As I mentioned earlier, divorce in the Gypsy and Traveller community is rare. Why?...because of their beliefs on marriage. Seen as something not to be entered into lightly, amazing I know considering the age at which they tie the knot, a mere average of 17. But, for them it means life! And what is the root of this understanding?…RELIGION!
So certainly from the stance of ‘Holy matrimony’ the Gypsy and Traveller community are Christians, right?
YES, they do seem to reflect the religious stance of marriage possessing the fundamental belief of Christianity that marriage is sacred and should be entered into with the expectation of a lifelong marriage.
BUT, is this the only motive behind marriage for the Gypsy and Traveller community? Isn’t there a reason why Gypsies and Travellers only ever seem to marry other Gypsies and Travellers? Well yes there is – the continuation of racial purity. A community who consider themselves under threat, Gypsies and Travellers are expected to marry their own to preserve the Gypsy and Traveller way of life. Paddy Doherty expressed this flawlessly asserting “I want my name to stay in the Traveller culture”. So for them is marriage really more important because God says it’s a must or because of its social purpose?
In recent years the subject of divorce has ‘rocked the Christian boat’, but for Gypsies and Travellers it’s plain sailing – for them divorce is wrong! But I ask you, where’s the sacredness in an abusive marriage? Isn’t God all-loving, so how can He accept watching someone suffer abuse? Conclusion - divorce should be an option to allow someone to escape certain marriages. Well many sectors of Christianity are now starting to agree.
People like Jocelyn Andersen, a Christian domestic violence survivor, justifies divorce using theological arguments, supporting abused wives’ rights with biblical reference. Arguments such as this one reflect a rising sector of Christianity that prompts one to consider the Gypsies and Travellers’ opinions on divorce as outdated and no longer compatible with developing Christianity.
Okay, I have to point out here I’m not single-minded. I’m not saying that all Gypsies and Travellers disagree with divorce and condone domestic violence. If anything a small window of hope has opened up for those stuck in a troubled marriage. The recent presence of some Gypsy women publicly getting divorced, such as Joan Furey, a bride from the ‘Big Fat Gypsy Weddings’, who one year later went and got a divorce. Her interview in a Daily Mail article implies she had no shame and no one blamed her. Do these women stand for a changing culture? Is it possible for the Gypsy and Traveller community to hold these strong views of marriage and accept that in some cases divorce is acceptable as it’s the most ‘Christian’ thing?
“The biggest honour you could ever achieve is getting your child married in a chapel, a church, the house of God” – declared by Paddy Doherty, an Irish Traveller, in an episode of Big Fat Gypsy Weddings
YES, they do seem to reflect the religious stance of marriage possessing the fundamental belief of Christianity that marriage is sacred and should be entered into with the expectation of a lifelong marriage.
BUT, is this the only motive behind marriage for the Gypsy and Traveller community? Isn’t there a reason why Gypsies and Travellers only ever seem to marry other Gypsies and Travellers? Well yes there is – the continuation of racial purity. A community who consider themselves under threat, Gypsies and Travellers are expected to marry their own to preserve the Gypsy and Traveller way of life. Paddy Doherty expressed this flawlessly asserting “I want my name to stay in the Traveller culture”. So for them is marriage really more important because God says it’s a must or because of its social purpose?
In recent years the subject of divorce has ‘rocked the Christian boat’, but for Gypsies and Travellers it’s plain sailing – for them divorce is wrong! But I ask you, where’s the sacredness in an abusive marriage? Isn’t God all-loving, so how can He accept watching someone suffer abuse? Conclusion - divorce should be an option to allow someone to escape certain marriages. Well many sectors of Christianity are now starting to agree.
People like Jocelyn Andersen, a Christian domestic violence survivor, justifies divorce using theological arguments, supporting abused wives’ rights with biblical reference. Arguments such as this one reflect a rising sector of Christianity that prompts one to consider the Gypsies and Travellers’ opinions on divorce as outdated and no longer compatible with developing Christianity.
Okay, I have to point out here I’m not single-minded. I’m not saying that all Gypsies and Travellers disagree with divorce and condone domestic violence. If anything a small window of hope has opened up for those stuck in a troubled marriage. The recent presence of some Gypsy women publicly getting divorced, such as Joan Furey, a bride from the ‘Big Fat Gypsy Weddings’, who one year later went and got a divorce. Her interview in a Daily Mail article implies she had no shame and no one blamed her. Do these women stand for a changing culture? Is it possible for the Gypsy and Traveller community to hold these strong views of marriage and accept that in some cases divorce is acceptable as it’s the most ‘Christian’ thing?
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