Among the Gypsies there was a small group of Romas, who called themselves the Antareepa's. They consisted of artisans, story tellers, herbalist, and fortune tellers. However, they didn't call themselves fortune tellers but readers of the stars. We just laughed it off as one of their "other stories".  I was often wondering why they were so particular what it was called? The name Fortune teller makes more sense, because they were telling the future. They argued they are not telling the future, but were reading the stars. They never used tarot cards or any other tools like reading palm or tea leaves. Sometimes they did use the crystal ball, but most of the time they just looked at you (rather stared then looked) and tell you what will happen in the future. What to watch out for, what herb and food to have and what you should and should not worry about.  Strange. Anyway, one day this story was told that I can never forget.  We as children had many questions, among them "Where did we come from?" Well, of course the first things that come to mind is that we were interested in the birds and the bees. Not we. We were interested where was our country? How did we end up traveling the world? So,one warm night sitting around the camp fire whilst the dinner was cooking, they were telling this story.

We come from the place called Arin. It was at time when everything was covered with snow, except a few places, which included Arin. It was a place of dreams, where we Roma all leaved as a nation. Poverty was unknown and everyone was equal. There was no difference between a farmer or an artisan as both occupation considered important and necessary. Without the farmer we would not eat and without the artisan we would not enjoy our free time after a hard day work.  Arin was pleasantly worm and the plants grew fast and toll. It was a land of plenty, with vibrant cities and full of life. The market was buzzing, women wearing colorful clothes, sellers over shouting one another to sell their produce. Those days the science of reading the stars was very important. We used it for our day to day activities and also to for tell when it will be drought so we could store our food and wait it out. The houses were made of mud and were 3-5 story high. Mud houses are the best (he nodded) as they are worm in winter and cool at summer. The buildings were painted brilliant white and decorated with carvings. Whilst inside the walls were painted with figures according to each house holder's lifestyle. If you were a musician, you would paint your wall with different musical scenery, dancing figures, and if you were a farmer, you painted your landscape and the farming activities whilst the fisherman, painted ocean scenes. So, when guests arrived the first thing they did is study the wall paintings and compliment on the host's talent, which started up a conversation about the host's interest whilst drinking mutra. When the guest left, they all received a small version of the mural painted on a leather. The more collection of these paintings you had, the more likely you can become someone who can look after the the city fair.

The borders of Arin was open to everyone who wished to adopt our lifestyle and laws. Many different people come of many colors, from black to white. It was a wonderful time, everyone leaved in peace and harmony, until the Gopayati arrived, we called them the Raksas. The Raksas never went close to a star reader, they kept far away and the readers could not read them as it was against purity law to read someone's fortune without being asked to do so. If this law didn't exist, we would still have a home, because they could of warn us about the danger we were about to face. 

It didn't happen all at once, but slowly over many years. At first they created division among man by convincing them that their job is better then the other and they should not even talk to those people who are considered less. They managed to take over many farms by cunning them and hired the landless farmer to work for them for next to nothing. Later they become the leaders of our land, creating their own laws and religion. They were ruthless rulers and enslaved us. That's when the readers of the stars got together to decide of the future. They all agreed that one of us will have to be sacrificed and look into the future for many thousand of years. What will happen to us Roma and to other man. It was a sacrifice because no man can survive when breaking the purity law without consequences and to see that far ahead into the future can even result in death. One old and brave Roma, called Darzanaaya Labhate stood up and said. I will do it as I have leaved a long life, I'm over 110. He looked like he was only 40 yrs old, as his hair was still black and his face did not show age. We got him ready for the big task of asking the stars and left him at the temple for the long night of seeing. The next morning, when everyone was still sleeping we went to see Labhate, who now with gray hair and rinkles on his face aged so much we thought he will die any minute. We gave him food, to gain some srength then he looked at us in tears and begin telling what the stars have said:

  The Raksas will not stop with our land Arin. They will take many lands, and in their greed will destroy man and the land. They will set up boundaries, creating countries and division of labor. Mother earth will suffer the Raksas will cut out her forest, stop rivers from flooding starving her to death, then invent machines to destroy the air, then the ocean. This will bring poverty, hunger and war. Many will die, then children will not be born and those who does will not live long. Which will bring the end at two hundred of the two.The only hope is to leave Arin to warn man of this danger, to look after mother earth. We listened with great sadness and disbelief. How can the Raksas bring the end to himself and to all man? Are they so greedy and ignorant?

The dinner finished cooking and the story was finished fast with this: Well, children that's why we left our country and travel. To look after earth.

This story was told by my uncle who was a bit short from a childhood disease. :)