Gypsy Life

By Miss Cellania in Everything Else on Sep 7, 2009 at 11:17 pm

Roxy Freeman never went to school until she was 22 and decided to go to college. She found the lifestyle that went with her studies to quite a challenge, and very different from the Gypsy life in which she was raised.

Instead of going to school, my siblings and I, like many children from travelling families, were taught about the arts, music and dance. Our education was learning about wildlife and nature, how to cook and how to survive. I didn’t know my times tables but I could milk a goat and ride a horse. I could identify ink caps, puff balls and field mushrooms and knew where to find wild watercress and sorrel. By the age of eight or nine I could light a fire, cook dinner for a family of 10 and knew how to bake bread on an open fire.

Freeman is now studying journalism. Link -via Metafilter

(image credit: Tam Carrigan)

Tags: ethnic, Gypsy, nomadic, Travelers

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Øyvind
Sep 8th, 2009 at 1:41 am
This is very neat indeed!
Most people tend to know either their way around nature or their way around education, but never both in this degree. I know I’d be more or less useless if I had to survive in nature.
She’ll be some kind of super-woman.
Edward_nl
Sep 8th, 2009 at 4:29 am
Wow, that’s a moving story.
Nicholas Dollak
Sep 8th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
All right, sister!

Until about 1997, Roma were officially regarded as non-citizens in the state of New Jersey, USA. This little-known “law” was rarely used in recent years, but could be invoked if someone didn’t like someone else.

Note that she mentions that a number of Roma attempt to buy houses or land (and are turned down). As I’ve often had to explain, we don’t necessarily WANT to be on the road all the time; we’re just victims of some really bad circumstances and never given a proper opportunity to recover.
Morgan
Sep 8th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Wonderful essay. Her story makes me a little envious of her life, a little bit.
gerrycody
Sep 8th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
i find this fascinating. recently started watching, “The Riches” on hulu.com. supposed to be about “Travelers”. Don’t know how true to life it it but it is a great show, trying to pace myself so i don’t finish it too soon. i just love this show and it makes me want to know more about this culture and now i get this link, so cool

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