I'm a traveller- AMA

[Pinkyyy]

I was actually asked on another post to start this thread, I've been debating the idea for a while but usually decide not to because I've seen threads like this turn sour before. Hopefully I can avoid that and actually provide information and educate people on a way of life they may well know very little about.

I invite you to ask any questions you may have, and I will do my best to answer them all honestly. I ask that you don't bother to comment if you're going to bombard me with racism and ignorance. If you'd like to question a common stereotype, by all means go ahead but I will not respond to those who are simply here to be hateful. I also hope you'll respect that I don't like to share too much of my personal details on here, so I'm aiming more to speak about travellers as a a whole and not so much about me personally.

So.... AMA

I am not in any way trying to defend travellers, I am not trying to make us sound superior. I am simply answering questions as honestly as I can from my lifetime of experience as a traveller. I find that the prejudice some people have is actually very sad, because whilst I am able to understand your beliefs and culture, many people from yours cannot do the same for mine.

For example, I actually had a PM (won't name who obviously and it was done in a very polite way) to say that they were unconvinced that I am actually a traveller because I am "too literate". As a community of people who pride yourselves on being diverse and accepting, why are you so happy to not extend that way of thinking to another way of life?

Misplaced pride, loyalty and superficial sense of cultural superiority
Well when you put it like that .....
obviously it is inherently problematic

You shouldn't have been questioned by anyone via PM but I have to admit I've been surprised that you started this thread but then have been unable to answer any questions specifically about your culture, history and background, also that this thread is supposedly about dispelling prejudice yet you've blamed all 'low class' behaviour on Irish travellers, another minority.

@5lnaBed I wonder how you are able to judge the proportion when as you said, you don't notice the 'well behaved' travellers

Based on the fact that there travellers make up quite a small percentage of the total UK population and in my area the anti social acts are carried out by travellers more often than not.

@BlancheM I haven't taken any of what you said the wrong way, I am sorry if that's how it comes across. I was just trying to point out that many of the things about our culture that to you, are negatives, we actually see as positives.

@NottonightJosepheen again, I think this is you judging our actions using your own morals. honour and pride are extremely important and this means we have a much closer community and families who are willing to do anything for each other. We would never see anyone else struggle, when your culture commonly see other people's problems as not their concern, we do our best to help people even if we have to go without things ourselves.

But I was defending traveller girls' dress choices, some people correlate what women wear with being promiscuous. I was pointing out that wasn't the case but ok then.

I have said nothing negative nor said I view anything as negative :/

@BlancheM most travellers don't know the deep history of where travellers originated from, as I'm sure many non-travellers are not aware of their roots too. I am not pushing all of the blame into the lower class, but it seems that the only behaviour people tend to notice is the bad behaviour that is mostly shown by this group. Also Irish travellers are a lot more old fashioned than romanies, which is why I have said that many practices (that you see as negatives) are prevalent within them. My aim in starting this thread was to open up about every day traveller life, which people may not have previously been able to learn about.

@5lnaBed I'm sure you can understand how prejudiced that sounds, saying that majority of crime in your area is committed by travellers? Is there somewhere you have found this evidence?

The one thing I've always wondered is the travellers that are constantly on the move, and I assume have no settled address, how do they MOT, tax and insure their cars. Do most travellers who move around have a fixed postal address that they would for these sorts of things?

There are advantages to being part of a close-knit small community, but a strong sense of loyalty will also tend to cloud your vision so that you downplay the disadvantages

@BlancheM I apologize if I have misinterpreted what you have said, I realise my response came across very defensive and that wasn't my intention

@cheesenpickles yes most will have a fixed address where they are able to do those types of things, or even use the address of a family member who is settled

@Wordthe I don't deny that my vision could be clouded, but I am trying to be as unbiased as I can for the purpose of this thread

Also, I used to work on a local paper and we'd often have travellers advertise their services in the paper. I often received phone calls from readers singing their praises about the great work they did and many upset people ago wanted them to do things regularly for them but have moved on.

My best friend at primary school was a lovely traveller girl called Leanne. I had recently moved to the area and all the kids in my class were quite horrible to me (moved from private school and had a funny accent). She and her brother would come for play dates and we're always so sweet and well behaved. I was gutted when her family moved on and I still remember her 30 odd years later.

Thanks @Pinkyyy I've wondered that for years.

@5lnaBed I'm sure you can understand how prejudiced that sounds, saying that majority of crime in your area is committed by travellers? Is there somewhere you have found this evidence?

Not the majority of crime, no. We have plenty of problems with burglaries, domestic violence etc and I have no idea about the ethnic backgrounds of the offenders.

I was specifically talking about anti social behaviour; the dumping of rubbish in public spaces, rowdy fights, etc. There have been numerous reports in my local area about how these incidents noticeably are due to the various traveller communities who pass through. This isn’t me being prejudiced, this is information reported in local papers and corroborated by the police.

My friend has Romany traveller ancestry (g’parents)and has very dark hair and olive skin as do the rest of his family. They are settled in houses now. Do you find many travellers of Romany descent still have dark hair and skin?

Is not voting a personal choice?

Hi all, I'd just like to add to the discussion at this time, that even though not raised as a Romany, I've learned so much from the younger members of the family.

Much of what we see as negatives are positives to Travellers.
Yes, it's very misogynistic but so are other cultures including our own.
You may not agree with it, but in the traveller community it is normal.
I have approx 25, 1x removed cousins who are young mums, doing their best for their children. Most live in council houses or privately rented homes.
They are pristine and put my own housekeeping skills to shame.
I don't agree with a lot of what happens, but it's their life and customs, not mine.
I love to hear what they are up to and their lifestyle that in parts is not so much different than ours.
As for the scantily dressed we hear so much of, that's not my experience. Yes, they will buy up the gordy and bright from Primark, and the typical large loopy earrings, but they are decently dressed.
I'm quite strict on clothes with dd, as is she now. The clothes these girls wear I'd have no hesitation in dd wearing them if she so chose too.

Ithink

I do, my skin is olive and hair raven and very curly.
I've been mistaken for European, Greek, Spanish, Italian, and portuguese.
I was born in Cheshire and my family for generations are British

@NottonightJosepheen I think that poor behaviour in the traveling community is called out and dealt with accordingly, nobody is ever silenced. It's just that we have different ideas of what poor behaviour is

@cheesenpickles you're welcome! I'm glad you were able to have those positive experiences. Many of travellers are reputable in their work but admittedly there are some 'cowboys' as I'm sure there are in all communities

@5lnaBed it's sad that you are unfortunate enough only to experience the 'bad' travellers in your area. I'd like to hope there are a large amount of 'good' ones who you simply don't notice

@5lnaBed it's sad that you are unfortunate enough only to experience the 'bad' travellers in your area. I'd like to hope there are a large amount of 'good' ones who you simply don't notice

As I’ve said, I’m sure there are plenty of decent people within the traveller community in the same way there are plenty of horrible people within the non-traveller community. The statistics don’t go in the travellers favour in my area though.

@Ithinkthatsenough dark hair and skin are common traits that stem from the Indian rootsbi believe

@BlancheM voting is a personal choice but I have never been interested in politics until very recently. I have been trying to educate myself on Brexit

@Coconutty thank you! I didn't respond to that comment as I too found it quite laughable. I agree that your English and grammar are excellent