Posted in Uncategorized on Jul 27th, 2010
The last day of the Pilgrimage is a celebration of the life of Folco de Baroncelli. There is probably no one in Camargue who did more for this region, and his life and works are celebrated by the local people AND the Gypsies as he was a avid supporter of minorities, including Native Americans. He [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jun 1st, 2010
We began our trip to the Gypsy Pilgrimage with a drive from Var, traveling west in the director of Arles. Arles is a city of Gypsy culture, and if you remember from my past posts, it was a gathering place for the Gypsies as they began their trip down the ancient road to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Perhaps [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on May 18th, 2010
Every May 24th and 25th, the Gypsies gather in southern France to observe a yearly ritual of celebrating their patron saint, Sara the Kali. This year, I have planned my life in advance so that I can witness this annual event. The destination of the Pilgrimage is the small village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the south [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Feb 1st, 2010
The city of Arles in the south of France has long been a place where the Gypsy people have gathered. Serge, the author, invokes images of Gypsies and torredors under a pagan sky through which the sounds of flutes and Spanish tambourines resonate. He describes their yearly pilgrimage to Saints-Marie [...]
Remember May Day? It used to be a holiday here in the U.S. I remember cutting flowers and making paper envelopes for them, and then hanging the flowers on neighbors doors during the 1950s. I think May Day ceased to be celebrated in the U.S. when the Eastern bloc countries began to display their military [...]