"Peuple du vent" ("people of the wind") is another name by which the gypsies are known. This scarf pays tribute to these eternal travelers, whose legends glorify nature while recounting their magical virtues (of communicating with animals and of palm reading, to name a select few). This carre is an ode not only to their myths and beliefs, but also to their distinguished artistry and craftsmanship
As a true testament to their nature, the names by which the "people of the wind" are known describe their history, peregrinations, occupations or territorial origins - or all of the above, together. "Gypsy" comes from the Greek for "Egyptian" in an erroneous belief that these people originated in Egypt and were exiled as punishment for allegedly harboring the infant Jesus. "Tziganes" comes from another Greek word, meaning "untouchables". "Bohemians", related to their obtaining passports issued by the Bohemian king, is yet another word, as is "Lautari" (from the Romanian "lauta" meaning "mandolin", denoting their admirable musical skills), "Kokkalaris" (from the Greek "kokkala" for "bones"), "Kalderash" (from the Romanian "caldare" denoting their blacksmith craft), "Ursari" (as "showers of circus bears") or "Rotars" (from "wheels"). No matter what their names, these people are universally recognized for their distinct caravans, select craftsmanship and sought-after instrument playing artistry.
The design sports an intricate organic pattern, similar to the patterns of the Gypsy women's clothes, and has as a predominant motif the wheel, symbolic of these folks' peregrinations and fortune-telling. The scarf also depicts individuals as craftsmen and artists: male violin and accordion players, female dancers, horseback riders or circus performers are but a few of the individual elements. Equally fascinating is the representation of the legend of Sara, the Black Virgin of the "Roma" (the official name of these people since 1971). The colours in the series are all very bright, intense, unapologetic - similar to the vibrant colours of the folks' clothes. One of my favourite is the bright green, which I'll post as soon as I find a good picture of.
This scarf is a delight to wear as it ties beautifully and a great object of admiration for its own intrinsic story-telling design (albeit only for those who can wear "statement" accessories, as the pattern is quite strong and rich). The musical equivalent of this scarf would be Gheorghe Zamfir's "The Lonely Sheppard", which has invariable triggers misty eyes for me.
this is also wonderful and so representative of the inspiration from the gypsy culture
ReplyDeleteHello: I just purchased the blue version in a resale shop and am delighted to learn more about it! It is so compelling it jumped into my hands.
ReplyDeleteHello Alice, thank you for your kind message. I'm thrilled to hear you succeeded to acquire this wonderful scarf, which I'm sure you'll find both enchanting and very versatile in terms of the many styles you can wear it. Congratulations, and feel free to share a picture of you sporting it in the most appealing fashion, perhaps we can find an opportunity to feature it on this very post :o)
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