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

This thread is fascinating I don't have any questions but like several pps I have had negative experiences with certain members of the travelling community.

On the other hand, some of the most pleasant and kind people I have met were travellers (although settled, don't know if if makes a difference).

Guess what I'm trying to say is there's good and bad in all communities and cultures.

@zzzzz most travellers are in support of Brexit and are frustrated about immigration. Migrant workers can work in similar fields to travellers in some areas and charge pitiful amounts for the work they do, putting strain on work. This problem isn't exclusive to travellers but some are effected by it, others will hire the migrants to assist with their work

Pinkyyy

Doing very well, good luck in the rest of your thread.
You mentioned tracing family back 4 generations. You may have all the resources you need, but I'm happy to give you mine. I've been doing several families for about 25 years. If you are one of the main families chances are I have a relative of yours in mine. I don't think there's a family name missing from mine, but obviously some through marriage as well.

@RomanyRoots thank you. It would definitely be interesting as I've never properly tried to trace mine. I think most are related somewhere along the line so chances are we very well could be

The dialect is interesting. Some of those words have made it into English. In Liverpool they say ‘scran’

This is so interesting to read.
Can I ask, is keeping horses still important to the travelling community? When I was young my grandad used to buy and sell ponies from gypsies nearby and he spoke very highly of the skilled and knowledgeable horsemanship of his gypsy contacts. The men in particular seemed to take great pride in them.
Sadly we’ve recently seen some really appalling abuse of ponies by local travellers and I wondered if the importance of looking after them is generally less of a thing now.

@HumberElla in all honesty, my family has never been into horses (with the exception of my grandad but I was scared of them so never went to see them) so I'm not all that knowledgeable where they're concerned. Some travellers keep them, some buy and sell but I'm pretty clueless about them

I can't understand how the being 'very houseproud' goes together with the leaving public areas covered in shit and rubbish? It would be bad enough if those doing it were in some way contributing to society by paying taxes etc, but this doesn't seem to be the case. Surely the ones doing this (lower class you say OP) must know that it causes a tremendous amount of resentment by locals - quite justifiably.

What an interesting thread. Thank you for sharing.

Are the beautiful sparkly dresses worn for weddings common or just exaggerated for tv?

Thank you for answering all the questions so honestly. I think you've done an awful lot for your community tonight. One of the most interesting threads I have ever read.

It was interesting what Pinkyyy said about Appleby horse fair. I didn't realise it was the lower classes of travellers who always go there, I know both Romany and Irish do. Also didn't realise they behave so badly there. I saw a programme about it and really fancied going, it just looked lively and fun! I've been to Appleby which is a lovely place but not to the horse fair.

I agree with Pinkyyy that there are other ways of being educated than gaining certificates. Plenty of people are very successful in life who opted out of formal education quite early. They did receive education up to a point but from then on educated themselves and gained essential skills for life.

I wonder if people know that the lovely singer and actor, Shayne Ward, is from an Irish traveller background.

David Essex's mother was an Irish traveller.

From an earlier comment by another poster: a family all sleeping in one big bed. That happens in many communities all over the world and no-one thinks it's wrong (sexual activities of the parents can take place at different times and anywhere else). Obviously children eventually are too big to share a bed but it's common for small ones to sleep with parents. We are quite 'hung up' as a society about sleeping arrangements, even not having young children sleeping with us.

Pinkyyy, though you left school early you are obviously bright and articulate and have educated yourself.

Someone else asked if you had a big fat wedding dress, I'd like to know too but don't want you to think I'm stereotyping, just interested. I think it may be a more Irish thing than Romany.

Incidentally, there are gypsies in America, generally quite wealthy, mainly Romani but Irish traveller communities settled there a hundred years or so ago.

Great thread ta @pinkyy

In my town there has been a major influx of Roma in the last year or so. We've always had an amount of settled travellers locally with no issues but there is much unrest with the recent change and accusations of mugging and shitting on the street along with loads of rubbish thrown outside residential areas where they are housed.

Do you think that Roma are different from other travellers, (I only know of other Irish travellers), and do most of them want to integrate with local communities? If not, is it because they don't see themselves as permanent? What do you think can be done to alleviate tensions within a community like mine?

Lastly, is Christmas the same and do traveller children believe in Santa in the same way non travellers do?

Pinkyyy

Are you interested in your DNA and the testing for Rom or Dom. It can tell exactly which area you came from when the exodus came into Europe about 15th century.
Very interesting stuff, my ds2 has done the ancestry test, but unfortunately we can't take part in the research.
This is old chat but the history is still good. A great place to start for those interested.
romanygenes.com/gypsies-romany/4522151027

@zzzzz

OP already said that they were not being educated at all

To be fair, the same could be said of ANYONE who homeschools their children, for whatever reason.

No, as most parents will have completed high school education at least, so will be better equipped to home educate children than those who have only been educated to primary level.

Honestly this website is nuts. On any given day it’s awash with people droning on about private schools and results etc but depriving a child of their right to an education is OK? Well it’s not OK and no kind of excuse making is going to make it so. We’re privileged in this country that our kids are entitled to a broad general education. Opting out of it is not a choice that people should be imposing on children regardless of their culture.

@ginghamstarfish I think ive stated already that classes mean an awful lot to travellers, so the ones who are houseproud are not the same ones leaving all the rubbish. Saying travellers don't pay any tax is a stereotype, do you stereotype all races? I doubt they actually consider the locals to be honest, they never usually stay long enough to be able to, or they have no moral compass.

@Areyouongluedear they are exaggerated for TV, but are more of an Irish thing really. Although most travellers like to look glamorous

@interestednotnosey thank you so much, I have tried my best

@jessstan2 I'm afraid to say your probably not be very impressed with Appleby, I know for a fact the behaviour can be atrocious, especially from the young boys. I'm glad you agree with regards to education, non-travellers seem to base so much on certificates and grades. Sharing beds is quite common but majority of families will have more than one caravan when that becomes appropriate. I didn't go for a huge dress (sorry to disappoint) I think they look horrendous and even worse when they try and manoeuvre them around

@buckeejit I'm sorry to hear your community is having difficulties, in all honesty if they've been met with hostility then they probably won't respond well at all. Travellers respect those who respect them so it's probably going to be a different cycle to break. Christmas is the same really, lots of food and families, kids believe in santa. The main difference is that the children will get several hundred or even thousands spent on gifts

@RomanyRoots I will take a look at that as I'd probably find it fascinating, thank you

And I certainly don’t think you’re inferior for not having A levels or a degree. But there’s an education level between primary and A level/degree that children should be entitled to receive.

Hello OP, a big day for Travelling families in my area is the Midsummer Fair in Cambridge. Have you ever been and if so, what did you think of it?

How easy would it be for a traveller woman to exit an abusive marriage, do you think?

@Schmoobarb I'm afraid that you're simply too closed minded to realise that there is more to life than your own society. There are different people all over the world who believe and value different things, you value education, we value other things. For someone so educated, you're terribly narrow minded. I suppose that proves my point that exams aren't everything.

@ANutAsBigAsABoulder hello, yes I have been many times! That is one of the biggest events in the year for travellers. And it is also one where you'll find that the more upper class go, so will be worlds away from Appleby

@Schmoobarb extremely easy. Her family and friends would help her and support her.

Well, whatever. It’s not an either or you know, you can still instil your values on your children without depriving them of a basic general education.

But if insulting others and hiding behind your culture is what it takes to validate your own choices about failing your own children, that’s up to you.