11 wild facts about gypsies that will surprise a Russian person

Gypsies are a term that is considered collective and includes dozens of different nationalities. In many Russian regions, you can still see gypsy camps saturated with the spirit of Pushkin's Bessarabia. Their clothes are an endless celebration, and most of us will never understand their traditions and culture.

They start families very early

The age for marriage of gypsies starts at 14 years old. During any celebration, every girl who is already 14 will try to dance until the very end of the holiday, because she knows that at the moment the fathers of unmarried sons choose potential brides and carefully look closely. A girl who failed to get married before 19 years old is considered to be an old maid.

As a ransom for the bride, they carry banks of gold

The bride's father or her brothers appoint a ransom for the bride in gold in kilograms or banks. For example, they can ask for a couple of three-liter cans of gold jewelry: rings, chains, earrings, etc.

At the wedding, they demonstrate to all guests the "honor" of the bride

On the day of the wedding, the senior women of the family close with the bride in the bedroom to check if she is a virgin. Deprivation of virginity takes place there, without any involvement of the groom, after which a white sheet with a stain of blood is carried out on a beautiful tray and shown to all guests.

Wedding between gypsies from different countries is impossible

A wedding with a gypsy from another country is tantamount to a wedding with a representative of another nationality, and therefore impossible.

They often adopt children

A gypsy must have at least one son in his family. If the heir does not appear for a long time, then the parents adopt the boy from the shelter. Moreover, the child can be of any nationality and have any appearance. In part, it was from here that the widespread myth that gypsies steal children came from.

They do not consider it necessary to send children to school

As a rule, gypsies send a child to school only to learn how to write and read, since from the age of 6-8 they begin to accustom him to family affairs. Therefore, if after the 3rd grade the child still continues to go to school, instead of helping parents to trade, it is considered that he is wasting time.

They have a woman can not be higher than a man

In a two-story gypsy house, no woman can go up to the second floor while the man is on the first floor.

Their women always wear two skirts and an apron

Gypsies believe that a woman is “unclean” below her belt, which is why touching her skirt can “defile” both an object and a person. To avoid this, a woman should always wear two skirts. Moreover, the second skirt is considered a bit “dirty” the bottom, so that only the apron is “clean”. Only it can be touched and only it can be put on the dishes or wipe your hands.

They have an internal court

Gypsies have their own internal court, the judges of which are respected Gypsies. They listen to the arguments of each side, identify the guilty party and pronounce the verdict on her. The most serious punishment is the requirement to leave the community.

They swear in a coffin

The most common oath in order to prove their case, the gypsies considered an oath on the icon. And the rarest, which is used only in the most unsolvable situations, is an oath in the grave. The gypsy lays down in a special coffin and swears an oath, where he says that if he is lying now, then in the near future lie to him in this coffin.

Their children have been saving money for parents' funerals for years.

According to tradition, gypsies have a rich funeral. Sometimes children have to save up parents who are still alive for more than one year. If death happened suddenly, then all relatives will try to raise money for a worthy tombstone. A special luxury is to put a deceased stone monument with a full-length portrait.