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Big fat gypsy weddings

By Cinnamon, in The Nesting Box

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Charlottechicken Eggcentric Egluowner

Charlottechicken

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I'm watching it with my jaw on the floor. There are many cultures in Birmingham, and I really didn't think I could be shocked any more (I've been to some rough areas, and seen some sights!) but I've never seen anything like this :shock::shock:

 

I heard a member of the Gypsy Council of GB on the radio the other day and he said all the travellers featured were of Irish descent and not Roma.

 

The one thing we haven't seen yet is anyone rolling drunk, which is usual at a wedding!

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jill the potter All Knowing Superchicken

jill the potter

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The point that intrigues me is that the programme makers keep alluding to 'tradition'. I don't see how ludicrously huge over the top wedding dresses and 6 year olds having spray tans could be considered 'traditional gypsy' !!! Surely it just illustrates that their community has been influenced by 'popular' culture just the same as the rest of society has!

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Seagazer Passionate Poultry Keeper

Seagazer

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I've just watched one episode and I must admit to having my jaw on the floor through most of it :shock:

 

It is interesting to watch though I would hate to wear one of the dresses. I can't see the point of having a dress that you can barely walk in. I did think the young lad who married the non-gypsy seemed like a lovely lad who perhaps was a bit more forward thinking than the others. The mum was definitely scary though :roll:

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mostin Feathery Fanatic

mostin

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I love watching programs like this and learning about other cultures. I was fascinated by the first program, the cutting edge special. In that program they covered irish and romany traveller weddings. The romany dress was quite a small dress in comparison.

 

I don't think it's only traveller children who dance like that these days :? , unfortunately I have seen disturbing sights at quite a few kiddies parties when little girls are pretending to be Beyonce and Shakira :roll::roll: . It's the outfits the kids were dressed in that seemed to make it look sooooooo much worse :shock: .

 

I think it's going to be really interesting to watch the rest of the series and see what happens to these girls "after" the big day !!

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Omletina Kyckling Chicken Addict

Omletina Kyckling

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There's an article in today's Daily Mail about the weddings and they've worked out an average gypsy wedding is £140k!!! It quotes the dresses as costing between £15k and £50k (supposedly the dressmaker on the programme has told them this, although she refused to say so on air).....I won't put a link to it here as there may well be some rather nasty comments in the comments section below the article, but it's easy to find, should anybody want to read the full article!

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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Read the book Gypsy Boy if you want to get the perspective of a male it's not easy reading he is subject to massive abuse all for being 'different' until he runs away and even then they keep hunting him!!

 

I read that last week - a really interesting perspective.

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Calamity Jane All Knowing Superchicken

Calamity Jane

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I thought the cake was just amazing ! What on earth would have happened if they had dropped it ? It was painful to watch them try to put it on the table. I thought it very moving to see how upset the girl was, and how caring she was for her mums painful hands. But I also got a bit upset when the 13yr old was saying how she didnt think she was going to cope very well doing all the work her older sister had been doing, she looked petrified.

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craftyhunnypie Chuckling Chook

craftyhunnypie

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I often see them pushing white leather prams with lots of lacy pillows etc. The babies are dressed so fancy & there little shoes are embroidered on the soles with their names - very cute. I always wonder where they buy their fancy stuff from - you never seem to see any of it anywhere.

I wonder how they make their cash? They are extremely wealthy & have the best.

Have you seen the flyte so fancy gypsy caravan henhouse? 8)

Emma.x

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Treekeeper All Knowing Superchicken

Treekeeper

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No abuse intended the boy is from a Romany family and his story is incredible.

Mikey was born into a Romany Gypsy family. They live in a closeted community, and little is known about their way of life. After centuries of persecution Gypsies are wary of outsiders and if you choose to leave you can never come back. This is something Mikey knows only too well. Growing up, he rarely went to school, and seldom mixed with non-Gypsies. The caravan and camp were his world. But although Mikey inherited a vibrant and loyal culture his family’s legacy was bittersweet with a hidden history of grief and abuse by both his dad and an uncle. Eventually Mikey was forced to make an agonising decision — to stay and keep secrets, or escape and find somewhere he could truly belong.

 

As you can probably guess, this book is a rather emotive read and it also gives a fascinating insight into the Romany Gypsy way of life. I think that it helps us non-travelling folk (aka ‘Gorgias’) to understand the Gypsy view points, and highlights that there is a big distinction between Romany Gypsies and the apparently more disruptive Irish Travellers with whom the Romany Gypsies are oft mistaken with.

 

What one has to remember above everything else is that this is Mikey’s real life story and I would never seek to belittle his experiences or worse, to patronise him.

 

Many people may remember A Child Called It series of frankly horrific books that burned themselves into your memory, and like me, you may be expecting Gypsy Boy to share experiences and emotions of that scale. However, what Mikey’s book admirably does is to remain remarkably upbeat, even when describing some pretty shocking stuff, and ultimately Gypsy Boy still seeks to defend and explain the Romany Gypsy way of life, despite the story that Mikey has to tell. There is not one trace of bitterness in the book, and I can openly say that I think that makes Mikey Walsh a better man than I am – I really don’t think that I’d be able to be so forgiving or strong having gone through the experiences described in this book.

 

I think the book would also be an inspirational read for gay people, especially those struggling with the idea of ‘coming out’. Although the book is not really about Mikey’s sexuality, it does come into it quite strongly in places, and I think that it shows that above everything else, and despite inherent prejudices or fears of abandonment, things can work out much better than you’d expect.

 

 

 

If you are considering your next book to read, I would strongly suggest this book

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mostin Feathery Fanatic

mostin

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I loved the black waist high knickers and trainers under Bridget's wedding dress, and did anybody clock the baby's Swarovski crystal encrusted dummy? Brilliant!

 

Wish I'd worn trainers under my dress :wall::wall: , I ended up in bare feet :lol::lol:

 

I also clocked that dummy.........fab :D:D:D

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