For Romany Gypsies, on the final day the body of the deceased is taken to the cemetery to be buried. On the way they will pass certain landmarks that mean something to that person, stopping at each location to allow the deceased time to connect with those places before finally arriving at their final resting place.
Funeral tributes and wreaths are very important to Gypsies, Roma and Travellers. Often there are large processions with dozens of wagons, carts, cars, trucks full of flowers and large, extravagant personalised tributes depicting their loved ones' hobbies and interests.
According to traditional Romani beliefs, life for the dead continues on another level. However, there is a great fear among the survivors that the dead might return in some supernatural form to haunt the living.
Funeral Traditions from Ireland – Stopping Clocks, Opening Windows and Covering Mirrors. Stopping clocks, opening windows and covering mirrors are all part of the Irish Wake tradition, and similar rituals can be found in other cultures around the world. All clocks are stopped at the time of death.
Although most Gypsies and Travellers see travelling as part of their identity, they can choose to live in different ways including: moving regularly around the country from site to site and being 'on the road' living permanently in caravans or mobile homes, on sites provided by the council, or on private sites.
In comparison with other studied groups from Ukraine (mainly Ukrainians but also other minorities) Djaczenko found that Gypsies have the lowest cephalic index, the widest nose, darkest pigmentation, and the most dense beard. Generally those features are rather alien to Eastern European populations.
The Gypsy, Roma and Traveller group
Gypsies (including English Gypsies, Scottish Gypsies or Travellers, Welsh Gypsies and other Romany people) Irish Travellers (who have specific Irish roots) Roma, understood to be more recent migrants from Central and Eastern Europe.
The Irish wake is a well-known funeral tradition where the family of the deceased covers all mirrors in the home. To hide the physical body from the soul, the family turns mirrors to face the wall. Some Irish superstitions say that if you look in a mirror long enough, you'll see a devil looking over your shoulder.
The water used to wash the corpse before placement in the coffin was traditionally kept to be thrown in front of the hooves of the horse drawing the funeral carriage. Later, this developed into the symbolic act of neighbors and family throwing buckets of water as a mark of respect for the dead.
The origin of the wake probably dates back to the ancient Jewish custom of leaving the sepulchre, or burial chamber, of a recently departed relative unsealed for three days before finally closing it up, during which time family members would visit frequently in the hope of seeing signs of a return to life.
For Romany Gypsies, on the final day the body of the deceased is taken to the cemetery to be buried. On the way they will pass certain landmarks that mean something to that person, stopping at each location to allow the deceased time to connect with those places before finally arriving at their final resting place.
Most Eastern European Roma are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Muslim. Those in Western Europe and the United States are mostly Roman Catholic or Protestant. In southern Spain, many Roma are Pentecostal, but this is a small minority that has emerged in contemporary times.
Based on genome-wide SNP arrays and whole-genome sequences, it has been determined that the Romani people carry approximately 20–35% South Asian ancestry [4,7], and North-West India constitutes the major source of this component [4,7,54].
Young marrieds live with the parents of the husband. The bride is called bori, which means "one that my vitsa has acquired through marriage." The bori takes on most household tasks, giving up all outside activities for some time.
Unmarried young men and women are not allowed to socialize alone together because of the emphasis on female chastity. Couples marry young - girls at around 16 or 17, and boys between 18 and 19. They're not supposed to marry non-travellers but marriage to second cousins in families is common.
For me, a Gypsy Heart is a heart or soul that is wild, free, loves fiercely but with walls up, adventurous, daring, old, young, and so much more.
Glass caskets ensure that the deceased's remains can be viewed from all angles, and offer a modern, aesthetic look. On average, a glass casket costs $2000. Not meant to be buried underground, they are typically used in above-ground mausoleums, columbaria, or other indoor spaces.
Using Footwear Is Difficult
Rigor mortis and other body processes make the feet larger than usual and often distort the shape. Many times the shoes of the deceases no longer fit. Even with the correct size, the feet are no longer bendable, making it a challenge to place shoes upon them.
If rain falls during a funeral procession or if there is thunder during a burial, it's a sign the deceased is destined for heaven. If you hear three knocks on a door and no one is there, it's a sign that death is at your door.
Denmark. When a loved one nears the end of his or her life in Denmark, a special tradition unfolds. It's a simple act – a swift gesture that takes little effort, but says so very much: the opening of a window for “the soul” of the loved one to pass through once they have died.
Typically, funerals are held within a few days up to a week after the person's death. This gives the family enough time to make arrangements with the funeral home and contact the loved ones of the deceased.
It has been used to prevent the odor of decay, to give family members closure and prevent them from witnessing the decomposition of their loved ones, and in many cultures it has been seen as a necessary step for the deceased to enter the afterlife or to give back to the cycle of life.
What's in a name? The RTFHS website includes lists of surnames that frequently occur in the Gypsy and Traveller community. Gypsy surnames which occur in Surrey include Cooper, Matthews, Ayres, Smith, Green, Taylor, Williams, Brazil, Shepherd, Beaney, Chapman and Scott among others.
Many Roma refer to themselves by one generic name, Rom (meaning “man” or “husband”), and to all non-Roma by the term Gadje (also spelled Gadze or Gaje; a term with a pejorative connotation meaning “bumpkin,” “yokel,” or “barbarian”).