I saw some gypsies the other day on wagons drawn by horses travelling through my home town. It was amazing!! I just thought..now thats a true gypsy!! I've never seen such a thing, what do you think of the people who travel about in caravans calling themselves gypsies??
2007-04-30 08:36:33 · 24 answers · asked by Shontelle 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Congratulations! You have seen your first Romanies, they travel quickly and quietly and you are honoured to have seen them. They are descended from ancient nomadic tribes from the European continent, some travelled to Britain and decided to stay. They have always been considered great healers and fortune tellers, as they are in tune with Nature and the cycle of the seasons. A true Romany will never ask for money, they are too proud and would prefer you to offer. The saying 'cross my palm with silver' comes from old wives tales, told to frighten children into being good or Mummy will cross the gypsies palm with silver and the naughty child will be taken away and sold or eaten. To the best of my knowledge, no children have ever been sold to or been eaten by Romanies! The 'new age travellers' are usually otherwise homeless people who prefer to beg, 'borrow' or steal to make their way. They cause havoc and disruption where-ever they go and give the true Romanies a really bad image. Oh, this has nothing to do with my ancient ancestors being from a tribe of nomadic people from Europe, honestly!!!!
2007-04-30 09:02:08 · answer #1 · answered by Laineethepainter 2 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Most of them aren't Gypsies that's for sure! If they were the Caravan's would be spotless even if they owned Cars there would be horses around somewhere and the children would be happy and well looked after. They wouldn't leave a rubbish dump behind when they left either!
It annoys me when people think these others are 'real' gypsies and call them thieves etc. When I was growing up the 'real' gypsies would turn up at various times of the year and work on the farms. The only thing they were likely to sell were hand made pegs and my Mum always bought them as they were the best pegs to use and lasted far longer than factory made rubbish!
2007-04-30 08:53:11 · answer #2 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I'm sorry to tell you that your question could offend some people, perhaps unknowingly. The proper name is Roma, not a Gypsy; some of these people make a living from fortune telling and healing, and many shows; their wagons are a means of travel but mostly the "stage props."
"Gypsy (plural Gypsies)
A Rom, member of the Roma. This term is considered pejorative by some, especially among the Roma themselves.
One of a stateless people, whose communities, traditionally thought to have been originally from India, entered Europe in 14th or 15th century, and are now widely distributed over Europe, Russia, Turkey, the Americas.
The language of the Roma people.
2007-04-30 09:11:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 2⤋
Gypsies, the traditional ones are fine and picturesque people The travellers on the other hand who have no real Romany background and are just lazy Irish layabouts are a right pain.The travellers often have posh 4 x 4 motors and caravans. No horses and waggons for them.They do various poorly executed jobs like laying tarmac drives, and doing roofing repairs. They charge the earth for really poor bodged jobs.there also a lot of criminal activity in their dwelling sites.They should be deported back to Ireland, who don't want them and made them leave in the first place .
2007-04-30 08:48:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
The TRUE Romany Gypsies are a noble people with their own heritage, culture and language. I have a lot of respect for them.
However, the people who travel around in modern caravans, invading people's land, wrecking the place and claiming hundreds of pound in benefits calling themselves 'Gypsies' are just freeloading B******s, who cause real trouble for the true Romanies.
2007-04-30 09:03:04 · answer #5 · answered by David 5 · 6⤊ 2⤋
I think you are referring to Romani people. They are mostly nomadic.
By the way, a less offensive way of referring to this ancient culture of people is not Gypsy, but Romany.
2007-04-30 08:47:12 · answer #6 · answered by sleepingliv 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure they weren't Amish. The Gypsies I've seen lately have been driving Lincolns.
H
2007-04-30 15:02:31 · answer #7 · answered by H 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They would be tinkers not gypsies. Real gypsies don't like tinkers as they go around giving them a bad name!
2007-04-30 08:48:21 · answer #8 · answered by Dragon 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A real gypsy is not seen very often -- but when they travelled and when they broke their camp to leave you never even knew they had been there.
But these ones who travel around today leave all they can behind them which costs you and all people who pay their taxes money to clear up after them so i do not think much of them at all.
2007-04-30 08:43:18 · answer #9 · answered by Dazzle 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Live and let live I say.
Met some gypsies on holiday in Ireland, they were lovely people and their children were well behaved and polite.
They were true travellers and were staying next to our campsite,very nice people!
2007-04-30 08:44:00 · answer #10 · answered by cheddar 1 · 4⤊ 1⤋