Being a Romany Traveller by Sparky

Introduce yourself and tell us about your family

I am 25 years old. 

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Middlesborough. I grew up in South bank and grange town.  I moved to the Kessingland site in October 2004.

Why are you a Romany Traveller

I was born into it.

What do you feel is important to the Traveller Romany Culture?

Keeping it the way it was

Why do you live in Trailers rather than houses?

More freedom, it is all I know

When and where do you Travel to?

I travel when I feel like it and go where ever I want.  I go where the work is and when ever I can.

How often do you Travel in a year?

Between five and twenty five times a year!

What happens at the Horsefairs?

We buy and sell horses and meet people you have not seen for years. Race horses. People sell everything, trailers motors horses. I have not been lately. It seems to be all about millionaires showing off what they have now.

Why do a large number of Traveller children especially teenagers not attend school?

They don’t want to get brought up with bad manners, swearing, sex etc. I just go to work and earn money. I started working with my dad ever since I can remember. Scrapping, trees, roofing.  Eight hours spent in a class-room being told off by teachers all day. But i think kids need to go to school just to learn to read and write.

Do you prefer the term Romany, Traveller or Gypsy?

Traveller. Romany traveller really. A Traveller can be anything new age, people travelling the world etc. The term gypsy is like calling a black man a nigger, it is too old fashioned. I’ve been in many fights over it. It depends, if someone does not know you will let it go for a while and then explain it. We will let people off a first few times and then explain.

You can be thrown out of places for being a Traveller. I have been in places where there are notices in pubs saying no travellers. Some people are scared of travellers and think they are millionaires. They also think they will be robbed them there is a big stereotype about them. The Ipies spoilt it by moving in on farmers lands, attending town council meetings claiming the rights of the Travellers and when they had f****** it up they went back to their middle class lifestyles. We just have to get on with our lives.

What is the women’s role in your culture and what is the man’s role?

Interesting! The man is the breadwinner. And the biggest majority of women stay at home and have babies. It is like a family unit, my mam kept every body together. We all work and save and when some one gets married it pays for it, usually the woman’s family pay. It is usually done in a Church, a small minority don’t get married, some Traveller couples tend to live together, they get a bad name for a bit and then people get over it.

Have you experienced prejudice from the local community? Do you feel you have any prejudices to non Travellers and other ethnic minorities?

I think there is good and bad in every one.  We just talk and act a bit different. We use terms to describe non travellers and they do us. I don’t tell people, especially girls that I am a traveller. You get different reactions to it, some good some bad.

Do you know any Roma words or anyone who speaks Roma?

It’s top secret. I can speak to people who can speak Roma, but you’ve got to be in the click!

Have you ever met any Eastern European Travellers?

Yeah! Here. They are all right I’ve met them in France.

Do you feel you have kept to the traditional Romany culture i.e. speak Roma; Travel; they way you live?

I am an old fashioned traveller. I am in touch with the modern world.  Some live in the past but it doesn’t work today