These sisters and daughter-in-law are working, with their
brothers, for funds for their families. Their mother is now back in
Romania where the rest of the extended family is looking after the
babies and children. So I explained to artists that the Roma are very
chaste, marrying young, being faithful, and could only pose if fully
dressed and chaperoned. I explained, too, that the Roma have
traditionally been artists' models. Jill Hammer and her friend took us
up on the offer. First they sketched them in the nearby park because
their studio mates did not want a Rom invasion. Then I invited them to
our archway, which we found an ideal place.
I had already been working with the brothers and sisters,
weeding the Cemetery, planting its bulbs. Next I made the discovery
that the two sisters are excellent carpenters. In one day we built a
cradle which now graces our library as earlier ones had.
One of the
brothers has begged for it as his wife is pregnant, who is looking
after all the children there, and it will go back to Romania. Next we
asked the two sisters if we could visit their barracca. So we took the
bus together, then walked into the countryside and this is what we
found, five bedrooms for seven people, chairs and tables outside with a
fireplace in the open, water and food hanging in bags from trees.
Resourceful, charming, poor, with dignity. What we say is 'Keep your
culture. Learn ours. Have both at once. Your families are stronger than
ours.'
I shall have them help me build yet another cradle. Already
they have helped me build more bookshelves for our library. We send the
money to Romania as a donation to their family for their mother. I love
these people for their courtesy, their gracefulness, their skills.
These are Europe's and the world's future. A people with no army, no
frontiers, simply being families. Not to be feared or despised, but
instead treasured and welcomed.
See also http://www.umilta.net/chuppa.html
http://www.umilta.net/hedera.html
http://www.umilta.net/karengraffeo.html
http://www.umilta.net/zita.html#gypsy
http://nigeldickinson.com/gallery/finlandroma
http://www.pbase.com/haraldmedboe/project
RAI 1. Il Silenzio di Dio,
Isabella Schiavone, Easter Day, 2008. Google 'tg1
speciale silenzio di Dio'
and go towards the middle of the video.