Gypsy dancing at weddings has long been an integral element. A cheerful ensemble will illuminate those around you with positive energy, create an exciting atmosphere, and force “avid sitters at the table” to start dancing with them. When choosing such noisy entertainment, you first need to decide in which part of the festive evening it should be. It should not be made the culmination of the celebration. Firstly, a completely different ending is planned for this holiday, and secondly, the guests and the spouses themselves will be tired and are unlikely to be able to beat out fractions with the dancers. The current option is the middle of the festival. The gifts are presented, the guests are already a little happy, they demand scope and cheerful dancing. Here, unexpectedly for everyone, the brightest and most lively ensemble will appear. As a rule, a gypsy show is not only dancing, but also songs about the happy and touching love of the newlyweds. As an entertaining show, the gypsy girl will tell fortunes on her hand, of course, all her predictions should be in a comic form.
A classic speech script includes:
– re-dancing or tap dancing;
- wide round dance;
– performance of romances, both male and female;
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– unusual competitions for guests and young people.
Many presenters, who have different costumes in their arsenal, offer dance competitions to guests. The gypsy girl is of great interest to people of all ages. Girls try on a full skirt and put on blouses with voluminous sleeves. The main thing is a bright outfit. Men are allowed to wear their own trousers, or they try on the special ones that gypsies dance in. A bright red vest or another color and, of course, a tambourine.
It is not necessary to know the basics of dance and try to imitate them, it is important to be in a good mood and dance from the heart.
The video presents an interesting competition, where those invited must participate in the form of a dancing gypsy camp.
How to choose a couple
In the gypsy environment, marriages begin very early. Parents are very worried that the young people will not run wild and “go bad.”
It is not customary for gypsies to go on dates, discos, or parties. Often, future newlyweds meet at other weddings.
At gypsy weddings there is a tradition of calling young people into the dance circle to perform. They dance in turns, and everyone performs their own ritual dance depending on their temperament. And this is exactly how young people look at each other.
Most often, parents enter into a marriage agreement when the children are very young. But there are times when people meet by “accident.” For example, they find out that there is a marriageable bride in another city, they go to that city and stay overnight. In the evening they talk at the table, and if the girl fits all the criteria, she is matched.
Currently, these customs have softened a little, but the role of parents in choosing a couple is still quite significant, since every family prefers to see people from decent and noble families as their future relatives.
Bottom line
Many movements and steps from gypsy dances have been familiar to us since childhood. Even if you don’t want to have a completely gypsy themed wedding, you can always dilute the celebration with a few colorful gypsy dances.
They can be performed by professional dancers, invited guests, or even young spouses. In the first case, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful room and feel a wave of carefree, lightness and playful mood. If you start performing the dance yourself, then you can feel like a representative of a nomadic people, relax and rest your soul.
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Pre-wedding traditions
In gypsy society, they adhere to the customs of a caste system, similar to that which exists in India.
Before a wedding, there are special customs (some of them directly depend on the status in society and the well-being of families):
- Young people are blessed with an icon only in very wealthy families; the middle and lower strata are blessed with bread.
- If parents do not approve of the young couple’s choice, “bride theft” is practiced. She is kidnapped and brought to the young man's house. After this, a very modest wedding is held, and all expenses for the celebration are borne by the bride’s relatives.
- If there is mutual agreement, then the bride’s relatives are paid a considerable bride price, and after that the wedding takes place for three days. The ransom is a kind of compensation to the bride's family for the loss of their assistant. Parents partially return this money as a gift to the newlyweds.
Guests invited to the wedding
Weddings are often accompanied by viewing parties, so unmarried girls and single guys are present. They come specifically to show themselves off. Basically, such events are doomed to success, and new marriages await the community.
The conclusion of a union between a man and a woman among the Gypsies is a closed ceremony, so it is almost impossible to meet strangers among the invited persons. However, there are always exceptions. These guests are protected. If during a conversation someone allows himself to speak disrespectfully about such a person, the conversations are immediately stopped.
Matchmaking
It is with this ritual that preparations for the wedding begin. Parents themselves look for spouses for their children. As a rule, adults make the decision to unite families when the bride and groom are still children. It is then that it is determined when the wedding will take place and how much the father expects to receive for his daughter.
During the matchmaking ceremony, two attributes are always present:
- A birch branch, it is hung with money, gold, coins.
- Loaf. It is baked according to a special recipe by the bride's relatives. Presented on a beautiful towel.
The matchmakers and the bride's father come to the table, and if the father allows traditional attributes to be placed on the table, then he agrees to the wedding.
It should be noted that during matchmaking, women are not present in the room; the “agreement” is concluded only between the men of the two families.
After the ritual, preparations for the celebration begin.
Blessing of marriage among gypsies
After the woman’s honor has been proven and the marriage has been approved by relatives, the newlyweds are blessed with an icon and bread. Only members of the upper strata can hold the icon in their hands. The bread is prepared for women who have already built a family and are famous for their wealth and happiness. It is believed that this ritual helps to imbue the bread with positive energy. Prayers are read before the bride and groom. After this, they must kiss the icon and take a bite of bread.
Some gypsies perform a fraternization ceremony. Young people need to make cuts on their fingers and lean them against each other when the blood begins to flow. It is from this moment that the wife and husband can be considered blood relatives who are forever connected.
A gypsy wedding is rich in its traditions. Each of them honors and respects the rules that were invented by their ancestors. But it is worth noting that among the Roma people there is no such thing as divorce. This is explained by the fact that they are not registered in the registry offices. It’s just that if one spouse is not happy with something, then it’s enough to say so and go back to their native land. But this happens extremely rarely.
Time and custom of celebration
Gypsy weddings are held at any time of the year, but summer is the most popular. An ancient tradition is associated with this preference; previously, low tables were installed and guests sat on the ground, which was covered with carpets.
Nowadays, of course, all weddings are celebrated in cafes and restaurants. But the love for summer celebrations remained.
The holiday lasts three days, the richest gypsy wedding can last a week.
On the first day there is a bachelorette party, which includes the ritual of bargaining, but this is just a tribute to tradition.
After this, everyone sits down at the tables. Moreover, for women and men they are laid on different sides of the hall, even the bride and groom do not sit together. After a certain time, the matchmakers shake hands, kiss, hug - which means that the agreement is finally concluded.
The time for the ritual gypsy dance at the wedding begins. The groom's father invites the bride, then the young couple's friends and girlfriends are called into the circle. The first day, as a rule, ends after the dance, since the most important and responsible day lies ahead.
The second day is the wedding day itself. From the very morning, relatives and friends help the bride to dress up. In her house, music is played, songs are sung, and the table is set.
The bride puts on her wedding dress and dances in front of the guests. After which she is carried in her arms to the groom's house.
The banquet is held in the newlywed's house or in a restaurant. Before the festive table, the bride and groom are blessed with an icon and bread, given expensive gifts, and water with sweets is poured under their feet so that the life of the young couple is sweet and happy.
During the banquet, the newlyweds are escorted with songs and dances to a separate room to perform the ritual of the first wedding night.
On the third day, be sure to prepare lamb soup. Traditional congratulations are said and the dowry is displayed for everyone to see. Nowadays it is gold, money, jewelry. This is how the girl’s family demonstrates to the guests that she did not come to her husband’s house empty-handed, and in the event of a divorce, she will be able to take her things with her.
The end of the gypsy wedding celebration
The wedding of the gypsy people is full of mysterious customs and traditions. Even in ancient times, in settlements in the evening, young people went to the bedroom, accompanied by 2-3 women, who were treated with respect by relatives. This is necessary in order to make sure that the girl’s groom is the first and last chosen one. After this, one of the women brings out a sheet with blood stains on a tray. This ritual is usually called the Carrying Out of Honor. Then the spouses come out. The bride accepts congratulations from family and friends.
If a girl did not maintain her honor before the wedding and the sheet turned out to be clean, then she will face shame, humiliation and loneliness for the rest of her life. In this case, the marriage is considered invalid, and the bride’s parents must reimburse the entire amount spent on the event.
Even modern gypsies strictly adhere to ancient traditions. But if the holiday is held in a restaurant, then the ceremony of taking out honor is postponed to the night. And during the solemn ceremony, the newlyweds disappear only formally. At this time, the bride puts on a red dress and takes off her veil. This ritual indicates the woman’s consent to accept the new status.
Customs and peculiarities
There are a number of features of a gypsy wedding:
- The groom's family pays for the banquet in full. To have the best gypsy wedding, parents begin saving money from the birth of a boy. A luxurious wedding is a matter of honor for the family, so the preparations are taken very seriously and responsibly.
- Festive tables are amazing. They are bursting with food, alcohol flows like a river. But no one gets drunk, because it is a big shame in the community.
- Men are usually dressed in formal suits. Married women wear traditional clothes and cover their heads. Single girls can come in a pantsuit.
- At a beautiful gypsy wedding, a ceremony of fraternization is always performed, which symbolizes the eternal bond of the young. Small cuts are made on their fingers, then they are crossed, thus mixing their blood.
- Couples do not formally marry. But for Orthodox gypsies, weddings are mandatory.
Lack of official marriage registration is a common occurrence
The free gypsy people are accustomed to living based on their emotions, not reason. That is why the official registration of marriage in the authorized bodies is absolutely not important to them. Gypsy weddings with invited relatives and numerous friends and acquaintances are always a priority.
Since biblical times, Gypsies have been considered a nomadic people, however, when settling in any area, they often adopt new rituals. For example, people of this nationality living among the Slavic peoples began to hold weddings in churches. To this day, many Russian-speaking Roma are religious and often form alliances in Orthodox churches.
The custom of "Honour"
The wedding night takes place during the wedding celebration. A special room is being prepared for the young. Two witnesses remain directly next to her.
Afterwards, a tray with a sheet is brought out to the guests, and the bride appears in the hall already dressed in a red dress, with her head covered and an apron.
If the bride turns out to be not innocent, the marriage is dissolved at that very second, and the family is covered with terrible shame. The family will even have to change their place of residence, and the girl will most likely never get married again.
The Roma people revere their traditions
A wedding celebration, held according to the ancient traditions of the Gypsy people, becomes the quintessence of passions and sincere joy. The ceremony not only gives a lot of impressions to all guests, it is always filled with a special meaning, which is transmitted through ancient rituals.
It is a mistake to believe that marriage among gypsies takes place without observing rules and restrictions. The ceremony is subject to strict cultural heritage rules that must not be flouted or risk being punished.
Why is the bride crying?
At a wedding, no matter how cheerful it is, the bride always cries. And there are reasons for this:
- A married woman is prohibited from wearing trousers, dresses and skirts must be below the knee, and her head must be covered with a scarf.
- It is forbidden to meet with friends.
- The young wife runs the entire household, cooks, washes, and cleans.
- A wife has no right to contradict or disobey her husband.
- She is prohibited from cheating.
Every action at a gypsy wedding is based on centuries-old traditions and customs. Each ritual is aimed at creating a happy family life. And the minimum number of divorces is the best confirmation that the values of the people are still relevant today.
Blood money: why you can feel sorry for the gypsy bride
Gypsies are a mysterious people who have kept their traditions since ancient times. You can be surprised by them, you can admire them - gypsy songs touch the soul, and fiery dances do not allow you to sit still; their romantic nights in the steppe around the fire can stir the heart of even the most callous “nerd.” One thing remains constant - the burning curiosity that the gypsy tribe evokes.
Family and school: who wins?
Gypsy wedding.
Still from the film “The Hare over the Abyss” It is customary for gypsies to get married very early. In this case, most often parents choose a mate for their child. And this usually happens at the weddings of relatives, friends and neighbors - during the celebration, all the unmarried girls and unmarried boys take turns dancing, and they are carefully watched by their elders. This is how choice happens.
A gypsy becomes a girl of marriageable age at the age of 14, after which every year her “value” on the bride market falls, and by the age of 19 she is already considered an “old maid”.
Previously, the bride and groom generally became a child: parents agreed that they would marry their children immediately after their birth, and set a wedding time - for example, 16 or 17 years later. Sometimes a girl-bride was taken into the groom's family when she was very young - about four years old - and was raised so that she would become a worthy match for their son.
When the choice is made, you need to pay a ransom to the girl’s family. It can be very large - if the groom's family is rich, the bride's family is given gold, and it is measured in boxes or kilograms.
But what if the guy’s parents don’t have that kind of money? Well, he has only one option left - to kidnap his betrothed and make her spend the night in his house. After this, the girl’s family has nowhere to go - no one will take the “spoiled” bride anymore, and they agree to the wedding.
A girl who gets married at 14 or 15 naturally drops out of school. According to the gypsies, she has no need for this: she better delve into the family business, and this most often means trade and fortune telling.
Fun and without a registry office
On the morning of the appointed day, the groom and his relatives arrive at the bride’s house, here they are greeted with refreshments and dance and sing, of course, because these are gypsies! Then everyone goes to where the banquet will be held. What about the registry office, you ask? The fact is that real gypsies are not always in a hurry to register their union officially. This is not necessary: it is enough to take an oath in the presence of the elders, go through the rituals, and the couple is considered husband and wife. It is not customary for gypsies to divorce.
The groom's mother meets the newlyweds in a restaurant, she pours spring water under the young couple's feet - so that the newlyweds' life is pure, and showers them with candies - so that they live sweetly and richly.
The celebration in the restaurant is very noisy and fun and can last a week. But at the same time, it has long been customary for men and women to sit separately at the wedding table. Only the bride and groom could sit next to each other. However, mostly men and the most respected elderly women sit at the table - others serve the wedding, serve food, and help in the kitchen.
The toastmaster can lift any unmarried girl from among the guests from the table at any time and force her to dance alone in the middle of the hall - these are the bride-to-be bride's shows.
The wedding night
Still from the series “Carmelita”
It is clear that the gypsies try to keep their most sacred rituals secret from others. And yet, some information leaks out from a closed society - although it cannot be considered one hundred percent reliable.
The most important moment in a gypsy wedding is the so-called “carrying out of honor.” At the height of the wedding fun, the newlyweds leave - not alone, but together with several of the most respected women of the family. In secluded chambers, the bride's honor is tested. Different regions have their own customs and nuances, but they say that it is these respected elderly gypsies that can test a girl’s innocence - they have the right to do so. This is done supposedly with a white sheet wrapped around the finger. And only after that the legal husband can touch the bride.
According to other sources, the right to deflower the bride is still granted to the young husband. But at this time, the “guardians of honor” are impatiently waiting for them outside the doors. They accept the sheet with the blood stain and solemnly carry it on a tray into the banquet hall - as proof that the bride turned out to be an honest girl. The sheet is showered with red ribbons and flowers. The groom's relatives buy the ribbons for money - that is, they thank the bride's relatives for raising their daughter correctly.
That's it, now the bride is no longer a bride, but a married woman. She comes out to the guests in a red dress, without a veil, with her hair braided.
But the dishonest bride and her family had a hard time. They were not given any money or gifts; on the contrary, the father of such a girl had to reimburse the groom’s family for all expenses for the wedding. And, of course, the family was covered with indelible shame. However, such cases are very rare. And even today they are no longer so strict about maintaining honor before marriage - even in gypsy communities.
Slave as a gift
Still from the film “The Camp Goes to Heaven”
They say that in some gypsy communities it is still customary to give a slave for a wedding - the same gypsy, only a beggar who asks for alms, for example, in Moscow. There is a saying: give a gypsy money and he will be fed for one day, give a gypsy another gypsy and he will be fed for a lifetime.
One floor below
Throughout her life, a woman must behave in such a way that a man does not doubt his dominant role for a second. The husband should be taller, the wife lower, and that's it. This is manifested in everything: for example, being in a two-story house, a wife does not have the right to go up to the second floor if her husband is on the first floor at that time.
In general, a woman is considered by gypsies to be an “unclean” creature, a second-class person. That is why gypsies always wear at least two skirts, and an apron on top of them - and only the apron can be touched, both skirts are considered “unclean”.
If a gypsy woman or a gypsy is suspected of something wicked, and he wants to prove his innocence, he has to take an “oath in the coffin.” To do this, the one on whom suspicion has fallen lies in an empty coffin and pronounces the words of an oath. It is believed that this is the surest way to find out the truth, because if the swearer lies, he will soon die.
Rules of conduct for guests and newlyweds at a gypsy wedding
- According to tradition, alcohol can serve as a gift for a wedding celebration. Alcohol is immediately placed on the table. But despite the abundance of such drinks, a cheerful gypsy wedding usually goes without fights. The tables are laden with rich dishes.
- Women at the holiday cannot touch men, so as not to defile them.
- At a celebration you cannot shout “Bitter!”
- The newlyweds do not dance the wedding dance.
- Newly married spouses should not, according to tradition, talk to each other. This is how the wife shows submission. She is forced to remain silent almost the entire day, while the groom chats cheerfully with friends and guests.
- Men and women sit separately - their own tables are set for them. Also, everyone dances in their own circle.
- Gypsy dancing at a wedding is a characteristic feature of the celebration.
Any, even the most fun wedding, always comes to an end. However, among the gypsies, the rite is crowned by one ritual in which a small incision is made on the spouses' wrists. They join hands, the mixing of blood symbolizes the consolidation of marriage bonds.
