Romani Studies

Ritual impurity and kinship in a Gypsy osada in eastern Slovakia

Romani Studies (2005), 15, (1), 1–29.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/rs.2005.1
Language
English
Pages
29

Abstract

The article deals with the classification of the family formations in Gypsy osadas in eastern Slovakia. Three basic types of kin group, which differ in extent, structure and function, can be distinguished in Gypsy osadas. The first group is the nuclear family, which includes two to three generations, consisting of parents and their children. This group usually maintains a common household. The second type of family described in the article we call 'complex family'. It is defined as a group consisting of nuclear families of parents together with nuclear families of their adult sons. The complex family is usually patrilinear and the prevailing pattern of post-marital residency is patrilocality. The last and the largest kin group, the fajta, is a kind of lineage usually maintained in patrilinear descent. It is the largest social group in the Gypsy osada.

The coherence and integrity of the fajta is maintained by a practice of exchanging women, either between different complex families in the same fajta or between complex families in different fajtas (which usually originates by the splitting up of one fajta). This pattern of exchanging women is repeated for generations and establishes important alliances between complex families. All social contacts are limited to the members of the same fajta or to the members of the fajta linked by the established alliances. The fajtas are not static, and re-grouping based on marital alliances is constant.

Access Token

FormatArticle

£25.00
References Full TextPDF
If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

 Google Scholar

Budilová, Lenka and Marek Jakoubek. 2003. Specifika romské religiozity [Specifics of Romani religiosity]. In Romské osady v kulturologické perspektivě [Romani settlements from the culturological perspective]. M. Jakoubek and O. Poduška. Pp. 95–105. Brno: Doplněk Google Scholar

Chronicle of Chminianské Jakubovany (unpublished). Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Ember, Carol, R. and Melvin Ember. 1988. Anthropology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Anthropology Google Scholar

Gmelch, Sharon Bohn. 1986. Groups that don't want in: Gypsies and other artisan, trader, and entertainer minorities. Annual Review of Anthropology 15: 307–30. Groups that don't want in: Gypsies and other artisan, trader, and entertainer minorities. Annual Review of Anthropology 15 307 30 Google Scholar

Goral, Ladislav. 1998. Romové a Evropa [Roma and Europe]. In Výchova k toleranci a proti rasismu (Education towards tolerance and against racism). Tatiana Šišková, ed. Pp 75–7. Prague: Portál. Google Scholar

Horváthová, Emília. 1988. K etnografickej a migračnej dynamike cigánov [Ethnographic and migration dynamics of gypsies]. Slovenský národopis 36(1): 10–20. Google Scholar

Horváthová, Jana. 2002. Kapitoly z dějin Romů [Chapters from the history of Roma]. In Interkulturní vzdělávání, příručka nejen pro středoškolské pedagogy (supplement) [Intercultural education: A handbook not only for secondary school teachers; supplement]. Prague: Lidové noviny. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Hűbschmannová, Milena. 1999. Několik poznámek k hodnotám Romů [Several remarks to romani values]. In Romové v České republice 1945–98 [Roma in the Czech Republic 1945– 98). Prague: SOCIOKLUB. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Kottak, Conrad Phillip. 1987. Anthropology. The exploration of human diversity. New York: Random House. The exploration of human diversity Anthropology Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Kumanová, Zuzana and Hana Zelinová. 1999. Rómovia na Slovensku [Roma in Slovakia]. In Romové—O Roma. Pp. 74. Brno: Muzeum romské kultury. Google Scholar

Laslett, Peter. 1972. The history of the family. In Household and family in past time. Peter Laslett and Richard Wall, eds. Pp. 1–89. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Marushiaková, Elena. 1985. K problematike cigánskej skupiny [Gypsy group issues]. Slovenský národopis (33)4: 694–706. K problematike cigánskej skupiny [Gypsy group issues] Slovenský národopis 33 694 706 Google Scholar

Marushiaková, Elena. 1998. Vzťahy medzi skupinami cigánov [Relations among gypsy groups]. Slovenský národopis (36)1: 58–77. Vzťahy medzi skupinami cigánov [Relations among gypsy groups] Slovenský národopis 36 58 77 Google Scholar

Navrátil, Pavel and Libor Musil. 2003. Sociální práce jako nástroj překonávání sociálního vyloučení Romů [Social work as a means of combating social exclusion of Roma]. In Romové v české společnosti [Roma in Czech society]. Pavel Navrátil et al. Pp. 193–208. Prague: Portál. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Pelíšková, Věra. 2000. Bydlení Romů v České republice [Housing of Roma in the Czech Republic. In Romové, bydlení, soužití [Roma, housing, co-existence]. Pp. 15–23. Prague: Socioklub. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Radičová, Iveta. 2001. Hic sunt Romales. Bratislava: Nadácia S.P.A.C.E. Hic sunt Romales Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

Sekyt, Viktor. 2004. Romské tradice a jejich konfrontace se současností/romství jako znevýhodňující faktor [Romani traditions and their confrontation with the present/To be a Roma as a handicap]. In Romové—kulturologické etudy (The Roma—cultural studies). Marek Jakoubek and Tomáš Hirt, eds. Plzeň: Čeněk. Google Scholar

Siváková, Daniela. 1992. Antropologické výskumy Cigánov (Rómov) na Slovensku [Anthropological research iof Roma in Slaovakia]. In Neznámi Rómovia (unknown Roma). Arne B. Mann, ed. Bratislava: Interscience Press. Google Scholar

 Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Budilová, Lenka

Jakoubek, Marek