Roma traditions keep annual festival close to its roots

(26 Sep 2017) LEADIN:
Roma traditions are being kept alive thanks to an annual gathering at a hillside monastery in southern Romania.
Since communism ended, Roma have been coming to the monastery to celebrate the feast day of St. Mary, the mother of Jesus.
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Gypsies get on their knees and kiss the relics of an Orthodox saint at a hillside monastery for their annual celebration of the birthday of St. Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Gypsies who are also known as Roma, worship at the 15th-century Bistrita monastery in southern Romania which holds the relics of St. Gregory.
First thing in the morning the Roma visit the tomb to pray for good health and a wealthy life in front of a sacred icon of St Mary. They kiss and touch the tomb in the belief they will receive a blessing. Others place money on a church icon or slip banknotes in the priest's prayer book.
Since communism ended, Roma have flocked to the monastery for the Sept. 8 religious holiday. Gregory who was born in the 8th century is associated with healing and is a protector from fire and drought.
The feast day has also been an occasion where Roma display their wealth and feast lavishly. Romania has more than 1 million Roma and many are poor and face prejudice.
This year's festival is more modest. Some at the festival say they are worried that the police might question their wealth if they show off too much.
After the service, Roma mingle on a hillside near the monastery and slaughter then roast suckling pigs and sheep. They dance and play traditional music loudly.
Some use the occasion to make wedding arrangements for their young sons and daughters. Roma witches perform special luck-bringing rituals they claim will help unmarried women find a husband and bring good health.
The festival is also an occasion for trade. Huge piles of second-hand clothes and electronic equipment are laid out for people to buy
Spartacus and his family come from southern-most Romania every year.
They sacrificed a young calf early this morning and now wait as it roasts over the fire.
"It is like a compulsory thing for us, the Romas in Romania, to come here on this holy day with all our family, meaning first of all children, brothers, sisters and after that comes the rest of the family, cousins and so on," says Spartacus.
"Romas come from various countries. Some of us haven't seen each other for years or tens of years."
Sitting next to Spartacus is his wife Mariana.
"This is our tradition given to us by our parents. They also were here like we are today. They are no longer with us now. But we keep on coming here every year. This is an international holiday for Romas."
Romani people make up Romania's largest minority and according to a 2011 census they number approximately three percent of the total population.
Mariana feels strongly about keeping Romani family traditions alive and hopes her children will continue in their footsteps.
"Our children, they learn from us now and from their grandparents in the past and they'll do the same in the future."
"Today we wear this scarf on our heads. Our kind have this cloth on our head, we don't really go out without it. This is also an old tradition. We don't go out with heads uncovered."
As the day goes on, more and more families arrive and set up their own cooking fires, dragging branches from the nearby woodland.
Celebrations continue into the night before people fall into their traditional Romani tents.

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