MANUSH by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2008 written on November 19, 1993 translated by the author English text kindly revised by acam
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"MANUSH" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
CHAPTER 10 - Baro Mama and Baro Kriss Romany
They made a last stop between Hyeres and Toulon. There already were two Romany groups camping there; they were also going to Les Saintes Maries de la Mer. The camp was very busy. Everyone was cleaning their caravans and cars thoroughly and decorating them for the great pilgrimage; they were doing their laundry too. They were getting out their Romany national and tribal clothes and mending them and polishing their gold and silver.
The nine Rogasi were getting ready too and getting the last details organised as they wanted them. The Romanies of the group for the last time explained to the others the ceremonies and the rites and customs specific to the occasion and above all what would happen at the meeting with the Baro Mama. And finally they resumed their journey before the other two groups so as to get there soon enough to reserve a camping site not too far from the old village.
When they finally reached the medieval walls of Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, they saw that many caravans were already there. There was not enough space to put their three caravans in a position where they could be connected easily so they just parked them side by side. Then Zanko led the whole group to the ancient church before the beginning of the rites to show them Sara-la-Kali's sarcophagus down in the crypt (that is:- Saint Sara the Black) and the statue of the Lady of the Gypsies.
The village was already swarming with the Romany in traditional dress. The Rogasi were showing off their new costumes for the first time. They were being looked at with curiosity mainly by the old people who could recognize most of the various tribes and groups by their traditional dress but had never seen that of the Rogasi.
An old man asked in Romany "Do you speak Romany?"
"Yes father we do." Zanko answered.
"From what nation have you come sons?"
"Ah from the roads of the world."
"The roads of the world are endless... Which is your circuit?"
"The one that destiny shows us father." Zanko merrily answered and, after a respectful gesture to say goodbye went away with his companions leaving the old man with a puzzled expression.
Patrizio had never seen so many people all together so gaily-coloured and noisy and was looking around astonished and excited. Pero, Mateo and Tomaso had never been to a meeting of this kind before and were taking part for the first time. The festive air was filled with different styles, colours and dialects. Men and women were showing off plenty of gold and jewellery and the Rogasi wore less gold than anyone else though Dule wanted Zanko to wear a double gold chain intertwined as a necklace.
To access the crypt they had to queue for a long time. It was lit by hundreds of small candles and the air was filled with the smell of wax and the curling smoke of incense. The Gypsies' Lady was literally covered with gold jewellery and shone with a thousand reflections in the light of the candles. Prayers were being said by a hundred mouths in several languages and accents, mixing, overlapping, rising and falling in an odd, fascinating and endless mysterious concert. Coins and notes of many countries and of various values jingled as they fell into the great alms boxes with scarcely a break.
The nine companions squeezed into the stream of bodies, passed in front of Saint Sara's sarcophagus, which was covered by embroidered drapes and then in front of the Lady's statue. After they visited the crypt they went up to the church and asked for the parish priest. They gave him a gold necklace for the statue of the Gypsies' Lady and the priest gave them a receipt in return in the name of the "Rogasi Group".
During the three days before the main ceremonies they sold many of their products both to other Romanies and to Gadje tourists that had come to see the rites of the gypsies' pilgrimage.
And the day of the hearing came.
The Baro Mama was a short woman rather fat and wearing very simple clothes and with a scarf over her head but with so much gold on her that she was second only to the statue of the Gypsies' Lady in the crypt. She was sitting on a simple chair with straw bottom in front of her caravan. At her right and left were the family-chief of her tribe the spellbinders and the fortune tellers in a half circle sitting on the ground. In front were a crowd of Romanies waiting for an audience.
When Zanko's turn came he went forward with his companions - they were in three rows of three and Zanko was in the centre. When they were in front of the Baro Mama Pero went aside and Zanko advanced alone and formally greeted the old woman.
The Baro Mama looked him up and down then said with her clucking voice "Very choreographic my son. Who are you and why did you ask to meet me?"
"Baro Mama I am Zanko and these are my group. We would like to give you this little present..." he said and put on her lap the parcel containing the gold brooch.
The old woman unwrapped it, looked at the brooch and said "A very original shape..." and simply put it on her chest. "I haven't seen that particular formal dress before Zanko. Which tribe do you come from?"
"From many peoples Baro Mama."
The old woman knit her brows and said "Please explain..."
Then Zanko using the most respectful form of words asked her to talk with him in private.
The old woman looked at him and then at the other eight companions behind him and then answered "Give me a good reason why I should see you in private my son."
"Because I would like to found a new Romany tribe and I would like to get your advice and your support."
A murmur received Zanko's words. The Baro Mama made a sign with her hand and silence fell again.
"You have to make your application to the Council of the Chiefs of the Tribes not to me."
"But you have wisdom. If you would listen to our reasons you could tell us if it is worthwhile to make such an application to the Council or not. And your advice will be like gold to us."
"You mean that if I tell you not to do it you will not present your request to the Council?"
"Yes of course Baro Mama."
"And what would you do in that case?"
"We would come here again on the occasion of the next pilgrimage and ask again and so on and if necessary go on further pilgrimages until the Baro Mama answers us with yes."
The old woman laughed and all her gold jingled shaken by her laughter. "That is a nice way to remind me of my mortality. You are right that I am not everlasting and that after me there will be another Baro Mama. I like you, my son. Come follow me into my caravan." The old woman said and stood up and the two went into the caravan alone.
The old woman sat on a sofa and indicated that Zanko should sit in front of her.
"I'm listening you son. Talk to me."
Then Zanko told her all their recent adventures.
When he had finished the old woman asked him "But do you really think that the Council would allow a tribe living in a... forbidden way to be part of the Romany nation?"
"If the Council is composed of wise men they will."
"Give me a good reason."
"So that such things as happened to me and Jojo and Pero will never happen again... Because anyone like us that joins us would not be a problem for the other groups..."
The old woman shook her head and said "You told me that in your group there is also a Gadje. Bring him here. Let me see if he can convince me better than your attempt my son."
Zanko understood that she didn't judge the reasons he had just offered would be sufficient for the Council. So he stood up, went out and called Patrizio and went back with him. The boy greeted the old woman formally as he went in and she indicated he should have a seat.
"Can you speak Romany, Gadje?" she asked.
"A little and not so well Baro Mama. I'm learning it..."
"Good! If we don't understand each other Zanko will help us. Tell me son why in the world a Gadje wants to become a Romany?"
"For the same reason that a groom becomes part of the tribe of his bride, Baro Mama."
"And tell me son how can it make sense for people of different origins to want to found a new tribe?"
"Can I ask you some questions as a way to answer you?"
"You can son."
"What does bind a tribe, Baro Mama?" Patrizio then asked.
"Common traditions blood ties common activity and a common circuit..."
"Traditions Baro Mama, have always existed yet are they immutable?"
"Of course not; they are added to with the passing of time and with the passing of time they are lost or changed."
"Therefore we have our traditions in common and they are added to by the admission of each of us and changed with our short history. And tell me Baro Mama - a little Gadje kidnapped by a group and the groom if he comes from another tribe are these not also part of the tribe?"
"Of course they are my son."
"Then it will be right to say that besides the blood ties that is those that arise at a natural birth there are other things that tie a tribe's members together - such as adoption or a choice?"
"Well you are right son."
"Then plainly we have such a tie because we adopted or chose each of us. Moreover it is clear we have a common activity and a common circuit. Therefore we have all the necessary qualifications and are just like any other tribe."
The old woman nodded and then said "But to us Romanies the family is the basis of the tribe. A father and a mother with children..."
"Then listen. A Romany woman kidnapped two Gadje baby girls and made them into her daughters. Her husband died then her father died and then her brother. She was left alone with the two little Gadje... Is that enough to say that the woman and the two children are not a family any more?"
"Of course not. They still are a family."
"Well if so we too are family. We have a rite for adoption. Zanko adopted me as his son and I adopted Fadil as my son for instance and the same is true for all of us."
"There is one more point that still doesn't convince me - Romany tradition doesn't accept two people of the same sex making love together."
"That is true Baro Mama. And this tradition brought us to the terrible problems that I think Zanko already told you about. But it is not just that. You yourself just told me that traditions can change at times. When does a tradition change?"
"In several instances... when it stops being sensible or when external pressures force a change - when we must change in order to survive."
"And should tradition serve the Romany people or the should the Romany people have to serve the tradition?"
"The tradition has to serve our people, son."
"But if that tradition leads some Romanies to die or to suffer badly is it a good tradition? Does it serve those Romanies?"
"Of course not, son."
"This tradition almost killed Pero's body almost killed Jojo's soul caused suffering to Dule and Fadil and to Marko and to Zanko too... What we are asking doesn't change the habits of the tribes but allows those like us not to suffer and not to die. It solves a problem felt by other groups and gives us a life."
"Gadje you are a wise young man and you are a credit to your age. I understand why Zanko wanted you with him... even if I can see also other reasons..."
"Can I add one more thing Baro Mama?"
"You can... What's your name son? I don't remember it."
"Patri, Baro Mama. Take any of us; if we had to stay in our old tribes we would come to the same end as Pero or as Jojo or as Zanko... or if he didn't he would have to stay hidden and marry wouldn't he? And if he marries for the rest of his life he will bring himself and his wife unhappiness and therefore his children too. With our proposal all this can be avoided. And you who have mothered several children you want your children to be happy don't you? You choose between what is bacht and bibacht, Baro Mama, for the Romany tribes and for us. The Romany have always felt alien amongst the Gadje aliens and persecuted and this is bibacht. But why on earth should a Romany have to feel an alien, alien and persecuted amongst his own people - amongst the Romany? Is not this doubly bibacht?"
"Enough, enough Patri my son! Well Zanko. Present your request to the Council. I don't know how I can help you and I know it will not be easy. But whatever the decision of Council happens to be come to see me again afterwards before you venture again onto the roads of the world. Now you can go. The hearing is over."
Zanko and Patrizio said goodbye to her and went out. They went away with all their companions and the Baro Mama went back to sit in the open on her simple straw-bottom chair.
The Council was to be summoned two days later. Zanko used those two days to look for someone who could forge documents for Patrizio. He found a Romany who told him he could get them for him. Patrizio asked to keep his first name and change his family name. He went to an automatic photo booth to take identity photographs and gave them to that Romany. Zanko told him to write on the forged documents his name and a family name typical of an Italian Romany family and as profession to put "pedlar" just like many of the others' identity papers. The price that the Romany asked for the forgeries was not too much and anyway they willingly paid it.
Meanwhile the Baro Mama had summoned one after the other all the tribal-chiefs she knew she could trust and amongst other matters asked them to cast their vote in favour of the new tribe at the next Council meeting. They were not a majority but she hoped that others would lean towards a yes.
And finally the Council day came.
It was held as usual in front of Baro Mama's caravan after everyone had been to pay homage in the crypt. The Council was composed of the Baro Mama and all the tribal-chiefs that had come on the pilgrimage. They were in all twelve people, men and women in their middle age or older. They discussed several problems. Then they passed to hear the petitions and to give a decision about them.
They called Zanko who this time had to go alone while his group was waiting outside the circle with all the others. Zanko greeted all the chiefs one by one with respect then presented his request with an eloquent speech. The chiefs listened in silence impassively. When Zanko had finished revealing his request and explain his motivation he waited in silence.
A woman chief stood up and said "This request deserves our attention. It is rather unusual but deserves our consideration. We all know very well of the existence of the problem that Zanko showed us. And he proposed a possible solution to us. An interesting solution too, one that might work. I say that we should agree to his request."
An old chief a man stood up "Agree to it Mama? Agree to it you say? How can we agree to something that has always been forbidden?"
"Forbidden yes but that has not prevented it. Forbidden yes but it happens in all our tribes." another chief objected.
"People are killed in our tribes too but we don't permit anyone to form a tribe of murderers!" a woman said.
"They are not murderers! You cannot compare them with people at that level of perfidy!"
"But it's a shameful practice anyway not something to be approved of! No, no, we cannot approve it!"
"We have to defend our traditions!"
"We have to save our children!"
"Man has to be joined to a woman just as the sky is joined to the earth!"
"And he has to straighten his children so that they grow sound and strong and true Romanies!"
"And make them rebel, like if sun and moon and wind and fire..."
"The Romany is free and he has to live in freedom as he likes!"
"The Romany is not a Romany if he does forbidden things!"
"Moreover they are not even all Romany... what a shame!"
"They are Romany as much as you; your father was a Gadje kidnapped by your grand-mother!"
It was a confusion of voices for or against Zanko and they were talking over each other and raising conflicting arguments. Zanko was listening in silence trying to discern which way the consensus was leaning and he had the feeling that those opposing were more numerous or louder than those in favour.
All of a sudden the Baro Mama who like Zanko was listening in silence without interfering clapped her hands and at once got silence.
"I carefully listened to you all and from each of you I've heard words of wisdom as I would expect from worthy chiefs as you all are. But it is well known that the wisdom of men doesn't always have the same colour. Anyway you all have at heart the good of the Romany nation. This is evident and this is bacht. Woe betide woe betide the time when it might not be so.
"But... what is the Romany nation? What is the origin of its greatness? How could we have survived from the beginning of time without disappearing in spite of the hostility and persecution of the other nations around us? Survive we have done and without having an army, without fighting wars, without having a land, or written laws, or power or even a fixed abode? How, I ask you? What has been the secret and formidable weapon of the Romany nation? Do you think it could be freedom? No, that isn't a weapon but rather it is something else that needs protection. No you all know very well yes, very well what is our weapon.
"Our strength our secret weapon is the fact that we have been able to adapt! To adapt, chiefs! And so according to the places our circuits went through we became Kanjarja or Dachikhane or Korakhane... or something else! But we always remained Romany and we remained Romany exactly for that reason. Adaptation. We have learned to talk in Romanian or Slavic or German, Spanish, Italian or French but we all speak Romany and we still are Romany. We learned new trades but we are still Romany. We have been able to sniff out the safest way and to choose our roads and we have changed our circuits and changed them again and again but the roads of the world belong to us and we are still Romany.
"Now to day this young man asks us to agree to a new adaptation. Would we cease this very day to be Romany chiefs? No I say we would not! We have to be wise enough to agree to this small adaptation and receive amongst us the proposed new tribe - the Rogasi. This is my thought." The old woman said in a determined tone.
A chief stood up. "You say so, Baro Mama, but isn't it just because that Zanko gave you a gold brooch?" the man asked in a challenging tone.
"Alas chief Costache alas! You said a bibacht thing - you think I can be bought by a small gold brooch. So then you who gave me a gold necklace of three times the weight you too wanted to buy me did you?"
"No it's just that I'm generous!"
"Alas chief Costache alas! Who is more generous - the one who has just two gold coins and gives you one of them or the one who has thirty gold coins and gives you three?"
The other chiefs burst out in laughter and one said "Shut up Costache or you risk saying something you would have done better not even to think!"
But another chief stood up. "Founding a new tribe? Good. But a tribe composed of Romany. Now let's see. Zanko has been chased from his tribe therefore is not a Romany any more. So that is the first of them. Then there is a Gadje and he is the second. Then two Sinti, which makes four. Then another one Pero if I'm correct. He too was chased out by his group and is the fifth. And another ran away so he cut himself off from the Romany nation that makes six. How many do we have remaining? Three. What tribe are we talking about then?"
"That's right! That's right!"
"It is true..."
"They aren't Romany what do they want from us?"
The Baro Mama stood up for the first time and everybody became silent.
"Very well chiefs. If they were all Romany you would be happy to agree that they could found a new tribe but as you say they aren't Romany therefore... is that right?"
"Sure that's right!" some of the chiefs answered.
"Just three Romany is not a tribe..." other chiefs said.
"Very well chiefs. Therefore now Zanko will withdraw his request and I ask all nine of them to be judged by the Baro Kriss Romany! If they are recognized as Romany they will be a new tribe without problems. If they are judged not to be Romany what they do afterwards doesn't concern us! Thank you chiefs of the Romany. Your discussion helped me to understand the essence of the problem correctly."
Silence fell on the Council. The Baro Mama with a shrewd and unforeseen move had turned the tables on them and deprived them of the decision and as she had formally convened the Kriss by so doing she had forced them to accept its verdict.
One of the chiefs who was against the new tribe said "Very well Baro Mama. Let's then choose now the five chiefs who will be the Baro Kriss Romany for this occasion."
"Yes of course that's right. The choice is yours. But... as the men to be judged come from the Grangora, Gergarija, Mrzarja, Kaloperjia and two Lovara, the chiefs of these tribes cannot be part of the Kriss!"
Zanko once again admired the Baro Mama - excluding those five tribe chiefs, she had excluded three of the more determined opponents to the new tribe. They voted to choose the five judges of the Kriss and decided that it would meet the next day. Zanko and all his men had to sit in front of the Kriss for the judgement and each of them had to be supported by a defending Romany.
While Zanko was going away, he was approached by a man from the Baro Mama's convoy.
"Zanko my cousin, the Baro Mama asked me to be one of your defenders and to assist the Gadje. And also to help you to find the other eight defenders."
"I thank you very much cousin. But... when did she ask you that?"
"This morning early."
"Therefore... she already had decided to summon the Baro Kriss Romany for us!"
"Of course she had allowed for the possibility that she wouldn't have the majority of the Council on her side."
"She is really clever..."
"She is the Baro Mama." The man answered with a smile.
They agreed and found a Lovara to assist Pero then a defender for all the others by touring all round the camps. Then all eighteen gathered in the Rogasi's Saint George caravan and carefully discussed the line to follow. There were practically no problems for Dule, Marko and Fadil as their families had authorized them to leave their groups therefore they decided to begin the trial with those three cases. Then they decided to have Patrizio's case discussed fourth then those of Mateo and Tomaso. If in fact a Gadje was accepted as a Romany they could not refuse two Sinti. Then Pero's case would be discussed then Jojo's and last the case of Zanko. In fact the case of Zanko was the most difficult of all - he had been expelled by a decision of his group's Kriss.
They also discussed whether the next day they ought to present themselves wearing their Rogasi attire or not. They decided not - each of them would wear his tribe of origin's dress. Not all of them had it so they toured the camps again asking to borrow some. Patrizio and the two Sinti would go in plain clothes.
The Baro Kriss Romany met. The five judges sat on carpets in a row. On one side the Baro Mama was sitting as president on her habitual chair. She didn't have the right to vote. In front of her were the nine with their defenders. Dule noticed that the Baro Mama had much less gold on her than usual and as a consequence the brooch he had made looked better on her generous breast.
"I ask the Kriss to judge the case of Dule Omerovic of the Mrzarja Ousari. The question is - he left his camp and his group. Is he still a Romany or not? Come forward Dule Omerovich with your defender." The Baro mama ordered.
Dule and the man accompanying him stood in front of the five judges of the Kriss.
The oldest judge a woman asked "Tell us Dule why did you leave your tribe, your people your family?"
"At that time we were camping near a town called Amantea in the south of Italy. There were already two caravans there. So I got to know Zanko and his four companions and we soon became friends. I became friends particularly with the one called Tomaso. I showed him how I worked the gold and he showed me his juggling. When they decided to leave the camp I was feeling very sad because I knew I would never meet them again. So I asked them if they would let me go with them and asked my father and my mother for permission to join them. As I got their permission I joined their group."
"You therefore left your people with their approval."
"That is so mother."
"But your new companions, were they following Romany traditions?"
"They were and they still are mother. We have always celebrated all our festivals following the traditions of our nation."
"All of you? Also the Gadje and the Sinti?"
"All of us and they even more than us."
An old chief asked leave to speak. "But you broke the blood ties that make a Romany of you. So what ties do you still have with the Romany nation?"
Dule's defender asked leave to speak "Father if you kidnap a little Gadje can you make him your son?"
"Of course if I recognize him as such with the rite of affiliation."
"He then becomes a Romany even though he is not of our blood?"
"Thanks to the rite it is as if he had our blood. There is no difference."
"Dule became part of the group as a result of being affiliated by the rite as executed by Tomaso. Tomaso was adopted similarly by Mateo, Mateo by Zanko and Zanko is of Romany blood..."
"Therefore " the old man said "if Zanko is a Romany Dule is a Romany too."
"But Dule is a Romany anyway because he left his family with the full assent of his parents therefore he didn't break his blood ties." Another judge affirmed.
They voted on this point and the Baro Kriss verdict was - Dule is a Romany.
Then they called Fadil and examined him. His case was just like that of Dule and so he got the same verdict. Then they called Marko. His case was even simpler because his father and brothers had entrusted him to Zanko and to the group therefore they decided that Marko was a Romany too beyond any doubt.
Then the Baro Mama called Patrizio. "Come Patri my son. I ask the Kriss to judge about the case of Patri Faldella who used to be a Gadje. The question is as follows - can a Gadje become a Romany? And if he can is Patri Faldella a Romany?"
The old woman judge asked Patrizio to tell his story. Patrizio spoke in Romany at times helped by his defender. Two of the judges said that the boy was now a Romany. Two others said he was not. The fifth one said that he could be a Romany if Zanko was still a Romany as he had adopted him. But the Baro Mama asked them not to wait until they had decided Zanko's case to decide about Patri. Patrizio then asked leave to speak again in his defence and he was allowed.
"As the proverb says 'The words go, the words come.' My group has given a gold necklace to the Gypsies' Lady down there in the crypt. Now that necklace is there amongst a thousand other jewels. Who can recognize it except the one ho made it? The one who made it knows each ring one by one because he shaped it with his hands, with his heart, with his soul. Baro Devel knows what I am because he shaped me. The gold of the necklace was something different before the necklace was made of it but now it's a necklace now it is on the Gypsies' Lady down there in the crypt. This was the destiny of that gold.
"My destiny was to be shaped as a Romany. Only its maker will be able to single out our necklace on the Lady there in the crypt; only our maker can recognize who amongst us was a Gadje and who was already a Romany. I am a Romany even if you will not recognize me. But the problem is not whether I am a Romany or not because I know I am a Romany. The problem is whether you will recognize me as a Romany or not. Well if you are able to recognize our necklace you can say that I am not a Romany and I will believe you and I will understand I was wrong and that I deceived myself..."
The old woman judge asked him "Is this a challenge boy?"
"No Mama it's only my destiny."
One of the two chiefs who had judged that Patrizio was not a Romany spoke. "Your nails can scratch stone walls son. You seem more of a Romany than a real Romany I admit. You show us respect but you don't bend. You would deserve it if we fined you for your daring for your words..."
"I would willingly pay it."
The old man laughed. "Sure you would, I don't doubt it. I would like my sons to be proud as you are. Yes I recognize you as a Romany a true Romany my son!"
So the verdict was in favour of Patrizio with three yesses a no and an abstention. This as they had foreseen smoothed the way for Mateo to get accepted too and Tomaso as well after a short discussion. And so next it was Pero's turn.
When the boy was asked to speak he asked: "Can I first submit another case to your judgement?"
"Let's hear it." The Baro Mama said immediately.
"My brother had a dog. He wanted to train him. So he made him perform some exercises and if the dog did it well he went and took from his mother's larder in secret a piece of dry meat and gave it to his dog as a prize. And the dog was taught well and was obedient and everybody said he was a very good dog. And also our mother was proud and told everybody - our dog is really skilled really a good dog. But one day the mother saw that the dog was eating a piece of dried meat. She went to check in her larder and saw that several pieces of meat were missing. She then asked my brother why the dog was eating dried meat and why so many pieces were missing. And my brother answered - because this dog, in spite of all I did for him, is a thief. And my brother took a cudgel and beat the dog and left it bleeding on the roadside and told the others - good I've punished the dog as he deserved. A Gadje was passing by and saw the dog and healed him. Now I ask you whether my brother ought to be rewarded or punished for his behaviour? And whether the Gadje ought to be praised or blamed?"
Only the Baro mama knew Pero's story and so she nodded approvingly and asked "What do you say judges? What is your verdict?"
They all said "His brother has to be severely punished. The dog was innocent. And the Gadje is for sure to be highly praised."
"Well." Pero said "My group is my family I am the dog and Zanko and his group are that Gadje..." and he told them all he had had to undergo and how he had been rescued and healed by Zanko's group and including his discovery that he was not a lotcholiko.
The judges declared that Pero fully had the right to be a Romany because he had been unfairly expelled by his group.
Then they called Jojo and he told them his story too and he in spite of having run away from his group was recognized as a Romany because they recognized his right to escape in order not to be treated as a slave and an object to be used for pleasure by people in his group.
And Zanko's turn came at last.
He too told them his story.
At the end the old woman judge said "You were expelled by the Kriss of your group which fully had the right to do that. Therefore you are not a Romany any more. There is no doubt about your case."
Then his defender spoke "Can someone who commits a crime put things right?"
"Of course he can. But how can Zanko put right what he did? What he did is done and cannot be cancelled."
"But if the Sinti he raped forgave him could Zanko ask to be admitted into the Romany again?"
"He surely could. When an offence is totally forgiven by the person offended against there is no fault any more." The old woman judge admitted.
"Well then. The Sinti boy who had been raped by Zanko is Mateo Alegra, you already know him. He is here. This is he. Mateo do you forgive Zanko for what he did to you?"
"I do completely. I forgave him two years ago and I am now living with him and he is to me a father and a brother." Mateo said with a smile.
The old woman judge then asked him "Why did you forgive him Mateo, my son?"
"I went to seek Zanko to take my revenge because my people told me that what he did to me required me to take revenge. But I met Patri, and Patri told me things that Zanko didn't tell you..." and he told them about the two occasions when Zanko had been raped. "So I understood that the violence he did to me was the child of the violence he suffered at the hands of others and did not originate in any foulness in his real character in his heart. So when I met him I asked him - if I now raped you, what would you say Zanko? And he answered me that I would have the right and good reason. 'My brother' he said 'I'm here ready to give you satisfaction'. So I forgave him. Because although violence gives birth to violence forgiveness gives birth to forgiveness."
After a short silence the old woman judge said "Well I propose this Baro Kriss Romany admits Zanko amongst the Romany again because his fault has been washed away by an act of forgiveness." And all the judges agreed to her proposal.
The Baro Mama stood up "I thank this Baro Kriss Romany for having carried out its task with real wisdom and integrity. These nine young men are Romanies without any doubt. Therefore tomorrow we will again summon the Council who will give them its approval so that they may found a new tribe of the Romany nation that of the Rogasi. Come all of you come and celebrate sons. Baro Die, Baro Die is this!"
CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 11
In my home page I've put some more of my stories. If someone wants to read them, the URL is
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If you want to send me feed-back, or desire to help revising my English translations, so that I can put on-line more of my stories in English please e-mail at
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