Old Days and Old Ways

Maggie was born into a race of Romani Gypsies first discovered within Scotland in the 14th century; they were then known as 'Little Egyptians', which later got corrupted to Gypsy or Gypo, but were known to each other as 'Travelers'. People believe this group of Romanies originated from India, but Maggie strongly believes that her race originated from Egypt. From the 14th century to the late 18th century, the Gypsies were viewed with deep suspicion, distrust; sold into slavery and put to death by hanging, simply because they were so different from others. They spoke in their own Romani language, which is still intact today. They made their own medicines and potions for themselves and their horses, and, for hundreds of years, worked on the land for farmers but using old skills to make the wooden clothes pegs, paper and wooden flowers baskets, hedge laying and stone walling.