My husband Alex is a folk musician. A few years ago, a contemporary of his, Martin Simpson, played a hauntingly sad song that he had recently written. The song is based on a poem written by a friend of his named Martin Taylor. Taylor is of gypsy heritage and he wrote the poem on the loss of his little son. The song is so sad and beautiful; this verse in particular resonated with him:
"The twin oaks in the hedgerow grow strong from such sadness Grown from the grave of a lost Gypsy child And the leaves and the long grass, they whisper your name My Romany chavo, so dear and so wild."
In the Warwickshire Record (No.25 November 2008 p.25-26) an article by Heather Rendall recounted a story which she had read in “The Countryman” magazine in which a man had recently moved into a cottage at the end of a green lane in a quiet rural location. A white van passed by and the owner was curious enough to go out and investigate. The van was parked and a man was leaning against the van, surveying the lane. After exchanging greetings, the visitor offered his reason for being there.
“We were travellers, my family, until recently. We used to camp here in this lane many years ago and I come back from time to time to see my daughter. You see, when a child died, it was our custom to bury them outside the camp, arms outstretched, with an acorn in each hand. My daughter died young and that’s her tree …” and he pointed to a fine specimen of a twin oak across the lane.
Twin oaks in Warwickshire and Kent
Writing for the publication in 2015, Anne Langley writes of her Romany grandmother who told her of this burial custom:
“When passing these sites, we would always stop the car and she would get out and pay her respects by leaving some wild cut flowers by the site. We would stand with heads bowed and then carry on.”
Living memory
The idea of these trees, a living and growing memorial is such a contrast from carved stone headstones in churchyards and cemeteries. This gypsy tradition reminds us that our forests and landscapes also reflect the lives and actions of those who have lived - and died - on the land.
Green Burials Today
There is a growing trend for people to choose a green burial. In my local newspaper today there is an article recommending burials in woodland or meadow settings. They promote the use of natural materials such as biodegradable coffins and shrouds, often made locally, and the sites are managed to encourage wildflowers and native trees as well as an abundance of wildlife. Embalming is not allowed as chemicals are involved in the process. My late brother was an undertaker and embalmer. He was a great advocate of green burials and I am in favour of this type of burial for myself. Too many families today place themselves in debt over costly headstones and it’s high time we all thought seriously about natural burials. One of my sons intends to have his curled up body placed in a biodegradable pod beneath his favourite tree.
The egg-shaped pod, or Capsula Mundi.
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