GYPSY TRADITIONS We used to hear a great deal about the gypsy sub-cultures which formed a visible part of national society.
In various section of the nation we fully expected to see gypsy campgrounds spring overnight along the edge of our highways usually where there was a creek or a pond available. Only after used car and truck lots came into existence did we see any motorized vehicles there. Everything was horse or people drawn
They gypsy families had a pattern to their wanderings. They would, when asked, leave the impression that
they were going North seeking work. In the Fall, when they passed through headed more-or-less toward the South they would say they were seeking warmer summer time quarters and harvesting work doing orchard and farm jobs. Very often local residents has a different view about their reason for being in our area. At farm houses the word passed along to all local residents, young and old alike, went somethings like: "Lock everything! These gypsy folks figger to rob us blind! That's the way they live; stealing other people's things!"
It was generally expected that any item missed during the next six months: "Mus'tv been took by them gypsy swine!" Some folk (young ones in particular didn't heed the housewarmings. We used to sneak off a night and work our way as close as we could to the camp to listen to their music - some fine fiddle, zither, auto harp, guitar and the steady "t-r-r-w-ang--g-gr"of the Jew's Harp the only time I ever heard one played right.
There were some "far out" gypsy groups, too. You noticed them more, I think, after horse and wagon rigs changed to beat-up trucks and stripped cars. One such group I'm lad I never met up with, was called "The Irish Traders". Members came from all over the country. The met on only in the Atlanta, GA and Nashville, TN areas. They met for just two occasions - death and marriage. The clan, in the 1930's listed eight Irish families. If a member died , the body was shipped to one of the two sites and held in a local morgue until the set meeting date. Tradition forbids burials at any other times. All young girls are expected to marry within the clan, and this fact suggests why "The Irish Traders" no longer chug along the roads to Atlanta and Nashville.
When a wedding or funeral is concluded, all of the eight families "must depart in different directions". They are all in the same line of work back home: motorized nomads dealing in horses and mules.
That is my Number Two reason or saying at "Irish Traders" gypsy clan is unlikely to be on the roads today, but to be completely honest with you, I'm just a little bit hesitant about putting it in URL form for the computer.
Suppose one of Eight Irish families takes exception to my remarks? I assume I might get a choice of either Nashville or Atlanta?
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 7-21-06 [c521wds]
