River Gypsies
River
gypsies are an ethnic group of people in Bangladesh. They are locally known
as ‘bedey’. They are a nomadic people. Their own lifestyle and culture mark
them off as a different community. They live in groups. They are landless. They
roam across rivers and waters in between May and December in small boats. Boats
are actually their homes. When water dries up in winter, they return to river
banks on the mainland. There they make tarpaulin tents. They usually have an
idle time then. But during the monsoon, they keep busy fishing. Besides
fishing, their men collect pearls, show snake charming or sell herbal cures.
The women usually hawk bangles, cosmetics, toys etc. Some women heal pains or
relieve tooth troubles by sucking out blood from people’s bodies. Many believe
that these gypsies know charms. However, life is getting hard for the people.
Waters are declining. They are living an isolated life without education or
medical facilities. Efforts are on to bring them down to the mainstream
society. We hope they will have better life in near future.
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