Esej č. 2
17. 12. 2008
The bright sides of the gypsies
According to the latest surveys of Czech Statistical Office live in the Czech republic approximately 12 000 gypsies. From several statistics result that more than ½ of the population in the Czech republic hate them and the vision that gypsy is their neighbour is the most deterrent for them. What come first to your mind when you hear a word gypsy? Maybe that they are words such as thief, unemployed, lazy, problematic or even untrustworthy. But this can be said about anyone else. Does everyone think about in what are gypsies better than the others?
Have you ever heard a typical gypsy music? It is passionate, rhythmical and it force you to move, dance or even to sing. The gypsy music completely reflects their mentality - that they are unrestrained, unaffected, hearty and not afraid to show their true emotions. The gypsies have passion and rhythm in their blood that´s why they are excellent dancers, musicians and singers. They are spontaneous, frank in contrast to some Czechs, who can´t show off and be relaxed without any drop of alcohol. That the gypsy music is popular between Czechs prove the fact, that between our popular singers and musicians are lot of gypsies. By all speak famous gypsy singers and musicians - Gypsy CZ, Věra Bílá and the most famous of them - Lucie Bílá.
For gypsies is the family everything. They are holding together, can stay united and whatever happened, they function as one human and not as several individual members. Even in these days is ordinary that in one household live about 3 generations together. The gypsy family is more conservative, they stick to their habits and traditions that ´s why the living of more generations in one household isn´t exemption. Thanks to that is handing down traditions more easier than in other nations.
The gypsies spend more time with their families and even if they ´re not working it is balanced by solidarity of these families.
As I said before they stick to their habits and traditions more than other nations.
The events such as baptizing of the newborn baby, the engagement, the wedding and the funeral are priority for them. At these events meet the whole family and they celebrate for long hours. The gypsies are also more religious than Czechs. During the last national census in 2001 only 30% of Czechs claim, that they are religious but as for gypsies is was more than 50%. Also the number of well-educated gypsies rose. In 1991 was only 0,3% of gypsies who had university education, but in 2001 it rose on 1,6%.
For Czechs aren´t gypsies equal fellow citizens. We think of them as of thiefs, unemployed and lazy people, who are not benefit for our today´s society. We know that they are different, but we are not trying to understand their natures. But why? Maybe that it is more easier to be prejudiced, look at them as at bad people and do not try to change our minds. The Czechs are the nation of people who love to critize the others but they hate to be the object of criticism. We don´t have to think of gypsies as of bad social group, because not every gypsy is the bad one. But we must realize it.