Maria José : Do you believe that destiny is written? Is Fate predetermined? Can we change it?
Herminia, Grandmother : Destiny is set by God, for the better or worse.
Reporter : It is written?
Herminia : Yes! The Lord holds our destiny!
Narrator: The Rom people, known as gypsies,
has existed for more than a millennium. Originally from India, they went on a long westward journey, until they reached Spain at the end of the 15th century. The gypsy lifestyle has always been marked by mobility, independence and freedom. The gypsies have been marginalized and persecuted in many places. From the decrees of the Spanish
Catholic kings to Nazi concentration camps, the gypsies have always paid a high price for their freedom. There are today about one million gypsies in Spain. Most of them live in cities and have a more stable lifestyle. The role of women also changes. Women are progressively becoming more empowered.
Gypsy women no longer read hands, walk barefoot or just take care of the home. The gypsies today face the challenges of the 21st century. How to integrate into society without
losing their roots and traditions? To overcome prejudices and discrimination. Your are going to see now the path of a 21st. century gypsy woman.
Maria José : We tread between two streams: tradition and modernity. It is a thin line. We must find a balance. Otherwise our lives will be a constant struggle.
Narrator: Herminia, Maria Concepción and Maria José reflect the path of three generations of gypsy women in Galicia, in Northwest Spain. The grandmother Herminia takes care of the home. The daughter Maria Concepción went to school and works as a street vendor. The granddaughter Maria José graduated
from university and is a social worker. The Third World doesn't have to be sought outside Spain. It exists here in Spain. But you've got to have eyes to see it. Mainstream society turns a blind eye and ignores the poor communities.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
White Man Well Dressed 1 : Racism must be avoided, but the fact is that their lifestyle is different from ours.
White Man Well Dressed 2 : Someone I know is very disgusted
becaused there are gypsies living in his building. He says they carry donkeys on the elevator... and that the cars are safer outside the building's garage than inside it.
Reporter : How would you feel if your daughter dated a gypsy?
White Man Well Dressed 1 : Man, gypsies today have improved considerably... I would have to check him out. Around here, we are very suspicious.
Reporter : How would you feel if some gypsies went to have dinner at your home?
White Man Well Dressed 2 : I wouldn't like it. I wouldn't feel comfortable.
White Bearded Man in Short Sleeve Shirt : Gypsies are not integrated. Their community is very closed. They are dirty. I don't have anything against them... They are dirty because they work with filth. And their vehicles are all dilapidated.
Reporter : Do you have children?
Old Businessman : Yes.
Reporter : How would you feel if one of them married a gypsy?
Old Businessman : It would be like the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" !
White Bearded Man in Short Sleeve Shirt : Gypsy women don't dress like normal women. They wear loose clothes. They wear clog shoes. They wear clog shoes on the streets. This is not normal. Gypsy women don't dress in a normal way.
Maria José : When I visit these poor communities I feel powerlessness and anger. It hurts to see other gypsies living
like this just because of their ethnicity. And to know that mainstream society doesn't care enough to eliminate this poverty.
Narrator : This is the Carquejo neighborhood in Lugo. This marginal neighborhood is inhabited only by gypsies. This was supposed to be a normal housing project. But there's no electricity, no running water, no garbage collection, no regular mail delivery. Fifty or sixty families live here,
all of them gypsies. This was originally a public housing project. But then it turned into a marginal area. It became a ghetto. It's been rundown like this for many, many years. These rundown houses have been here for fifteen years. This is not a normal housing project. It is an isolated area,
near a secondary road. There are no telephones, no public service at all. People live amidst animals, abandoned cars, garbage. Some people live in caravans, the neighborhood grows. People get married, have children...
Poor Gypsy Man: They promised us new houses, but never acted on it. They've been promising them for the last twenty years. I was born here, married here, and will die here.
Esmeralda - Poor Gypsy Woman: We live very badly here. The houses are falling apart. No electricity, no running water... Once they connected the electricity, but then cut it because we didn't have the money to pay for it. Then we had to make
illegal electrical taps. We don't have hot water. We have to wake up very early in the morning to heat water to wash our children before they go to school. And many times when they
return from school with dirty hands, we don't have hot water
to wash them either. Our life is very bad around here. They've been promising new houses for a long time. But they have never materialized. What good will it be to get the new houses after the children have grown up? I'm 30 years old now.
What good is it to get a new house at 40?
Maria José : I get back home at 10PM. Very tired.
Reporter: From work?
Maria : Yes. I just eat, have a shower and go to bed. I don't have time to wash clothes or make the bed. In the morning I have to leave quickly for work. I've got no time for household chores. What are our values? What is important for the gypsies? What do we want most?
Herminia : Family, children, marriage. Marriage first. Then the children and family.
Reporter: Marriage is important?
Maria José : Of course!
Grandmother : What we want most is to marry and have children.
Reporter : And respect for the elders?
Maria José : Of course!
Maria José: What shoes were these?
Maria Concepción: They were tall boots. It was the fashion then... When my children were young we faced many difficulties. We didn't have a house. We lived in a shack by the river. It was made of cardboard. We had no water or electricity. Those were very bad years. We lived like that
for some 13 or 14 years. Rats and other animals shared the same space with us.
Maria José : I used to come here with my brothers and friends. We used that rock as a springboard. Each of us would take his or her turn to go into the water. This was our favorite spot for sunbathing. So out of those bad times I also keep some good memories.
Maria Concepción: I insisted that my children went to school.I hoped that school would allow them to live a better life than mine. So I found the means to send my children to school.
Maria José : The first time I felt discrimination was at school. Once we had to act out the solar system. There were 40 children in the class. I was the only gypsy student. Everyone was called to be one of the stars or planets. Except me. Nobody called me to represent anything. Then I felt really hurt and out of place. I felt hurt and defeated. I only continued to study because of my parents. My father made me promise him that I would never give up. I kept my promise.
Many years later... I received a letter from the University of Salamanca. They had a place for me. But I had to go at once to register. So I rushed on to Salamanca. And when I got there I didn't know the city. I didn't know anybody. I didn't even have a city map. My father was thrilled. Salamanca is one of the most prestigious universities in Spain. My father always wanted us to be the best. So he was really proud.
Cristina Escobar Pérez, Prof. Univ. Salamanca : What really impressed me about Maria José is her commitment. She has clear goals for her life. And she knows how to take the necessary steps to achieve them. Thus she was an extraordinary student.
Maria José : I am moved by the passion to change things. I wish that the bad situation of the gypsies be changed. I wish that Spain becomes a more intercultural society. Injustice moves me.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
Old Man with Cap : The gypsies are said to be involved with drugs. This is what people think. In Madrid there are whole
neighborhoods full of tents. It's a real mess. And the gypsies
drive their Mercedes...
Narrator : This gentleman is the former chief of police of Vigo, so he knows this subject.
Reporter : Would you let your daughter go out on a date with a gypsy?
White Woman : I would allow it, but I wouldn't like it. I don't like it, but if you wish to do it, do it...
Reporter : Do you think there's a problem regarding the integration of gypsies?
White Woman : Yes, we're still a little racist. We don't accept them.
Reporter : Is there racism in Spain?
Black Man with White Woman : There's a little of everything,
of everything... There's racism in terms of mentality. More in terms of culture than race.
Reporter : Have you ever felt racism?
Black Man : Yes, yes.
Reporter : Are we racists?
White Young Businesswoman : Man, I think that in general, yes.
Reporter : Why?
White Young Businessman : Because we are selfish.
Reporter : In what sense?
White Young Businessman : We are very closed. When you relate
to other races, you reach topics on which there are different views. Then you place your banner against the others.
Maria José : I decided to become a social worker because I come from a social context in which social agents have plenty to do. There's plenty of scope to contribute to change things. I wish to help the gypsies. There are few gypsy social workers. Gorka, give me the rest of the files.
I'll input them.
Maria José talking on the Phone : Joly is gone. What about the others? Joly went to A Coruña. Her father took her. Marta, this is Maria José. What has happened? They left.
How many? Esmeralda and who else? Is Tamara gone? I've got to talk to you. We must do something about this.
Maria José in Office Meeting : Tamara? Tamara is working in a restaurant.
Other person in Meeting : Is she listed on the database?
Maria José : Yes, but we must update it with her current job.
Santiago, Coordinator FSGG in Vigo : Intercultural work practices are a challenging experience. We learn mutual respect. We learn from the diversity of viewpoints and from the different ways in which one relates to the other.
Gorka, Team Leader - FSGG Vigo : Joint work of gypsies
and non-gypsies in the same office is a unique experience. We learn from different points of view, from varied backgrounds
and life experiences. People who approach and live life in a different way. This makes us better beings.
Tamara ( gypsy woman ): I'd like to tell you about my situation. We didn't have a place to stay. So we had to sleep
on this hallway. We put some mattresses on the floor and slept side by side. Our backs hurt. We didn't all fit into my aunt's apartment.
Joly ( gypsy woman ) : We felt cold and hungry. I am trying to find a job so that our situation may improve. We wish to reunite the family under the same roof. Life can't go on like this.
Maria José : What are the main problems that you are facing? Can't you find a job? Nobody would rent you a place?
Joly : When I look for a job I'm discriminated because of my gypsy look. I was working as housecleaner. When the owner found out that I'm a gypsy I was fired.
Maria José : What is happening to you?
Marta : I can't find work because of my dark skin. I have problems to find a job and also to get a house.
Maria José : To get a house also?
Marta : Either my husband or my father in law have to sign the lease. Because they are not gypsies. When the landlords listen to my voice on the phone they already say, "I don't rent to gypsies".
Joly : I also feel bad and discriminated. Once I was looking for work and they said no because I'm a gypsy. I felt very depressed because of the rejection. I came back home crying. I felt sorry to be a gypsy. I was rejected just to be a gypsy. I cried for two months. I was afraid to go to other job interviews and be rejected again. Then I reached my limit. I said: enough is enough. I must move forward.
Yolanda Gimenez Fernández : Labor integration is important for gypsies and non-gypsies. It allows gypsies to lead a normal life and at the same time it changes the image, the way non-gypsies perceive the gypsies.
Maria José : I believe that women must have the same opportunities as men. Women should not get less for doing the same job. Women should not suffer maternity discrimination by firms. I consider myself a feminist. I believe in gender equality.
Marta : Maria José is a role model to us. She is very active and leads us to get moving too. She calls about a job opening,
tells me to go for it... She cares a lot about the gypsies. She inspires young women to work.
Maria Jesus "Susi" : This is the kind of work we can get today. Gypsies still face a lot of racism. A gypsy may be a better worker than a non-gypsy. Non-gypsies should get to know us better. There are many things they don't know about us. When I sing I forget about my problems and sorrows. I concentrate only on the singing. The sorrows and sadness disappear.
Miguel Flores : Flamenco is very important to unite cultures. At night a black man can meet us with his drum. A german guy with an electric guitar jammed with us. Musical fusions contribute to bring cultures together.
Fernando Baeza : Why is passion important for life? Life is a chronic disease that inexorably ends in death. We cannot live like dead as it happens so many times in life. We can only be sure of two things in life: We are going to die and we are alone. So if we don't live passionately, we are not alive.
Maria José : How long does it take you to mix and assemble?
Caco Refojo : It depends on the number of tracks.
Maria José : Tracks?
Caco Refojo : Yes, each instrument is a track.
Maria José : Gypsies feel Flamenco in a unique way. When I listen to it with a non-gypsy friend, she reacts in a completely different way. My body instinctively starts to move. It is in our DNA. It's special. And when we
have any problems we just listen to a Flamenco song and the problems vanish. If the problem returns after the song, we play it again. Flamenco is an art and a form of magic. We have a unique gift to feel and practice it.
Maria José : We are leaving behind customs that hinder our personal development. Gypsy women no longer marry at 16 or 17. Because they have to study. We are no longer mothers at 20 and we don't have four or five children. Gypsy women today become mothers in their late twenties and have only one or two children because they work.
Marta : He was my first love. I fell in love with him. My family didn't like him because he is not a gypsy. We had to hide. My family didn't want us to marry. They were always complaining. I loved him so much. I waited for one year. Then we ran away to Madrid. My family wanted me to marry a gypsy. When I married a non-gypsy, my family didn't talk to me anymore. They didn't want to know about us or our children. It took eight years for them to forgive us.
Maria Concepción : Gypsy women used to be dominated by men. Today they are more independent. They dress as they wish. Before they couldn't wear trousers or short skirts. They couldn't go to a disco. Now they get their driver's licence.
Gypsy men didn't use to like women driving.
Maria José : We went to the disco and danced until 2:30-3:30AM. Patricia was sleeping on the video camera. I sat down, but the others kept on dancing. If other gypsies think
that I'm no longer a gypsy... They don't tell it to my face,
but I suppose there are rumors... Not from everybody,
but from a few... This is the price that must be paid by those of us who decided to study and follow a new lifestyle. I keep all good aspects of the gypsy tradition. I keep everything that is valuable. I believe in solidarity, in family. I have the utmost respect for the elders, I go to all social events, I am a gypsy woman.
Herminia : What a joy it is to live for the Lord! There's no
greater wealth! This is my opinion! The Lord keeps me company.
I've been alone for 17 years. 17 years! I don't talk to anyone. I just take care of the house. I go to prayer everyday. If I don't go, the church people come to check on me. Oh Lord, glory unto You!
Maria José : The majority of Spanish gypsies are Evangelical. The religious community functions as a support network. It helps them to overcome problems. The religious community also provides support to teenagers. It addresses contemporary problems such as drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Religious education helps youg gypsies. They belong to a community and practice daily. It is important to feed the spirit. The same way we feed our body or wear clothes. I believe we have a soul. The soul must also be fed. Spirituality is important.
It leads you to a calm state of mind. When your soul is fed,
you reach inner peace.
Young Gypsy Woman : This is important to us. It is important because in other times my grandparents did it. And when my children grow up they will also learn it. In this way the
tradition will pass on from generation to generation.
Maria José : This is a gypsy tradition. We don't want it to end. I find it beautiful to keep the traditions of my grandparents who worked like this. It is also something beautiful, a part of gypsy culture. We must keep and practice
the good traditions.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
Couple of Young white Women : We know gypsies. They are lovely. They visit us. They are friends of my parents.
Reporter : Is there racism in Vigo, in Spain?
Young White Women : Prejudice is based more on economic status than race. If someone has money, he will be accepted
regardless of his race. If someone is poor, he is assumed to be a criminal.
Old Woman : Racism is not the issue. The issue is
lack of education. Take for example gays and lesbians. I'd love to have a homosexual couple at home. As long as they are clean, educated and proper. Education is the most important
thing for all races.
Young White Mother : Everyone has a right to be himself, gypsy or not. It's fine for me. I don't mind that my
daughter goes to school with people or color or Chinese. It is good because she learns from other cultures. Isn't that a fact, Maria?
José Manuel Fresno, Director, FSGG : Intercultural exchange
cannot be stopped. Globalization is a fact. The issue is how to combine the global with the local, with particular cultures, and how to achieve this in an harmonious way. Borders vanish, capital circulates, people must also circulate. Oceans become ponds. People cross them quickly. We must get ready to share a world in which 80% of our culture is supported by fundamental human rights. These values must be shared by all cultures and all citizens.
Maria Consuelo Gonzalez, Elementary School Teacher - Porriños: She integrates well with the others. She is a responsible hard-working student.
Heloisa Teixeira Bautista, Coord. Porriños Educational Center: Education is the way of people from different cultures
to learn how to live together. It is the way. The only way. The future lies in realizing that we are all part of the same society. Each of us has a contribution to make. Diversity is always an asset, never a problem.
Maria José : The world moves, nothing remains still.
Diversity is always growing. People with different colors, eyes, language. Other roots, other culture. Intercultural exchange is fundamental. If there's no interaction among peoples the world will become chaos. Which is already happening in some places. If there's no interaction,
no understanding it becomes impossible to live together. The more multicultural the world becomes the more tolerant, culturally rich and educated we become. The gypsy soul... The gypsy soul is a riddle about a beautiful woman. Spiritually speaking, the gypsy soul is a feeling. A feeling of freedom. I would equate freedom with the gypsy soul. All gypsies have
a gypsy soul. Many non-gypsies also have a gypsy soul because they love freedom and fight for it. Freedom is the gypsy soul. Destiny is not written. We build it everyday
Herminia, Grandmother : Destiny is set by God, for the better or worse.
Reporter : It is written?
Herminia : Yes! The Lord holds our destiny!
Narrator: The Rom people, known as gypsies,
has existed for more than a millennium. Originally from India, they went on a long westward journey, until they reached Spain at the end of the 15th century. The gypsy lifestyle has always been marked by mobility, independence and freedom. The gypsies have been marginalized and persecuted in many places. From the decrees of the Spanish
Catholic kings to Nazi concentration camps, the gypsies have always paid a high price for their freedom. There are today about one million gypsies in Spain. Most of them live in cities and have a more stable lifestyle. The role of women also changes. Women are progressively becoming more empowered.
Gypsy women no longer read hands, walk barefoot or just take care of the home. The gypsies today face the challenges of the 21st century. How to integrate into society without
losing their roots and traditions? To overcome prejudices and discrimination. Your are going to see now the path of a 21st. century gypsy woman.
Maria José : We tread between two streams: tradition and modernity. It is a thin line. We must find a balance. Otherwise our lives will be a constant struggle.
Narrator: Herminia, Maria Concepción and Maria José reflect the path of three generations of gypsy women in Galicia, in Northwest Spain. The grandmother Herminia takes care of the home. The daughter Maria Concepción went to school and works as a street vendor. The granddaughter Maria José graduated
from university and is a social worker. The Third World doesn't have to be sought outside Spain. It exists here in Spain. But you've got to have eyes to see it. Mainstream society turns a blind eye and ignores the poor communities.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
White Man Well Dressed 1 : Racism must be avoided, but the fact is that their lifestyle is different from ours.
White Man Well Dressed 2 : Someone I know is very disgusted
becaused there are gypsies living in his building. He says they carry donkeys on the elevator... and that the cars are safer outside the building's garage than inside it.
Reporter : How would you feel if your daughter dated a gypsy?
White Man Well Dressed 1 : Man, gypsies today have improved considerably... I would have to check him out. Around here, we are very suspicious.
Reporter : How would you feel if some gypsies went to have dinner at your home?
White Man Well Dressed 2 : I wouldn't like it. I wouldn't feel comfortable.
White Bearded Man in Short Sleeve Shirt : Gypsies are not integrated. Their community is very closed. They are dirty. I don't have anything against them... They are dirty because they work with filth. And their vehicles are all dilapidated.
Reporter : Do you have children?
Old Businessman : Yes.
Reporter : How would you feel if one of them married a gypsy?
Old Businessman : It would be like the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" !
White Bearded Man in Short Sleeve Shirt : Gypsy women don't dress like normal women. They wear loose clothes. They wear clog shoes. They wear clog shoes on the streets. This is not normal. Gypsy women don't dress in a normal way.
Maria José : When I visit these poor communities I feel powerlessness and anger. It hurts to see other gypsies living
like this just because of their ethnicity. And to know that mainstream society doesn't care enough to eliminate this poverty.
Narrator : This is the Carquejo neighborhood in Lugo. This marginal neighborhood is inhabited only by gypsies. This was supposed to be a normal housing project. But there's no electricity, no running water, no garbage collection, no regular mail delivery. Fifty or sixty families live here,
all of them gypsies. This was originally a public housing project. But then it turned into a marginal area. It became a ghetto. It's been rundown like this for many, many years. These rundown houses have been here for fifteen years. This is not a normal housing project. It is an isolated area,
near a secondary road. There are no telephones, no public service at all. People live amidst animals, abandoned cars, garbage. Some people live in caravans, the neighborhood grows. People get married, have children...
Poor Gypsy Man: They promised us new houses, but never acted on it. They've been promising them for the last twenty years. I was born here, married here, and will die here.
Esmeralda - Poor Gypsy Woman: We live very badly here. The houses are falling apart. No electricity, no running water... Once they connected the electricity, but then cut it because we didn't have the money to pay for it. Then we had to make
illegal electrical taps. We don't have hot water. We have to wake up very early in the morning to heat water to wash our children before they go to school. And many times when they
return from school with dirty hands, we don't have hot water
to wash them either. Our life is very bad around here. They've been promising new houses for a long time. But they have never materialized. What good will it be to get the new houses after the children have grown up? I'm 30 years old now.
What good is it to get a new house at 40?
Maria José : I get back home at 10PM. Very tired.
Reporter: From work?
Maria : Yes. I just eat, have a shower and go to bed. I don't have time to wash clothes or make the bed. In the morning I have to leave quickly for work. I've got no time for household chores. What are our values? What is important for the gypsies? What do we want most?
Herminia : Family, children, marriage. Marriage first. Then the children and family.
Reporter: Marriage is important?
Maria José : Of course!
Grandmother : What we want most is to marry and have children.
Reporter : And respect for the elders?
Maria José : Of course!
Maria José: What shoes were these?
Maria Concepción: They were tall boots. It was the fashion then... When my children were young we faced many difficulties. We didn't have a house. We lived in a shack by the river. It was made of cardboard. We had no water or electricity. Those were very bad years. We lived like that
for some 13 or 14 years. Rats and other animals shared the same space with us.
Maria José : I used to come here with my brothers and friends. We used that rock as a springboard. Each of us would take his or her turn to go into the water. This was our favorite spot for sunbathing. So out of those bad times I also keep some good memories.
Maria Concepción: I insisted that my children went to school.I hoped that school would allow them to live a better life than mine. So I found the means to send my children to school.
Maria José : The first time I felt discrimination was at school. Once we had to act out the solar system. There were 40 children in the class. I was the only gypsy student. Everyone was called to be one of the stars or planets. Except me. Nobody called me to represent anything. Then I felt really hurt and out of place. I felt hurt and defeated. I only continued to study because of my parents. My father made me promise him that I would never give up. I kept my promise.
Many years later... I received a letter from the University of Salamanca. They had a place for me. But I had to go at once to register. So I rushed on to Salamanca. And when I got there I didn't know the city. I didn't know anybody. I didn't even have a city map. My father was thrilled. Salamanca is one of the most prestigious universities in Spain. My father always wanted us to be the best. So he was really proud.
Cristina Escobar Pérez, Prof. Univ. Salamanca : What really impressed me about Maria José is her commitment. She has clear goals for her life. And she knows how to take the necessary steps to achieve them. Thus she was an extraordinary student.
Maria José : I am moved by the passion to change things. I wish that the bad situation of the gypsies be changed. I wish that Spain becomes a more intercultural society. Injustice moves me.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
Old Man with Cap : The gypsies are said to be involved with drugs. This is what people think. In Madrid there are whole
neighborhoods full of tents. It's a real mess. And the gypsies
drive their Mercedes...
Narrator : This gentleman is the former chief of police of Vigo, so he knows this subject.
Reporter : Would you let your daughter go out on a date with a gypsy?
White Woman : I would allow it, but I wouldn't like it. I don't like it, but if you wish to do it, do it...
Reporter : Do you think there's a problem regarding the integration of gypsies?
White Woman : Yes, we're still a little racist. We don't accept them.
Reporter : Is there racism in Spain?
Black Man with White Woman : There's a little of everything,
of everything... There's racism in terms of mentality. More in terms of culture than race.
Reporter : Have you ever felt racism?
Black Man : Yes, yes.
Reporter : Are we racists?
White Young Businesswoman : Man, I think that in general, yes.
Reporter : Why?
White Young Businessman : Because we are selfish.
Reporter : In what sense?
White Young Businessman : We are very closed. When you relate
to other races, you reach topics on which there are different views. Then you place your banner against the others.
Maria José : I decided to become a social worker because I come from a social context in which social agents have plenty to do. There's plenty of scope to contribute to change things. I wish to help the gypsies. There are few gypsy social workers. Gorka, give me the rest of the files.
I'll input them.
Maria José talking on the Phone : Joly is gone. What about the others? Joly went to A Coruña. Her father took her. Marta, this is Maria José. What has happened? They left.
How many? Esmeralda and who else? Is Tamara gone? I've got to talk to you. We must do something about this.
Maria José in Office Meeting : Tamara? Tamara is working in a restaurant.
Other person in Meeting : Is she listed on the database?
Maria José : Yes, but we must update it with her current job.
Santiago, Coordinator FSGG in Vigo : Intercultural work practices are a challenging experience. We learn mutual respect. We learn from the diversity of viewpoints and from the different ways in which one relates to the other.
Gorka, Team Leader - FSGG Vigo : Joint work of gypsies
and non-gypsies in the same office is a unique experience. We learn from different points of view, from varied backgrounds
and life experiences. People who approach and live life in a different way. This makes us better beings.
Tamara ( gypsy woman ): I'd like to tell you about my situation. We didn't have a place to stay. So we had to sleep
on this hallway. We put some mattresses on the floor and slept side by side. Our backs hurt. We didn't all fit into my aunt's apartment.
Joly ( gypsy woman ) : We felt cold and hungry. I am trying to find a job so that our situation may improve. We wish to reunite the family under the same roof. Life can't go on like this.
Maria José : What are the main problems that you are facing? Can't you find a job? Nobody would rent you a place?
Joly : When I look for a job I'm discriminated because of my gypsy look. I was working as housecleaner. When the owner found out that I'm a gypsy I was fired.
Maria José : What is happening to you?
Marta : I can't find work because of my dark skin. I have problems to find a job and also to get a house.
Maria José : To get a house also?
Marta : Either my husband or my father in law have to sign the lease. Because they are not gypsies. When the landlords listen to my voice on the phone they already say, "I don't rent to gypsies".
Joly : I also feel bad and discriminated. Once I was looking for work and they said no because I'm a gypsy. I felt very depressed because of the rejection. I came back home crying. I felt sorry to be a gypsy. I was rejected just to be a gypsy. I cried for two months. I was afraid to go to other job interviews and be rejected again. Then I reached my limit. I said: enough is enough. I must move forward.
Yolanda Gimenez Fernández : Labor integration is important for gypsies and non-gypsies. It allows gypsies to lead a normal life and at the same time it changes the image, the way non-gypsies perceive the gypsies.
Maria José : I believe that women must have the same opportunities as men. Women should not get less for doing the same job. Women should not suffer maternity discrimination by firms. I consider myself a feminist. I believe in gender equality.
Marta : Maria José is a role model to us. She is very active and leads us to get moving too. She calls about a job opening,
tells me to go for it... She cares a lot about the gypsies. She inspires young women to work.
Maria Jesus "Susi" : This is the kind of work we can get today. Gypsies still face a lot of racism. A gypsy may be a better worker than a non-gypsy. Non-gypsies should get to know us better. There are many things they don't know about us. When I sing I forget about my problems and sorrows. I concentrate only on the singing. The sorrows and sadness disappear.
Miguel Flores : Flamenco is very important to unite cultures. At night a black man can meet us with his drum. A german guy with an electric guitar jammed with us. Musical fusions contribute to bring cultures together.
Fernando Baeza : Why is passion important for life? Life is a chronic disease that inexorably ends in death. We cannot live like dead as it happens so many times in life. We can only be sure of two things in life: We are going to die and we are alone. So if we don't live passionately, we are not alive.
Maria José : How long does it take you to mix and assemble?
Caco Refojo : It depends on the number of tracks.
Maria José : Tracks?
Caco Refojo : Yes, each instrument is a track.
Maria José : Gypsies feel Flamenco in a unique way. When I listen to it with a non-gypsy friend, she reacts in a completely different way. My body instinctively starts to move. It is in our DNA. It's special. And when we
have any problems we just listen to a Flamenco song and the problems vanish. If the problem returns after the song, we play it again. Flamenco is an art and a form of magic. We have a unique gift to feel and practice it.
Maria José : We are leaving behind customs that hinder our personal development. Gypsy women no longer marry at 16 or 17. Because they have to study. We are no longer mothers at 20 and we don't have four or five children. Gypsy women today become mothers in their late twenties and have only one or two children because they work.
Marta : He was my first love. I fell in love with him. My family didn't like him because he is not a gypsy. We had to hide. My family didn't want us to marry. They were always complaining. I loved him so much. I waited for one year. Then we ran away to Madrid. My family wanted me to marry a gypsy. When I married a non-gypsy, my family didn't talk to me anymore. They didn't want to know about us or our children. It took eight years for them to forgive us.
Maria Concepción : Gypsy women used to be dominated by men. Today they are more independent. They dress as they wish. Before they couldn't wear trousers or short skirts. They couldn't go to a disco. Now they get their driver's licence.
Gypsy men didn't use to like women driving.
Maria José : We went to the disco and danced until 2:30-3:30AM. Patricia was sleeping on the video camera. I sat down, but the others kept on dancing. If other gypsies think
that I'm no longer a gypsy... They don't tell it to my face,
but I suppose there are rumors... Not from everybody,
but from a few... This is the price that must be paid by those of us who decided to study and follow a new lifestyle. I keep all good aspects of the gypsy tradition. I keep everything that is valuable. I believe in solidarity, in family. I have the utmost respect for the elders, I go to all social events, I am a gypsy woman.
Herminia : What a joy it is to live for the Lord! There's no
greater wealth! This is my opinion! The Lord keeps me company.
I've been alone for 17 years. 17 years! I don't talk to anyone. I just take care of the house. I go to prayer everyday. If I don't go, the church people come to check on me. Oh Lord, glory unto You!
Maria José : The majority of Spanish gypsies are Evangelical. The religious community functions as a support network. It helps them to overcome problems. The religious community also provides support to teenagers. It addresses contemporary problems such as drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Religious education helps youg gypsies. They belong to a community and practice daily. It is important to feed the spirit. The same way we feed our body or wear clothes. I believe we have a soul. The soul must also be fed. Spirituality is important.
It leads you to a calm state of mind. When your soul is fed,
you reach inner peace.
Young Gypsy Woman : This is important to us. It is important because in other times my grandparents did it. And when my children grow up they will also learn it. In this way the
tradition will pass on from generation to generation.
Maria José : This is a gypsy tradition. We don't want it to end. I find it beautiful to keep the traditions of my grandparents who worked like this. It is also something beautiful, a part of gypsy culture. We must keep and practice
the good traditions.
Vox Populi on the Streets :
Couple of Young white Women : We know gypsies. They are lovely. They visit us. They are friends of my parents.
Reporter : Is there racism in Vigo, in Spain?
Young White Women : Prejudice is based more on economic status than race. If someone has money, he will be accepted
regardless of his race. If someone is poor, he is assumed to be a criminal.
Old Woman : Racism is not the issue. The issue is
lack of education. Take for example gays and lesbians. I'd love to have a homosexual couple at home. As long as they are clean, educated and proper. Education is the most important
thing for all races.
Young White Mother : Everyone has a right to be himself, gypsy or not. It's fine for me. I don't mind that my
daughter goes to school with people or color or Chinese. It is good because she learns from other cultures. Isn't that a fact, Maria?
José Manuel Fresno, Director, FSGG : Intercultural exchange
cannot be stopped. Globalization is a fact. The issue is how to combine the global with the local, with particular cultures, and how to achieve this in an harmonious way. Borders vanish, capital circulates, people must also circulate. Oceans become ponds. People cross them quickly. We must get ready to share a world in which 80% of our culture is supported by fundamental human rights. These values must be shared by all cultures and all citizens.
Maria Consuelo Gonzalez, Elementary School Teacher - Porriños: She integrates well with the others. She is a responsible hard-working student.
Heloisa Teixeira Bautista, Coord. Porriños Educational Center: Education is the way of people from different cultures
to learn how to live together. It is the way. The only way. The future lies in realizing that we are all part of the same society. Each of us has a contribution to make. Diversity is always an asset, never a problem.
Maria José : The world moves, nothing remains still.
Diversity is always growing. People with different colors, eyes, language. Other roots, other culture. Intercultural exchange is fundamental. If there's no interaction among peoples the world will become chaos. Which is already happening in some places. If there's no interaction,
no understanding it becomes impossible to live together. The more multicultural the world becomes the more tolerant, culturally rich and educated we become. The gypsy soul... The gypsy soul is a riddle about a beautiful woman. Spiritually speaking, the gypsy soul is a feeling. A feeling of freedom. I would equate freedom with the gypsy soul. All gypsies have
a gypsy soul. Many non-gypsies also have a gypsy soul because they love freedom and fight for it. Freedom is the gypsy soul. Destiny is not written. We build it everyday