The family home in Brateiu

This Roma gypsy family welcomes visitors to their home, benefiting from the development of tourism in rural Romania. Coppersmiths for generations, the family have built a home in Brateiu alongside other Roma families who no longer travel. They offer visitors a welcome palinka (the local brandy), demonstrate their skills and display for sale the beautiful products they make. The family also danced for us enouraging us to join in.

Three generations live together in the large house, the father and grandfather making kettles, plates, bowls and other copper items, using skills passed down through the generations.

Traditionally, if a boy is the first-born the family will have no more children however if girls come first they will continue to try for a son. The girls leave school at thirteen to be married. The arrangements involve a dowry of blankets, embroidered shawls and a substantial sum paid to the boy's family. There are more girls than boys and sometimes girls are kidnapped.

Their lives are vry different from their peripatetic forebears as they adapt to the modern world but many traditions continue unchanged.