Sitting in the bright sunshine at his campsite on Fair Hill, Billy remembers how his father was one of the first people to be converted to the Light and Life. A Catholic is lost in religion. They go through confession, and they go to a box and tell a priest about their sins. Where it says in the Bible 'tell no man your sin, come to the father alone'. But why do followers of Light and Life so often describe Catholicism as "man-made"?
He says Light and Life followers criticise the Church's rituals for not coming directly from the Bible. But Light and Life provides a sense of identity and belonging for many who join it, which he admits is "something that as Catholics we need to take seriously and look at how we can make our parishes more welcoming to all members of the community". So we hope to see a revival and our people saved - but we want everyone to be saved. Other churches, like the Salvation Army, are also seeing a growth in the number of Eastern European Roma joining.
And the Church of England has several Gypsy-led congregations starting up. So it seems that Christianity could be having a profound effect on this often marginalised community. As night falls, worship begins in the big top.
It's an oft-repeated view. Related Topics. It is estimated that up to , Roma died in the Holocaust. For centuries, stereotypes and prejudices have had a negative impact on the understanding of Roma culture, according to the Romani Project. Also, because the Roma people live scattered among other populations in many different regions, their ethnic culture has been influenced by interaction with the culture of their surrounding population.
Nevertheless, there are some unique and special aspects to Romani culture. The Roma do not follow a single faith; rather, they often adopt the predominant religion of the country where they are living, according to Open Society, and describe themselves as "many stars scattered in the sight of God. The Roma live by a complex set of rules that govern things such as cleanliness, purity, respect, honor and justice. These rules are referred to as what is "Rromano. Some Romani words have been borrowed by English speakers, including "pal" brother and "lollipop" from lolo-phabai-cosh, red apple on a stick.
Traditionally, anywhere from 10 to several hundred extended families form bands, or kumpanias, which travel together in caravans. Smaller alliances, called vitsas, are formed within the bands and are made up of families who are brought together through common ancestry.
Each band is led by a voivode, who is elected for life. This person is their chieftain. In some groups, the elders resolve conflicts and administer punishment, which is based upon the concept of honor. Punishment can mean a loss of reputation and at worst expulsion from the community, according to the RSG.
The Roma place great value on close family ties, according to the Rroma Foundation : "Rroma never had a country — neither a kingdom nor a republic — that is, never had an administration enforcing laws or edicts.
For Rroma, the basic 'unit' is constituted by the family and the lineage. Communities typically involve members of the extended family living together. A typical household unit may include the head of the family and his wife, their married sons and daughters-in-law with their children, and unmarried young and adult children.
Romani typically marry young — often in their teens — and many marriages are arranged. Weddings are typically very elaborate, involving very large and colorful dress for the bride and her many attendants.
Though during the courtship phase, girls are encouraged to dress provocatively, sex is something that is not had until after marriage, according to The Learning Channel.
Punishment can include a loss of reputation and, in extreme cases, expulsion from the Romani community. Some European Romanies remain nomadic , living in camps or caravans and moving from town to town in cars and RVs. In recent years, there have been alarming reports of anti-Roma discrimination in Europe, including the systematic demolishing of Roma camps and deportation of thousands of Roma at a time in France, and the horrific forced sterilization of Romani women in countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
There are an estimated 1 million Roma living in the United States, arriving here from different countries and speaking different languages. The U. In an effort to remedy the lack of statistics on American Romanies, Harvard University has recently launched a study to assess the structural, social, and economic status of American Romani communities. Any Christian partial to the classical music of Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Haydn, or Brahms, or any Christian awed by the beauty and rhythm of flamenco can thank the Romani, whose acclaimed musical heritage heavily influenced these musical styles.
Further, although Christians will find some Romani traditions offensive—such as arranged marriages and bride prices—there are other Romani traditions worthy of emulation. Italy , France , and Slovakia. On a final note, we should never doubt the ability of people to embrace acceptance. Less than 20 years after my trip to Spain and my first exposure to the negative stereotypes about Romanies, Spain is now regarded as a country that is successfully implementing programs to help empower and integrate its Romani population.
Dolores Smyth writes on faith and family. Her work has appeared in numerous print and online publications. You can follow her work on Twitter LolaWordSmyth.
0コメント