Gypsies: The Other Americans — Preview #2

The first cinéma vérité study of ethnic Gypsies (Roma) in the United States, this award-winning 1975 documentary depicts the culture and traditions of a Kalderas tribe of Gypsies living and working in Los Angeles. The film contrasts traditional customs with contemporary modes of survival in this often-stereotyped and misunderstood minority. It features first-person interviews with Roma, narration by Roma, and a wide range of activities: a Saint's Day celebration (Slava), Easter, Christmas, wedding, fortune-telling, car repairing, music making, and dancing. The wedding of two children, both thirteen years old, seems to belie any discussion of change; but life has changed for Gypsy-Americans. There is less wandering, children are receiving better educations, and men's and women's roles are adapting more and more to American lifestyles. Nevertheless, the old attitudes of prejudice, antagonism and fear that have plagued ethnic Gypsies for centuries remain, while the newer demands of modern American society must also be confronted.

Gypsies: The Other Americans DVD available at:
http://tritonfilms.com/gypsiestheotheramericans.htm

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Gypsies
• Roma
• Gypsy-American
• Los
• Angeles
• slava
• wedding
• stereotypes
• cinéma
• vérité
• ethnography
• documentary

[SandraMarks1]

Lol that was funny

[dannymixboy]

@WafflesandWhales most rom get married now a day at 16 / 17 + so we dont really do any more kids get married thing that much , but were are not the only culture who`s done this , so don`t judge ok ,

[dannymixboy]

@SalisteGirl ok guyshaeay my chi ghan ov yeck rom gui shach gall college`s or highschool , blay nin guyshay som ( ok non gypsy girl i dont know any gypsys that go to college or highschool come on were are not non gypsys )

[MrBossmanfred]

not all Roma stay with archaic tradititions. my grandparents came here from Slovackia and integrated into American society. My father and his 8 brothers and sisters all married Americans and got regular jobs.Only my Geat Aunt dressed and carried on the old Romani traditions (Fortune telling etc.)and dressed in Gypsy garb. Funny though, my fathers family all lived in trailers most of their life. I guess it's hard to break some traditions!LOL.

[SalisteGirl]

@OrthodoxGYPSY67 I agree. No one in my family gets married young like that either. It would never be allowed. My family puts heavy emphasis on education. Most of us didn't marry until after college was over. But if my lawyer/ doctor/ teacher cousins posted their weddings on YouTube, I think that a lot of Gadje would say that we're not really Roma at all because we don't fit their stereotypes about us. Because, hey, if one family marries off their children, we all must, right?

[OrthodoxGYPSY67]

@SalisteGirl i sure agree with u not all gypsys marry that young!?what bothers me the most is that all these none gypsy ppl think that all gypsys R the same wich is not true! 4example my dad was 35&my mom was22 when they married wich incl:my entire fam&friends them 2did not marry with 12or13 instead they all got married between age's like18,19,20&22 N>manny gypsys marry with 25,35,&40yrs old BTW this message go's out!2all these narrowminded ppl! who have being missjudging us gypsys ever since'

[girlmusician24]

is this real? is that little boy really getting  married?

[SalisteGirl]

@WafflesandWhales For the record, child marriage happens with some groups amongst the Roma; NOT all. My family's Romani. Nothing like this has happened in it for well, WELL over a century. There's A LOT of Roma who do not approve of this. A good amount are actively speaking against it and demanding that the law take action against it when the families fail to do so. Romani women especially have suffered severely from this practice, which was once common for all cultures. It should end.

[irenadamienmariah]

i agree to early to be married ,, but the roma who practice old customs still do this.. lol roma never change,..lolol.. i am also romanie we r from europe and everyone has their own ways

[WafflesandWhales]

that little boy looks absolutely adorable. Although I may offend some people, forgive me. Still, it seems wrong to take away the innocence of a child so quickly.