kengr

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grave-of-the-gypsy-queen

In February 1915, thousands of Romany people from all around the United States slowly but surely made their way to the town of Meridian in Mississippi. Their queen had died and they wanted to pay their respects to the head of the clan.

Queen Kelly Mitchell passed away on January 31, after suffering complications during the birth of her 15th child (some reports put the number at 14), while the family was camped out in Coatopa, Alabama. Her husband, King Emil, had sought local medical assistance and even offered a fee of $10,000 if doctors could save her, but the efforts were in vain. The couple were the leaders of the Mitchell clan of Romany people, one of the largest in America, and Emil, who was born in Brazil, had moved to the country as a child and had been crowned king in 1884.

Romany people are a traditionally nomadic group, thought to originally belong to the northwest of India. They were once commonly referred to as gypsies, but that term has now taken on a negative racial connotation. Widespread movement across centuries has led to their presence all around the globe, where they assimilated the culture of the different places they live in but also retained a distinct Romany identity.

After Mitchell's death, it was decided that she would be buried at the Rose Hill Cemetery in nearby Meridian and her body was placed in state for 12 days, to allow time for more people to come and pay tribute.

Queen Kelly’s funeral was a distinctly Romany event, which nearly 20,000 of her people attended, creating a musical party atmosphere in the overflowing town. A newspaper report about the funeral read, “Her swarthy face with its high cheekbones is typical of Romany tribes and the head, the upper portion of which is covered with bright silken drapery pinned at the back with pins, rests upon a cushion of filmy silk and satin. The hair is braided Gypsy fashion and the dark tresses shine. The body is attired in a Royal robe of Gypsy Green and other bright colors contrasting vividly with the somber hues usual under such circumstances.”

Rumors that an extravagant coffin was crafted out of gold for her at a cost of $15,000, and that gold coins had been thrown into the casket at the time of the burial, took root, and the site was damaged several times by grave robbers before it was reinforced with better materials.

Despite these attempts, the gravesite is a festive corner of the cemetery, with its many trinkets that people leave, hoping that the gifts will please her and their problems will be solved. Crush orange soda cans also dot the grave, as this is rumored to be have been the queen's favorite drink. Beads, coins, whiskey, and cigarettes are some other common offerings to the deceased Romany leader. Her husband, who died 27 years after her, is buried next to her, along with some of the other members of the Mitchell family.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grave-of-the-gypsy-queen

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/corolla-wild-horses

Wild horses were abundant in the Americas until about 13,000 years ago. Luckily, they had already spread around the world by the time they became extinct within their native land. Thanks to the Spanish conquistadors from whom they escaped in 16th century, horses returned to the continent, though they’re now considered feral instead of wild.

Corolla, North Carolina is one of the best places to see the Banker horse, a rare breed that descended from the escaped Spanish stock. The Banker strain of the Colonial Spanish Mustang lives on the barrier islands of the Outer Banks. It’s one of the oldest horse breeds in the United States.

They’re a small, hardy stock—so small, they should technically be classified as ponies and not horses. Their short backs and low tails make them distinctly different from other types of American mustangs. Because of their relative isolation, the Banker horses around Corolla haven’t had a change to mix with other breeds and dilute their Spanish lineage.

How the horses actually arrived in the area is still a bit of a mystery. Some suspect they swam ashore after surviving shipwrecks. Others think they were simply left behind when the Spanish conquistadors abandoned their North Carolina colonies. The mysterious origin story adds to their allure.

Horse tours are one of the main economic activities in Corolla. Because of the hordes of visitors each week hoping to catch a glimpse of the herd, authorities became concerned about the well-being of the few hundred feral horses roaming about the area. There are now beach patrols in charge of educating people about the equines and how to coexist with them. It’s illegal for anyone to come within 50 feet of the horses.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/corolla-wild-horses