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“Everything is exchange”: essay on gypsy catira in Minas Gerais

Abstract:

The article deals with the catira, also known as breganha, among the Calon Romanies, a system of exchanges that puts things and people in constant movement. It is argued that the entire production of relations among Calon, and between Calon and non-Romani follows the logic of the catira, always involving a game of negotiations, a chaining of exchanges, and the production and actualization of bonds between exchange partners. Some rules and the margins of advantage are a subject of change, since they depend on whether the partner is a non-Romani or a relative. In any situation, however, keeping one's word (palavra) is of paramount important.

Keywords:
Gypsies; Exchange; Catira; Movement

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