A Gypsy is a member of a race of people who travel from place to place, usually in caravans, rather than living in one place. Some Gypsies object to this name, and prefer to be called Romany.
One of the Oxford English Dictionary definitions of Gypsy is, 'term for a woman, as being cunning, deceitful, fickle, or the like … In more recent use merely playful, and applied esp. to a brunette.
: a member of a traditionally itinerant people who originated in northern India and now live chiefly in Europe and in smaller numbers throughout the world : romani sense 1, rom entry 1.
She's free-spirited.
She likes to do what feels right to her. The rules don't apply, forget whatever people say or whatever the 'law' says, she will always question the rules and she refuses to conform to the arbitrary rules. She follows her intuition and her heart and she won't be held down by anything or anyone.
Women's role in Gypsy and Traveller communities:
Traveller women play a central role in Traveller society. In the domestic sphere, they assume responsibility for child rearing, care of the home and the welfare of both their immediate and extended families.
The families band together in clan systems, cordoned off from mainstream society. The familial structure is often strictly paternalistic, with women tending to home and children, while men may or may not work. Arranged marriage among adolescent brides and grooms remains common.
At the same time both qualitative and quantitative studies show a steady trend of gradual increase in the marriageable age and age at first child birth among Roma, and today most of the Romani females get married after reaching the lawful age of 18.
“Gypsy” is a racial slur for the Roma or Romani people with Romanian origins and originally of Indian decent. They speak Romani, which is a language similar Hindi or Persian.
Rom (man) and romni (woman) also mean "husband" and "wife." Roma avoid Soviet ceremonies and have their own interesting wedding ceremonies, which are strictly observed, even in big cities. These ceremonies blend Orthodox wedding ritual and Gypsy custom.
Both Rom and Romany have been in use in English since the 19th century as an alternative for Gypsy.
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.
The Roma do not follow a single faith, but are Catholic Manouche, Mercheros, and Sinti; Muslim Ashkali and Romanlar; Pentecostal Kalderash and Lovari; Protestant Travellers; Anglican Gypsies; and Baptist Roma.
“Gypsies” were considered dirty, deceitful, too lazy to work, and prone to steal. The most heinous accusation was that they kidnapped the young, a charge frequently hurled against Jews as well. Several of these stereotypes clearly derive from the nomadism of Roma.
Roma, singular Rom, also called Romany or Gypsies (considered pejorative), an ethnic group of traditionally itinerant people who originated in northern India but live in modern times worldwide, principally in Europe.
You may have Romani, Traveller or Gypsy ancestry if your family tree includes common Romani or Gypsy surnames such as Boss, Boswell, Buckland, Chilcott, Codona, Cooper, Doe, Lee, Gray (or Grey), Harrison, Hearn, Heron, Hodgkins, Holland, Lee, Lovell, Loveridge, Scamp, Smith, Wood and Young.
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.
It's not uncommon for Romanichal gypsies to marry their first cousins. The wedding had begun with all traditions of a typical traveller wedding.
Both sexes are expected to marry someone within their tribe and most Gypsies conform by marrying someone within their group. If a Gypsy male marries a non-gypsy female, his community may eventually accept her, provided that she adopts the Gypsy way of life.
Roma (Gypsies) originated in the Punjab region of northern India as a nomadic people and entered Europe between the eighth and tenth centuries C.E. They were called "Gypsies" because Europeans mistakenly believed they came from Egypt. This minority is made up of distinct groups called "tribes" or "nations."
Antigypsyism/anti-Tsiganism/Romaphobia essentially means the same thing and is a specific and long established form of racism. Throughout history, the words “Gypsy”, “Tsigane/Zigeuner”, and similar terms, have been used. These words have taken a derogatory connotation in very many languages.
Pikey (/ˈpaɪkiː/; also spelled pikie, pykie ) is a slang term, which is pejorative and considered by many to be a slur.
The Gypsy and Traveller community firmly believe that “marriage is for life” and divorce is rare. Older children may be particularly reluctant to leave permanently.
Some of the better known areas of work that Gypsies and Travellers are involved in include seasonal agricultural work, motor trading and tree-felling. Some are employed as academics, teachers and public servants and in this way they add to the local economy.
Although monogamy is the rule, polygamy is not unknown, depending upon ability to bear the expense of additional marriages. The orthodox gypsies, however, are forbidden plural marriages by law. Among the gypsies of Rogatika, although they are Moslem, polygamy is rare on account of their poverty.