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Romania, roma (gypsy) wedding
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Fourteen year old Garoafa Mihai shouts into a mobile telephone on her wedding day in Sintesti, Romania, on Saturday, Sept. 23rd 2006. The wedding between Garoafa Mihai, aged 14, and Florin 'Ciprian' Lulu, aged 13, Roma (gypsies) from the village of SIntesti,15 kilometres from Bucharest, Romania. Their partnership was decided by their parents and not through love, and under Romanian law is illegal. The children will neither complete legal paperwork for the wedding, nor visit the local Romanian Orthodox church for a blessing. On her wedding day Garoafa wore approximately 30-40,000 USD of gold Franz Josef coins on dress, part of the large dowry that she takes with her as she begins her married life. For the guests and for the people fo the village another 30,000 USD of pigs were killed to be eaten and given away as presents of food. Another 30,000 USD was spent on famous Roma musicians to come and sing 'manele' type music at the wedding extolling the wealth and status of their patrons for the weekend in their songs. 23rd Sept 2006

