THE GYPSY ZINE Romani kris
Independent Magaine Issue 1 July 2012
For educated or knowledgeable people, rrom is a category of citizens that state laws like Romanian, Bulgarian, French or Italian are much weaker than the laws that govern them.The subject is based on moral values like honor, respect,fairness. It is not about corporal punishment or deprivation of liberty, regardless of the seriousness of the offense. Sanctions are generally pecuniary. As you wrong more, you pay more. Each group of Gypsies may determine its own form of mediation.
For educated or knowledgeable people, rrom is a category of citizens that state laws like Romanian, Bulgarian, French or Italian are much weaker than the laws that govern them.The subject is based on moral values like honor, respect,fairness. It is not about corporal punishment or deprivation liberty.
Although there are several words f associations can be identified: plural kampaniyi, an alliance of h to Nats, but in the geographical socio-economic reasons; Vitsa o individual extended families. Ea the administration of justice, fro minor disputes informally, to ex Each community is led by a band is chosen for his/her age, expe the Gypsy community is someone power and intellingence, a pers
For people a little more educated or knowledgeable, rrom is a category of citizens that state laws
for “group� in Romani, four primary Nats, meaning nation; Kampani, households not necessarily similar area these are bound together for or clan and Familiy, which consists ach associated unit is involved in om the smallest, Familiy, resolving xpansion of breeding higher step. dolier or a bulibasa, a person who erience and wisdom. Bandolier of e who inspires respect by his / her son whos life sets an example for
The Gypsy law system, not only protects the gypsies from internal and external threats, but serves as well as a code that organize the gipsy society. The gipsy law works like a cohesion of forces that serve to protect gypsies intersets, rights, traditions and ethnic character. The gipsy justice is self-sufficient and cannot include rules of a foregin law system. Gypsies believe we should address and respond to a superior with caution, especially if that superior showed and
professed good intentions, or claim to serve the best interest of his/hers people. This kind of people are also cautious with the superior’s notions of due process, civil rights and neutrality of law. Moreover, they have the term of gaje, which means non-gipsy. Not only they don’t consider the non-Gypsy near Gypsy size or at the same level, but they also believe that the name of Gypsies and their magical rituals lose it’s effectiveness if they had spoken to the gaje.
ach associated unit is nvolved in the adminisration of justice, from he smallest, Familiy, esolving minor disputes
An informal divano is a procedure where the chiefs of different clans try to mediate the dispute. The divano is a gathering as a response at a summoning made by one or both conflictual involved parts. When Gypsies can not resolve a dispute amicably in a divano, a Romani Kris, similar to a judge, may become necessary. Usually the Krisnator/Kris mediates three types of cases: loss of property, matters of honor and moral issues, including failure size taboos. Other
examples are included : stealing from or lying to another Gypsie, disobedience direct to a Gipsy Queen / King without good cause, and breaking faith or revealing secrets of the Gypsie nation to a gaje. When a serious problem needs to be solved, such as theft, disagreements in payment of debts, physical violence the court is called. This court is the most important moral force in the life of Gypsies. To be called before the Kris is a serious accusation before the entire Gypsy nation and it is treated as such.
Kris leader and tribal elders will hold to act as a krisnators, or judges, fo remain impartial and to hold the ca members of Kris, who act as assoc is composed of five respected mem onorable members, also they are t The Head of Kris is a permanent po other five positions are meant to ch Kris is an extremely important eve cases, the injured party must ask and plaintiffs must be present. Law victim is old, sick or relative of th
d a meeting to select one or more men or Kris. Krisnitori, head of Kris must ase chair. The Head is surrounded by ciate judges. Council, or Krisnitorya, mbers of the community. They are the the wisest and most available. Only osition, appointed by the Queen, the hange by rotation. Calling together a ent in the life of Gypsies. In all these a Kris as a neutral part. Defendants wyers are prohibited. If the alleged he other victim, this also brings the
Many unsettled issues (if their gravity would not require a kris obviously from the start) are dealt informally through involvement of other members of the comunity
Some traditional rules may not make sense to Gypsis
It is now acceptable to have the fam freely about the case. Gypsies believ hearing the matter at its maximum. E about folk tales and mythology are sincerely believe that the witness is jokes. In some sensitive issues, pu When the accused has to testify on truthful. Kris can provide more hone oath and casting a spell of truth. If altar of justice made of icons of his c judge may request expert advice fro only the head of the Kris decides th
mily for support. Witnesses can speak ve that there can be no justice without Exagerated claims and eronate stories e common. When audience members s not receptive, they may hiss or make ublic and witnesses can be excluded. n his/hers behalf it is expected to be esty by requiring defendant to take an the witnesses must take an oath, an clan is set. In complex situations, the om tribal elders bandoliers. However, he guilt and the punishment. Socially
Kris punishment In additionto to strong taboos against the seriousness memberofof the Gipsy community, G the offense. Kris is and association with commerce wi basedsociety primarily onas a whole and therefore so sanctions as cansuch be eliminated by forgiveness o fines,another corporal punKris. Readmission to Gipsy ishment, exile. for celebration. Divorce is aandcause Responsibility pay are stilltoarranged by Gypsies and gr a finemarriage imposed Kris-ends in divorce, a Kris is c calledofGLAB, thefallsbride price should be return collectively causeson lineconcern matters such as w criminals. told in a certain territory, although
t exploitation or stealing from another Gypsies consider crimes of violence ith the gaje, as crimes against their omething very important. A label size of the offended part, over time, or by y society following a sentence of size cases are complex. Many marriages room’s family pays a bride price. If the called to determine how much, if any, ned to the groomĂs family. Economic who has the right to engage in fortune h Gipsy has no control over gaje not
All periods of rrom hist ry , here and elsewher were certainly bad. Th question that arises is how fatal has been and what specifically. What can be said with
Consequently, groups share territory in economic units. Controversies may arise when some Gypsies try to affect another area and then a Kris is called. A first time offender can receive a warning Kris. Repeated violations result in a punishment. A Kris sets the verdict in the public’s hands for those who are present. If the defendant is found innocent, there
is a celebration of peace and an oath is sworn. Kris decision is final and binding. If at the end of a trial, the defendant is considered innocent, is a great joy and relief in the community. A banquet can be kept, and former defendant has the right to propose the first toast. If, on the other hand, the defendant is found guilty, any number of different penalties may be imposed by the head of Kris, including permanent expulsion of the Romani community.
Kris punishment is set to the se based primarily on sanctions such exile. Responsability is to pay a fe collectively on line of the criminaliti in a Gipsy community. Perhaps the is the exile from his community. H by their adherence to these cleanli laws are dealing with the water h wash only in running water. A show would be the person who will lie i the sink are not allowed in a pool, w kitchen sink is used only for washin
eriousness of the offense. Kris is h as fees, corporal punishment and ee imposed by Kris, or else this falls ies. There are no jails or executioners e most severe punishment for a gipsy However, Gypsies are defined in part iness rituals. Many of the traditional hygiene. For example, Gypsies must wer would be acceptable, but a bath in a dirty stagnant water. Dishes in which is used to wash the clothes. A ng plates, pots and cutlery, therefore
And inInthesupport end a of this variety of forms i matterthrough: of efficiencyexpensive cars, huge am staborului. In stable high-class clothing the occasion, are only bythree thejudginvestments made in their es, women houseparticiinterior. In addition, extreme pate inpresence decisions canof a taraf (gipsy band) wh be made up to two singer or, where appropriate, to t appeals that belong limit” account. Who did not obey G to krisnuitorul, a sort A representative of ethnic, a profe of court of appeal, same as a mayor, and a subordinat no false partwitnesses with a Romanian, that gipsy i and staborului deci- (a.k.a divano, city coun ‘staborul’
is that Romani will look at the money mounts of gold are worn whenever g and pointed houses are possible extravagant designers, texture and ely known image of Romani is in the here they deliver bill after bill to the throw the stack of money on a “no Gipsy is repudiated by the comunity. essional Bulibasa (an official person te of the King) said that ĂŹIf one takes is filthy! If you do not respect what ncil) says, no one talks to him! Not
If, in general, you can get the judge to le members should have more than 35 ye value: to have a family and to not be an o differences in a sensitive way to the y does not know exactly what and where people. He has to be fair on his state whi of others. And in the end a matter of ef there are only three judges, women can up by two appeals from the Kris, and no decision is implemented within 48 ho courts, everything is much more Europ often for those outside the law. Some t
ess than 30 years old, the stabor (divano) ears old and should be chosen based on offender. Someone who knows to observe young woman’s heart and condition who, e she is in her life, to guide her and his ich gives him the right to decide on the life ficiency for the divano. In the leadership n participate in decisions which are made false witnesses are allowed. The divano’s ours after its establishment. In regular pean, more elevated, more civilized, most traditional rules from other communities
The most extreme sentence is for a Romani person to be declared a constant menace, and thus permanently has to be excluded from the Romani community, a horrific fate amongst that certain rrom. In former times, the death sentence was also a possible punishment in some Romani groups, although it is not known to have been practiced for a very long time. If all parties are found guilty and their fees are paid, usually these are given to the poor Romani. Also the punishment may include a part for those who can not pay their fees and it is represented by the work for the local Romani community. The injured part, also in order to reinforce the balance and to restore the harmony with the guilty, may renounce a part of the reparations