Until they are engaged, some teenage traveller girls are subjected to the 'grabbing' courtship ritual, where a boy grabs a girl they want to kiss. Strict rules stipulate girls aren't allowed to approach boys, so it's up to the males to tempt the girl away from her friends.
They observe strict hygiene laws known as Mochadi, which consist of important principles about, for example, hand washing prior to handling food or dishes, after getting dressed in the morning and before going to the kitchen.
In the Gypsy culture, there is a ritual that determines if the bride still retains her virginity, the so-called “handkerchief test” is performed to check the purity of the bride on the same wedding day. Sometimes, it is also called “town hall.”
The Romani people in Australia are citizens of Australia who are of Romani descent. They are sometimes referred to as Roma. Most Roma in Australia trace their roots to the United Kingdom and Greece, who in return trace their roots to northern India.
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”).
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.
By gathering other types of information about a person or a family, it may be possible to confirm that you have Gypsy blood. There are four main characteristics to look out for in an individual: Typical Romany surname: common ones include Cooper, Smith, Lee, Boswell, Lovell, Doe, Wood, Young and Heron.
Gypsy Roma Travellers are not currently recognised as indigenous, but could be. These communities have distinct cultural practices and experience colonisation. These communities have higher mortality, morbidity and infant mortality.
Common Gypsy names
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.
Rom: Gypsies of East European origin who arrived after 1880. Mostly urban, they are scattered across the entire country. One of the larger groups in the US, possibly in the 55-60,000 range. Romnichels: English Gypsies who arrived beginning in 1850.
The Roma chakra, was adopted in 1971 at the First World Romani Congress as the official symbol of the Roma (“Gypsy”) people, resembles a Hindu Chakra wheel, and not unintentionally.
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.
The "virginity test" involves looking at the female genitalia to determine if a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse. Also called the Kukadi pratha ritual, the women are made to undertake the test on the first night of marriage with the sole aim of ascertaining whether or not they are 'virtuous'.
The head in particular is protected from impurity. Hats worn by men and scarves worn by married women are kept away from any surface (such as the seat of a chair) or other clothes that touch the lower body.
Tommy looked on in horror and asked if his daughter had seen anything, with Lizzie saying that she had mentioned “a man with green eyes”. Speaking to Digital Spy, Peaky Blinders showrunner Knight has revealed the meaning of the premonition, saying: “It's difficult to translate from the Romani, but it means 'devil'.
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.
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.
TODAY, over 25,000 Romani Gypsies secretly live and work in Australia. They have been here since the arrival of the First Fleet but do not reveal their ethnic identity to outsiders, due to fears of being stereotyped.
Since the arrival of the First Fleet there have been Gypsies in Australia, yet their experiences have never been included in any official histories.
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."
Both Rom and Romany have been in use in English since the 19th century as an alternative for Gypsy.
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.
Gypsy leaders. The Boswells were for centuries one of England's largest and most important Gypsy families. The Boswell clan were a large extended family of Travellers, and in old Nottinghamshire dialect the word bos'll was used as a term for Travellers and Roma in general.