We Are Family! Worldwide Gathering of Roma 2013: Myrtle Beach, SC USA!

April 5-10, 2013 sounds like a long way off...but not if you're planning to attend the Worldwide Gathering of the Roma in Myrtle Beach, SC. The city of Myrtle Beach is in full cooperation with the Gathering and has graciously consented to many of the Gathering's needs. We should probably start planning our 'stay' now. It may get crowded :-) There are many points of contact for this event:

Facebook - The World Wide Gathering of the Roma 2013
Brandy Riddle on Facebook
Romany Women's Union Website

Taken from the Romany Union's Website:

For those who like to camp, camping sites are available. Most of the fun and activities are being held at Myrtle Beach State Park which has camping sites as well as cabins that can be rented. If you are coming from far away and camping is not an option, there are many hotels and motels, with a full range of prices, that are in the vacinity of the park.

The organizers are also looking for male and female musicians and dancers who play and dance in the traditional Romani style. Contact Brandy Riddle if you are interested in performing or playing.

I'd like to embrace the spirit of The Gathering by incorporating some of my own thoughts with those of the Romany Women's Union: "We seek to generate ties between Romany families, communities and tribes. We are one family. And as a large worldwide family, we also embrace Travelers, and others who live and/or support a "Gypsy" lifestyle.

We are one family...family ties can only be broken by non-acceptance. I recently attended a spiritual dance workshop led by Artemis Mourat (Turkish Romany dance instructor...and then some); I didn't know what to expect but I trust Artie implicitly. At one point in the ceremony we formed a circle and stuck our hands out in front of us - our hands formed the hub of a wheel and our arms were the spokes. Artie playfully began to remove her hands from the hub and placing them randomly on each of our hands...we all followed suit until we were all placing our hands on top of each others at random...forming a moving, connected, joyful entity. It sounds simple, but it was downright powerful ... interacting with strangers and friends on the same level...the human level...this is as it should be - we are family and I am welcoming the opportunity to know more of my brothers and sisters!