Customer Reviews

Gypsy Law: Romani Legal Traditions and Culture

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was an impulse buy for me, but it has come in very handy with my research into Romani Studies. With multiple articles, some regarding Romanipen Vs. State Law, and others just dealing with the culture itself, it has become required reading in my opinion for anyone interested in learning more about the Romanies.

This material gives a great deal of stimulus to any humanitarian anthropological interests about gypsies. Written in language that a lay person can understand, it is stimulating and interesting. In fact, I find it difficult to put it down.

This book is a badly written report. Firstly, it focuses mainly on only two roma groups, the Finnish Kaale and Canadian gypsies. Despite this, the author is too afraid to say anything specific, so most results of breaking any gypsy laws are left vague and unspecified. Second, many things are excluded in the explanations and research, such as women's roles and things like Divanos and Bandoliers. The book also glances at women's and family roles, and does not address any actual taboos broken or transgressions perpetuated. I found nothing like the information in the summary, all of which can be found in five seconds from reliable sites using google.

I am starting to read about the life of gypsies. I was so surprised to learn that Gypsies were once slaves. Their desire for seclusion, or as one writer says: "to live outside history" makes it a bit of a catch-22 to read anything written about them. I began with "Bury Me Standing" and moved on to this book. I also have a novel based on the life of Papazusa that I started. One of the essays in this book is filled with great descriptions that undo negative stereotypes of Gypsies.

This is a collection of essays on how to integrate Gypsy law into that of the western world as a whole. There are several competing arguments that make more for interesting discussion than conclusive information.