child. Gypsies have many superstitions and traditions that are deeply rooted in their culture. Diverse, nomadicto be Roma, or "gypsy", is to be a member of an ethnic minority that is difficult to define in any definite, factual terms. ARomany person would never eat directly from a pot, because they are not given the same special treatment as cups and are, therefore, not as clean. Who Are the Gypsies and What Do They Believe? A gypsy only tells the truth once in his life but he regrets it afterwards. An estimated 1 million Roma live in the U.S. today, some whose ancestors arrived on the land when it was still a British colony. Gypsies also do not eat any food made with yeast on Easter Sunday, because this is a custom that was passed down to them from their ancestors. 63. Genetic research has shown that the Roma descend from a single group of people who left northwestern India 1,500 years ago. Gypsies believe that a black cat crossing their path is considered bad luck. Frog's spawn thrown over the left shoulder for good luck. 20 Superstitions Only Romanians Will Understand. At the same time, if you want to have a good year, you must have a lot of money in your pocket on New Years Eve. The country's folk culture is just as captivating, filled . Hungarian . 35. For example, if a Gypsy is having trouble finding work or obtaining money, they might believe that by saving their money instead of spending it, the situation will change for the better. more information Accept. You must never put a pair of shoes on a table; if you do you will get bad luck. Romani funeral traditions are characterized by abundance. Contrary to what Instagram hashtags would have you believe, traveling as a Romany person is highly stressful, because we must still observe our laws, even if they are inconvenient. In the end, there are many different beliefs and customs that Gypsies follow. Gypsy is a name for the Romani people, an ethnic group of South Asian origin spread throughout Europe and northern Africa.They can be divided into many groups distinguished by language or dialect, culture, and way of life. can cause a range of conditions including bad luck, sickness, disease and death. If you have your mouth opened while conceiving your baby, you will give birth to a girl. If my grandmother had an illness and then I caught it, she would believe I got ill because I didnt give her enough sympathy. To live a Gypsy life is to live in constant fear of the outside world, which is marime. Calling it devil can help dilute any negative effects it may have. Among these traditions are the Romas inclusion of extended family members, respect for the elderly, and sense of solidarity. If we are ill, and must refer to our periods, we call them things. Romani, or Romany, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by about 5-6 million Roma people throughtout Europe and the USA. 19. In many Eastern European cultures, it is believed that rain on ones wedding day foretells good luck. If you break glass in Romania a plate, a drinking glass or anything it means that your bad luck breaks away. Once an item is classed as marime, we avoid or limit contact with that thing. If your palm is itching it means that you will either receive some money or you will get beaten Again, WTF?!?!? Our focus is not on, you have caught certain conditions. Romany people avoid talking badly about ill people because we believe that illnesses can be attract, Romany people are not ignorant to how illnesses are spread. If you hit the net of a spider, you will meet a new friend. On your wedding night, dont change your slippers, or you will change your man. A gypsy mustve come in the night and stolen our best hen. I was in rural Spain in 2002 when I overheard an elderly couple discussing a broken latch on their chicken coop door and a missing hen. Way, way up in the peaks of Transylvania, a land steeped in myth and legend, lies one of the most darkly romantic settings of all times-the Carpathian Mountains. Some Gypsy Superstitions. These terms refer to the same people but viewed and designated differently. If there are 13 people in a room at one time, then the one that sits closest to a mirror will die. (but I cant figure out what). 3. Kidnapping of the Bride. Gypsies in Russia. I didnt think about considering it as a superstition, but you made it clear that it is indeed since theres no medical basis behind this. It will grow a green melon in your stomach if you eat one of its seeds. This is because the word for handbag in Romany means baby. April 06, 2011 8:00 PM. 8 Pictures. 8. From rainmaking to leaving gifts by the window for the fate fairies, discover the most popular Romanian customs, a true gateway to the country's culture. Irish Travellers and Romany Gypsies are distinct ethnic groups with their own belief structures, languages and customs. And when it comes to the bad ones, theres even a funnier way to fix them or cancel them. ), 28. 9. 2.1 Roma "Gypsy" is an ethno-religious designation. Gypsies have inhabited all continents except Antarctica. On the other hand, if you only wear one sock, you will become an orphan. I read people get upset with others opening windows on busses for ventilation. Its not good to play with matches (or fire) either. This blog is part of the Amazon Associates program, meaning that we will get a commission for products you purchase by following our links to Amazon.com. I loved reading this. Your website blows mine away; the design is SOOOO awesome and your posts are really a form of verbal art! Our report will focus on obtaining qualitative micro data, which will provide a valuable insight into the varying traditions and cultural customs within the family. Never wish "Good luck" to a fisherman. He was very cute. We believe that observing our laws is what distinguishes us from the. Some Romani follow a Christian denomination while others are Muslim. If you spill water on the floor, never wash it with your foot. Plus, we have the habit of making up our own superstitions. The Roma, also known as "Gypsies," represents one of Romania's largest minorities. OK to charge a penny. The Roma are not to be confused with Romanians or with the Romans, both of which are distinct ethnic groups from the Roma. Engagements. They migrated widely, particularly to Europe, while other groups stayed and became sedentary. You are not allowed to take out the trash on the 1st of January, because that will bring bad luck. He explained that his grandfather, who was a Hungarian/ Russian gypsy told him that if a knife was near you ( especially true if it was pointed towards you) the devil would come and push the knife at you. dresses and stress free living; we must think, act and speak like Gypsies. (As a married guy, I can guarantee than none of the above are actually correct! The inability to definitively nail down specifics also likely influenced the cultural stereotype of Romani "gypsies" that remains prevalent today. 18. If you play with a knife, the angels will run away from you, and if you play with fire, you will pee in your bed. an outgrowth of the Romantics' investigation of folk traditions. fearing-the-return-of-the-dead-in-gypsy-burial-traditions Oakley, J, The Traveller - Gypsies, Cambridge University Press, 1983. I was already going to break a few things :-). It is a common misconception that Romany people naturally have wanderlust. For example, we prefer to wash dishes in running water, not water which is stale. Which one is it? 23. These are fantastic! Never wash your hair on a Tuesday or else you will have bad luck. This Romani-related article is a stub. Folk & Traditional Romanian Music: Listen & Learn about It. 14. Haha, my grandma told me plenty of these growing up. 27. If you drop an umbrella on the floor, then there will be a murder in that house. Meanwhile 0.13 per cent of the general . This will make your protecting angel to run away from you. Contrary to popular belief, Romany life is anything but carefree. 31. Roma fortune telling traditions are much the same everywhere, gypsy women used normal playing cards cartomancy to predict the fortune of the person they were dukkering. Get the latest info & news from the Paranormal Authority crew. I love the one about keeping thread in your mouth while you sew. Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-NewsIn January, European Union restrictions on Romania and Bulgaria were lifted, meaning citizen. There are also many myths about lusty women, scarf . Gypsy families often fight with each other and are very territorial about their land. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. A small community of only a few families. 25. 37. Since then, this custom has been carried on by Gypsies in Romania and is still very much alive today. #FolkloreThursday 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, United Kingdom, WC1N 3AX. If you brag about a bad event not happening. 2. 11022198. If you break a mirror you will be the happy beneficiary of 7 years of bad luck. 34. Among other things, liquid which comes from the body (urine etc. Each band elects a male leader to govern the group, and a female leader to ensure the welfare of the bands women and children. Romani folklore encompasses the folktales, myths, oral traditions, and legends of the Romani people. No matter what others say about it, I will always love it. Article Images Copyright . Lol! The brilliance of Romani music and dance did not go unnoticed. Because of this distrust, European nations over the centuries have enslaved, expelled, imprisoned, and executedRomani people. Pilgrimages still take place every year at the Church of Les Saintes Maries and Gypsies from all over Europe congregate together. Eating the burned parts of bread is good for your lungs and your eyes. While the entire world is scared of Friday the 13th, in Romania its actually Tuesday the 13th that is the worst of the worse (although Friday is gaining grounds too!). 6. I suppose that superstitions can be international, even though many of the ones you mentioned are indeed unique and funny. Multumesc for sharing that. 20. Gypsies are a group of nomadic people who typically travel from place to place with their families. If guests at your wedding talk about marriage after the sunset, then the groom will cheat on his bride. Konstantin Makovsky. 35. an integral part of the Romani community within Gorton, Manchester. The largest concetrations of Roma people live in Turkey, Spain and Romania. The Romanies follow several differentfaiths, adopting the predominant religion of their particular country of residence. These witches recognize their practice as a form . It means that somebody just said something bad about you. 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Of bread is good for your lungs and your eyes your path brings luck... Your posts are really a form of verbal art is marime and do! Wedding night, dont change your man enslaved, expelled, imprisoned, and so does a priest,! Respect for the elderly, and funerals for ventilation it, I always... Work, Meeroona penny, it will grow a green melon in mouth. Romanians or with the Romans, both of which are distinct ethnic groups with their families dreaming mice you... That observing our laws is what distinguishes us from the moment we are taught what is.! ; if you only wear one sock, you are not Gypsies nomadic people who wander the. ; not all live in constant fear of the table, you will have bad.. Your lungs and your eyes because that will bring bad luck and legends the... As dropping a cloth luck over eat one of its seeds a thousand years luck!