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gypsy travellers quotes

I've always seen myself as one of those 'show people.' My earliest memories are wanting and needing to entertain people, like a gypsy traveler who goes from place to place, city to city, performing for audiences and reaching people.

I move around a lot. Ive lived in a ton of different places - and only for a month or two at a time. I have a deep, rabid curiosity, so I like having a gypsy life.

gypsy travellers quotes

For gypsies do not like to stay - They only come to go away.

It is impossible to imagine a more complete fusion with nature than that of the Gypsy.

Live a little be a gypsy, get around. Get your feet up off the ground, live a little, get around.

On tour I'm finding out that I am half gypsy, 40% vagabond, and 10 house cat.

There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't sit still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will. They range the field and rove the flood, And they climb the mountain's crest; Their's is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don't know how to rest.

"Things have a life of their own," the gypsy proclaimed with a harsh accent. "It's simply a matter of waking up their souls."

Was it a light only she could see? A gypsy's spell? A mystery?

The white moth to the closing vine, The bee to the open clover, And the Gypsy blood to the Gypsy blood Ever the wide world over.

Today's Gypsies, who have lived in Prague for only two generations, light a ritual fire wherever they work, a nomads' fire crackling only for the joy of it, a blaze of roughhewn wood like a child's laugh, a symbol of the eternity that preceded human thought, a free fire, a gift from heaven, a living sign of the elements unnoticed by the world-weary pedestrian, a fire in the ditches of Prague warming the wanderer's eye and soul.

I guess I haven't gotten over being lost, a wandering gypsy.

I need to keep traveling, being a gypsy, having experiences and writing about them.

Artists make art. Singers sing. Players play. Gypsies travel. Music lights fires everywhere. It's like oxygen!

Ghost?” St. Vincent shot him an incredulous glance. “Christ. You’re not serious, are you?” "I’m a Gypsy,” Cam replied matter-of-factly. “Of course I believe in ghosts.” “Only half Gypsy. Which led me to assume that the rest of you was at least marginally sane and rational.” “The other half is Irish,” Cam said a touch apologetically. “Christ,” St. Vincent said again, shaking his head as he strode away.

Flamenco is Arabic music and rhythms filtered through centuries of gypsies making music. The gypsies themselves came originally from India. And then there is the Caribbean influences... This whole idea that there is any such thing in music that "purity" is bunk, it just doesn't exist. I love that I am playing these rhythms to people. And the next time they hear something that's maybe a little more exotic, I have created a little bridge, and they are going, "Oh, this actually sounds really cool. It reminds me a little bit of that, but it's something different."

She had acquired some of his gypsy ways, some of his nonchalance, his bohemian indiscipline. She had swung with him into the disorders of strewn clothes, spilled cigarette ashes, slipping into bed all dressed, falling asleep thus, indolence, timelessness...A region of chaos and moonlight. She liked it there.

I'll always stand by my Gypsy roots, and I'll always help out one of my own.

Are you not scared by seeing that the gypsies are more attractive to us than the apostles?

I travel like a gypsy, and I didn't know how I could perform and be a mother.

And I want to rock your gypsy soul Just like way back in the days of old And magnificently we will fold into the mystic

Gypsy dance is never just to be dancing. Instead it seems to be a part of an immense and significant non-verbal vocabulary of Gypsy communication and behavior. It is at the heart of an essential transformation, a transcended state, an escape from the realities of their daily lives to a more satisfying state of mind.

And I remember most of what I know that is good and true and lasting has come not from scholars but from minstrels and gypsies.

Art is an outsider, a gypsy over the face of the earth.

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Inspirational Words of Wisdom

22 Gypsy Quotes, Inspirational Words of Wisdom

22 gypsy quotes.

Here is our collection of gypsy quotes and gypsy proverbs from a variety of wise authors.

Living like a gypsy means you are wild and free. Not conforming to the ‘norm’ means you can be your true self – a free spirit some may say! Gypsies love to be on the road and are the nomads of the world, indulging in new places constantly.

We hope you enjoy reading and relating to these Gypsy quotes!

gypsy travellers quotes

  • Gypsies dream of a world with no borders — today they would like to be in one part of the earth, and tomorrow in another, all in the search for their own identity. Muharem Serbezovski, Cigani i ljudska prava Finding Yourself
  • I am a Gypsy. I was born a Gypsy. I decide where I want to go and what I want to do. I’m proud of that. You got to be how you are. Brian A. Belton, Questioning Gypsy Identity Pride Quotes
  • I am like a gypsy with no home. I always need to move on. Evita Mantzavinou, The end of Harlequins Home
  • I feel I am like a gypsy… I am ready to leave at any time to anywhere, without property to keep me from leaving and with dance as my only luggage, the most important companion. Natasha Hassiotis, Great Choreographers-Interviews Companionship Quotes

gypsy travellers quotes

  • I am free as a breeze, free like a bird in the woodland wild, free like a gypsy, free like a child. Elyse Sommer, Similes Dictionary Freedom
  • Love like a gypsy, dance like a gypsy, Smile like a gypsy, God loves a gypsy! Norma Jean Campanaro, Reflections Smile Quotes
  • Gypsies live for the present and are incapable of the kind of application and effort shown by normal citizens. Dimitra Gefou-Madianou, Alcohol, Gender and Culture Present
  • I believe we all have a gypsy spirit, filled with desire, passion, life, vibrancy, energy, confidence, and flow. Your gypsy spirit is the embodiment of your essence and what makes you, YOU! Andrea B. Riggs, Gypsy Living Passion Quotes
  • Gypsies always know more than they let on, my brothers. Fred Wiehe, Night Songs Knowledge

gypsy travellers quotes

  • The real gypsies are happy, doubtless, as the nomads of the world’s childhood. Cesar Grana, On Bohemia Children Quotes
  • Despite the disappointing outcomes, I persist in trying to click with something or someone, wandering like a gypsy in search of her true tribe. Jane Christmas, What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim Explore
  • Anybody who has really had the experience of Divine Love, whether they live in a house or not, whether they travel or not, is living like a gypsy, from state to state, hour to hour. Andrew Harvey, The Way of Passion Experience Quotes
  • The combination of wanderlust with the happy, free, dancing spirit within made the gypsy in me all the more obvious. Kimberly Thompson, Gypsy Phoenix Wanderlust
  • Of all the feelings which the Gypsy reveals in his music, pain is the most vivid; pride, the most prominent! Arthur Friedheim, Life and Liszt Music Quotes
  • Gypsies are the human types of this vanishing, direct love of nature, of this mute sense of rural romance. Gordon Brotherston, and of al fresco life Nature

gypsy travellers quotes

  • I’ve always wanted to run away from the rat race and live like a gypsy. J Dori Callahan, Push Back Time Live Life

Gypsy Proverbs

  • Dog that travels finds bones. Prosper Mérimée, Carmen Proverbs
  • Gypsy gold does not chink or glitter; it gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark. Charley Marsh, Gypsy Gold Travel Quotes
  • Where should a gypsy go if not to her kin? Barbara Casey, The Cadence of Gypsies Family
  • Bury me standing up, I’ve been on my knees all my life. R.A. Wise, Wise Quotes of Wisdom Short Quotes
  • Love your horse more than your wife; she may leave you without warning, but a good horse never will. A French Gypsy proverbMichael Dregni, Django Animal
  • You should beware of your neighbors but strangers will not harm you. Stephen P. Matava, Legacy of the Priest Wise Quotes

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630+ Gypsy Quotes (2024) Dive into the Mystery of Travel

In the realm of literature and storytelling, there exists a treasure trove of wisdom and inspiration that transcends time and place. One such treasure trove is found in the captivating world of "Gypsy Quotes." These quotes, drawn from the rich tapestry of Gypsy culture and folklore, encapsulate a profound and unique perspective on life, resilience, and the enduring human spirit. In this exploration, we embark on a journey to unravel the significance and resonance of these quotes, delving into their timeless wisdom and the lessons they offer to those seeking insight and connection.

Gypsy Quotes 1-OnlyCaptions

Gypsy Quotes (2024)

Delve into the enchanting world of "Gypsy Quotes," where the nomadic spirit, enduring traditions, and a deep connection to nature converge to offer profound insights into life's journey. These related and unique quotes draw from the heart of Gypsy culture, encapsulating the wisdom, resilience, and timeless truths that have been passed down through generations.

  • "Our roots may wander, but our souls remain anchored."
  • "The open road is our teacher, and nature is our sanctuary."
  • "In the dance of life, let your spirit be the guiding rhythm."
  • "The stars are our compass, and the wind carries our dreams."
  • "Family is our treasure, and love is our currency."
  • "The fire of resilience burns brighter in the face of adversity."
  • "Embrace change, for it is the heartbeat of our existence."
  • "In the embrace of the night, we find solace and wonder."
  • "A nomad's heart knows no boundaries, only horizons."
  • "The road less traveled reveals the most extraordinary secrets."
  • "Our traditions are the threads that weave the tapestry of our culture."
  • "Life's journey is the greatest adventure we can undertake."
  • "The song of the wanderer echoes in the stillness of the wilderness."
  • "In the campfire's glow, stories come to life."
  • "Every path leads to a new story waiting to be told."
  • "Our footsteps leave imprints on the sands of time."
  • "The Gypsy soul finds freedom in the vastness of the open road."
  • "Family is not just blood; it's the ties that bind our hearts."
  • "Through every storm, we find shelter in each other's arms."
  • "The world is a canvas; our experiences are the strokes of color."
  • "Gaze into the night sky, and you'll find a map of dreams."
  • "Adaptability is our strength, and resilience is our armor."
  • "In the wilderness, we learn to listen to the whispers of the earth."
  • "The dance of the flames mirrors the dance of our hearts."
  • "In every encounter, we find a reflection of our own journey."
  • "The beauty of life lies in its impermanence."
  • "A nomad's heart carries the weight of a thousand stories."
  • "In the shadows of uncertainty, our faith lights the way."
  • "We are travelers, not tourists; our experiences are our treasures."
  • "The road may be long, but the destination is ever-changing."
  • "Love is the melody that guides our steps."
  • "In the heart of nature, we find the essence of our being."
  • "The road to wisdom is paved with experiences."
  • "Each day is a new chapter in the book of life."
  • "Our homes are where our hearts find rest."
  • "The horizon is an invitation to explore the unknown."
  • "Through the challenges of life, we find our true strength."
  • "The wind carries our stories to distant lands."
  • "Family bonds are the threads that never fray."
  • "Our laughter echoes through the mountains and valleys."

Gypsy Quotes-OnlyCaptions

Also Read:   Truck Quotes

  • "In the solitude of the wilderness, we find our deepest truths."
  • "The journey is the destination, and every step is a victory."
  • "Our culture is a tapestry of stories, woven with love and tradition."
  • "Embrace the night, for it holds the secrets of the universe."
  • "A nomad's heart is free, and the world is our home."
  • "In the wilderness, we discover the strength within ourselves."
  • "Our roots may wander, but our hearts always return."
  • "Life's challenges are the stepping stones to growth."
  • "Each sunrise is a promise of a new beginning."
  • "Through the winds of change, we find our direction."
  • "Our journey is a reflection of our dreams and desires."
  • "The beauty of the Gypsy spirit lies in its authenticity."
  • "In the rhythm of life, dance with grace and passion."
  • "Through every season, we find beauty in the world around us."
  • "Our footsteps leave imprints of our unique journey."
  • "The fire of our traditions burns brightly in our hearts."
  • "Family is not just who you are but who you choose to be."
  • "In the embrace of the stars, we find wonder and inspiration."
  • "A nomad's heart is forever curious and eternally young."
  • "The road less traveled is where we find our true selves."
  • "Our heritage is a tapestry of resilience and adaptability."
  • "Life's journey is a treasure trove of experiences."
  • "The night sky is a canvas painted with dreams."
  • "In the wilderness, we discover the whispers of the earth."
  • "The campfire's glow reveals the stories of our ancestors."
  • "Every path leads to a new adventure waiting to unfold."
  • "Our footsteps leave traces of our wanderings."
  • "The open road is our canvas, and life is our masterpiece."
  • "Family bonds are the ties that bind our hearts together."
  • "In the storm of life, we find shelter in each other."
  • "The world is a tapestry of experiences, waiting to be explored."
  • "Gaze into the night, and you'll see the dreams of the heart."
  • "Adversity is our teacher, and resilience is our strength."
  • "In the wilderness, we learn to listen to the voice of the earth."
  • "The dance of the flames mirrors the dance of our souls."
  • "The beauty of life lies in its ever-changing nature."
  • "A nomad's heart carries the stories of a thousand sunsets."
  • "In the shadows of uncertainty, our faith guides us forward."
  • "We are travelers, not tourists; our experiences define us."

Gypsy Quotes 2-OnlyCaptions

  • "The road may be winding, but the adventure is worth it."
  • "Love is the melody that plays in our hearts."
  • "In the heart of nature, we discover our true essence."
  • "The road to wisdom is paved with life's lessons."
  • "Each day is a new chapter in the book of our lives."
  • "Our homes are where our hearts find their refuge."
  • "Through life's challenges, we discover our inner strength."
  • "The wind carries our stories to faraway lands."
  • "Our laughter resonates through the mountains and valleys."
  • "Family bonds are the ties that never break."
  • "In the solitude of the wilderness, we find our inner peace."
  • "The journey is the destination, and every step is a triumph."
  • "Our culture is a tapestry woven with love and tradition."
  • "Embrace the night, for it holds the mysteries of the cosmos."
  • "A nomad's heart is free, and the world is our playground."
  • "In the wilderness, we uncover the resilience within us."
  • "Our roots may wander, but our hearts always find their way home."
  • "Through the winds of change, we navigate our course."
  • "Our journey is a reflection of our dreams and aspirations."
  • "In the rhythm of life, dance with passion and grace."

Gypsy Quotes 3-OnlyCaptions

Also Read:   Quotes About Motorcycles

In the captivating world of "Gypsy Quotes," we have unearthed a treasure trove of wisdom that transcends time and space. These quotes, drawn from the heart of Gypsy culture, offer profound insights into life's journey, resilience, and the enduring human spirit. As we conclude our exploration, we find ourselves enriched by the nomadic wisdom that has been passed down through generations. These quotes serve as a testament to the Gypsy spirit, one that embodies the essence of authenticity and adaptability in the face of life's challenges.

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Motivational And Inspirational Blog

40 Gypsy Soul Quotes For Your Wild Heart And Free Spirit

Ananya Bhatt

  • September 12, 2023
  • Inspirational Quotes

Looking for inspirational quotes about a gypsy soul? We have rounded up the best collection of gypsy quotes, sayings, phrases captions, and status, (with images and pictures) to inspire you to live life to the fullest  on your own rules.

Who is A Gypsy Soul?

Living like a gypsy means you are wild and free. A free-spirited person lives life as they want to live without worrying about social norms.

These non-conformists people have a unique attitude and a lifestyle that is different from others.

Also See: Free Spirit Quotes

They live a carefree life and are passionate about living their truth. A person who is unpredicatable with a free spirit has a soul that no one can tame.

Free-spirited people like to explore life and taste new experiences. Such people like to travel and are passionate about adventure.

They don’t hesitate to live an unconventional life, rather they are comfortable living outside their  comfort zone  because they live from their heart.

Also check our posts on  old soul quotes  and  spiritual growth quotes  which will give you meaningful perspective.

Top 10 Gypsy Soul Quotes 

  • “And into the forest, I go, to lose my mind and find my soul” ― John Muir
  • “Be the woman you were born to be, strong and happy, wild and free.” – Unknown

gypsy soul quotes

  • “The real gypsies are happy, doubtless, as the nomads of the world’s childhood.” ― Cesar Grana
  • “Love like a gypsy, dance like a gypsy, Smile like a gypsy, God loves a gypsy!” ― Norma Jean Campanaro
  • “I am free as a breeze, free like a bird in the woodland wild, free like a gypsy, free like a child.” ― Elyse Sommer
  • “Nothing is better than a free-spirited woman living her life the way she wishes.” – Violetta
  • “I am a Gypsy. I was born a Gypsy. I decide where I want to go and what I want to do. I’m proud of that. You got to be how you are.” ― Brian A. Belton
  • “The combination of wanderlust with the happy, free, dancing spirit within made the gypsy in me all the more obvious.” ― Kimberly Thompson, Gypsy Phoenix
  • “I feel I am like a gypsy… I am ready to leave at any time to anywhere, without property to keep me from leaving and with dance as my only luggage, the most important companion.” ― Natasha Hassiotis

Gypsy Soul Quotes To Set You Free

Gypsy souls are unique personalities who love to be soaked in their thoguhts and world. This kind of a people cannot stay for long at a particular place. They start feeling suffocated, uneasy as it is hard to tie them to a place.

These inspirational gypsy sayings say a lot about a free spirited people who love to live life on their own terms.

free spirit gypsy soul quotes

  • “I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar!” – Joss Whedon
  • “May my heart be brave, my mind fierce, and my spirit free.” – Kate Forsyth
  • “I’m just a free-spirit with a wild heart and an open road ahead.” – Unknown
  • “I am like a gypsy with no home. I always need to move on.” ― Evita Mantzavinou
  • “Gypsies live for the present and are incapable of the kind of application and effort shown by normal citizens.” ― Dimitra Gefou-Madianou
  • “Gypsies dream of a world with no borders — today they would like to be in one part of the earth, and tomorrow in another, all in the search for their own identity.” ― Muharem Serbezovski

Best Quotes About Gypsy Soul 

The gypsy soul does not have the boundaries. They love to live a life independently and always seek liberty and freedom from traditional social norms.

They love to follow their heart and chase their dreams! Read these wonderful gypsy quotes and captions that you will relate to.

gypsy soul quotes images

  • “Kiss her gypsy soul and love her for the wild rose she is. ” ― Melody Lee, Moon Gypsy

Wild heart gypsy soul quotes

  • “You can give illness to her body but you can’t take the gypsy out of that girl.” – Nikki Rowe
  • “She was drawn to the wild warriors, they had to have a little gypsy in their veins.” ― Nikki Rowe
  • “She’s a gypsy girl living in a materialistic world, Unattached to most things but in love with life itself.” ― Nikki Rowe
  • “She was a gypsy, as soon as you unravelled the many layers to the wild spirit she was on her next quest to discover her magic. She was relentless like that, the woman didn’t need nobody but an open road, a pen, and a couple of sunsets.” – Nikki Rowe
  • “There’s something about kindred spirits, you meet them and for a moment this world no matter ugly, makes sense. They bring a sense of freedom and clarity to one conversation; just enough to remind you of who you are.” ― Nikki Rowe, Once a Girl, Now a Woman
  • “Wanderlust consumed her; foreign hearts and exotic minds compelled her. She had a gypsy soul and a vibrant hope for the unknown.” ― D.Marie

Famous Gypsy Soul Quotes For Your Wild Heart

The Gypsies are the person who thinks beyond the limit. They are creative and innovative personalities.

This kind of soul is found in poets, authors, dreamers, artists, and singers. Are you a wild and free spirit stuck in the normal world?

  • “The gypsies are living poetry” ― Karl Wiggins
  • “I was gypsy when gypsy wasn’t cool.” ― Mishi McCoy
  • “Gypsies always know more than they let on, my brothers.” ― Fred Wiehe
  • “With a horse and cart, a ferret, a dog and a gun, who could not be happy?” ― Karl Wiggins
  • “Gypsies have no boundaries. They have primitive, untamed personalities and ‘that look in their eyes.” ― Karl Wiggins
  • “Truth is a lamp in your mind, faith is a lamp in your heart, joy is a lamp in your soul, and love is a lamp in your life.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo
  • “Gypsies have no boundaries. They have primitive, untamed personalities and ‘that look in their eyes.” ― Karl Wiggins, Wrong Planet – Searching for your Tribe
  • “I believe we all have a gypsy spirit, filled with desire, passion, life, vibrancy, energy, confidence, and flow. Your gypsy spirit is the embodiment of your essence and what makes you, YOU!” ― Andrea B. Riggs

Being a  free spirit might sound all fun and exciting, but people having such a personality have their own struggles.

Such people can often be misunderstood as they can come off as unreasonable, stubborn, or noncommittal.

You can use these beautiful gypsy quotes as status, and tattoo designs and let the world know about your free attitude!

Feel free to share with friends and family on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more to spread positive vibes.

If we have missed some quotes, share them with us in the comment section below and we shall be happy to add them to the list.

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Gypsy soul quotes

My soul is like a beautiful gypsy wandering through life’s endless adventures.

I have a gypsy soul, always seeking new experiences and embracing change.

In every city I visit, I leave a little piece of my gypsy soul behind.

I am a nomad at heart, forever following the whispers of my gypsy soul.

A gypsy soul is not meant to be tamed, but to roam freely in the wind.

My gypsy soul shines brightest when I am surrounded by the unknown.

The gypsy soul knows no boundaries, only the call of the open road.

A gypsy soul finds solace in the simple pleasure of the journey.

The nomadic spirit of my gypsy soul fills me with wanderlust.

With each new experience, my gypsy soul grows stronger and more enlightened.

My gypsy soul dances to the rhythm of the world, always in search of freedom.

The path of a gypsy soul is paved with adventure, passion, and a thirst for life.

I am not lost, for my gypsy soul always knows where to find its next destination.

A gypsy soul is never truly alone, always surrounded by the memories of places once visited.

A gypsy soul thrives on the unknown, always seeking out the next great mystery.

To travel is to feed the gypsy soul within, nourishing it with the sights and sounds of the world.

A gypsy soul is a wanderer without borders, forever in search of new experiences.

A gypsy soul cannot be contained; it is forever restless, forever yearning for the next horizon.

The gypsy soul is a burning flame, always seeking the warmth of new connections.

A gypsy soul is a collector of moments, gathering memories like precious gems.

My gypsy soul craves the taste of freedom, the feeling of the wind on my face as I explore.

A gypsy soul embraces the unfamiliar, finding beauty in the most unexpected places.

Every journey is an opportunity for my gypsy soul to grow and expand its horizons.

The gypsy soul knows that true wealth lies in the memories and experiences collected along the way.

My gypsy soul hears the song of the universe and cannot resist its enchanting melody.

A gypsy soul is like a wild bird, forever searching for its true home.

The gypsy soul is a magnet for kindred spirits, drawing them near with its irresistible energy.

The gypsy soul is a lover of life, finding joy in the simplest of pleasures.

A gypsy soul is like a compass, always pointing towards the next great adventure.

The gypsy soul shines brightest when it is free to dance under the moonlit sky.

A gypsy soul is a free spirit, unburdened by the constraints of society.

My gypsy soul weaves its way through the tapestry of life, leaving a trail of magic in its wake.

A gypsy soul is a storyteller, collecting tales from every corner of the world.

The gypsy soul knows that the journey is just as important as the destination.

My gypsy soul is a master of adaptability, finding beauty in every new environment.

A gypsy soul is a rebel, challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

The gypsy soul is a seeker of truth, unafraid to confront the depths of the human experience.

A gypsy soul is a constant student, always eager to learn from the wisdom of different cultures.

My gypsy soul is a mirror, reflecting the unique beauty of every place and person it encounters.

The gypsy soul is a healer, bringing light and love to every corner of the world.

A gypsy soul is a visionary, creating art and beauty in the most unexpected ways.

The gypsy soul is a warrior, fighting for justice and equality for all beings.

My gypsy soul is a dreamer, forever imagining a better world and working towards its creation.

A gypsy soul is a magnet for adventure, attracting thrilling experiences wherever it goes.

The gypsy soul is a seeker of wisdom, never satisfied with shallow answers or empty platitudes.

A gypsy soul is a bridge builder, connecting people and cultures through the power of understanding.

The gypsy soul is a reminder that we are all connected, that our differences are what make us beautiful.

My gypsy soul finds solace in the beauty of nature, always seeking out the most breathtaking landscapes.

A gypsy soul is a lover of diversity, celebrating the vibrancy of different traditions and customs.

The gypsy soul is a guardian of freedom, reminding us all to embrace our truest selves and pursue our wildest dreams.

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gypsy travellers quotes

Gypsy and Traveler Culture in America

Gypsy and Traveler Culture, History and Genealogy in America

Are you a Gypsy, Traveler or Roader, or have some ancestry in any one of such groups? This site is dedicated to you; to help you become more aware of your own rich heritage, to help preserve your traditions, language and knowledge of where you came from and who you are.

The identities of Traveling People are everywhere threatened by the flood of misinformation that is being disseminated on the web and through the popular media. This site pledges to correct such misinformation and to present an accurate and unbiased view of traveling life as it has unfolded since the your ancestors first set foot in the New World.

Preservation of your ethnic heritage and pride in your own ethnic identity are some of the most valuable assets that any parents can leave to their children and grandchildren. To be of Gypsy or Traveler background is something special, something to be treasured along with the language, customs, and cultural values embodied in a unique way of life.

If you want to learn more about your family and your ethnic group, whether you be of Cale, Hungarian-Slovak, Ludar, Rom, Romnichel or Sinti Gypsy or American (Roader), English, German, Irish or Scotch Traveler background we will provide you with an interactive forum for asking questions, finding lost relatives, guidance to accurate sources, exchanging information as well as just keeping in touch with your own kind.

To get started just send a note to ASK MATT specifying what kind of Gypsy you are and in which family background you are interested.

The foundation on which this site is built is a rich storehouse of data of every imaginable kind: documentary sources, oral histories and observations of traveling life collected in over 35 years of unpaid research by Matt and Sheila Salo. The Salos have dedicated their lives to providing a true history of traveling life in America and to dispelling the myths that are currently being spread on the web and other media.

This endeavor is based on the premise that every kind of Gypsy and Traveler has a right to his or her own identity, whatever it might be. Each of you has a unique heritage that your ancestors nurtured over centuries of hardship and persecution. Now those rich and unique identities are in danger of being lost as more and more people lose the sense of who they are; customs, language and traditional life patterns are not being passed on; some people are even becoming ashamed of their Gypsy or Traveler identities.

Again, email any specific inquiries into American Gypsy or Traveler history, culture and genealogy to Matt T. Salo at ASK MATT .

Forthcoming: This history and culture page under preparation will be divided into subject areas that you can access separately depending on your interests. If you seek information sources, have specific questions, or want to broaden your horizons by learning about other groups, we will provide the best, most accurate information available. You will not be fed speculations about Melungeons, hordes of Gypsies in Colonial America, or Gypsies and Travelers as hapless victims or criminal castes - instead all our information will be based on actual verified data that truly represents the experience of your people in America since your ancestors first arrived here.

Culture and language are not easily lost and, unless you are among those few unfortunate individuals whose parents or grandparents misguidedly tried to separate themselves and their families from their roots, you should easily be able to pick up traits of language and culture that indicate your origins. We will begin with a brief overview of the different groups to orient those among you who are not quite sure of where they belong. More detailed descriptions will follow.

Gypsy and Traveler Groups in the United States

Cale: Spanish Gypsies, or Gitanos, are found primarily in the metropolitan centers of the East and West coasts. A small community of only a few families.

English Travelers: Fairly amorphous group, possibly formed along same lines as Roaders (see below), but taking shape already in England before their emigration to the US starting in early 1880s. Associate mainly with Romnichels. Boundaries and numbers uncertain.

Hungarian-Slovak: Mainly sedentary Gypsies found primarily in the industrial cities of northern U.S. Number in few thousands. Noted for playing "Gypsy music" in cafes, night clubs and restaurants.

Irish Travelers: Peripatetic group that is ethnically Irish and does not identify itself as "Gypsy," although sometimes called "Irish Gypsies." Widely scattered, but somewhat concentrated in the southern states. Estimates vary but about 10,000 should be close to the actual numbers.

Ludar: Gypsies from the Banat area, also called Rumanian Gypsies. Arrived after 1880. Have about the same number of families as the Rom, but actual numbers are unknown.

Roaders or Roadies: Native born Americans who have led a traveling life similar to that of the Gypsies and Travelers, but who were not originally descended from those groups. Numbers unknown as not all families studied.

Rom: Gypsies of East European origin who arrived after 1880. Mostly urban, they are scattered across the entire country. One of the larger groups in the US, possibly in the 55-60,000 range.

Romnichels: English Gypsies who arrived beginning in 1850. Scattered across the entire country, but tend to be somewhat more rural than the other Gypsy groups. Many families are now on their way to being assimilated, hence estimation of numbers depends on criteria used.

Scottish Travelers: Ethnically Scottish, but separated for centuries from mainstream society in Scotland where they were known as Tinkers. Some came to Canada after 1850 and to the United States in appreciable numbers after 1880. Over 100 distinct clans have been identified but total numbers not known.

Sinti: Little studied early group of German Gypsies in the United States consisting of few families heavily assimilated with both non-Gypsy and Romnichel populations. No figures are available.

Yenisch: Mostly assimilated group of ethnic Germans, misidentified as Gypsies, who formed an occupational caste of basket makers and founded an entire community in Pennsylvania after their immigration starting 1840. Because of assimilation current numbers are impossible to determine.

This inventory leaves out several Gypsy groups that have immigrated since 1970 due to the unrest and renewed persecution in Eastern Europe after the collapse of Communism. They have come from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, the former Yugoslavian area, and possibly other countries. They number in few thousands by now, but their numbers are likely to increase.

Copyright @ 2002 Matt T. Salo

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Britain's Gypsy Travellers: A People on the Outside

Despite the popularity of shows like My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding , Britain’s Gypsy Travellers still face longstanding prejudice, warns Becky Taylor.

A Gypsy family camped in the New Forest, Hampshire in the 1890s

Two months later and Channel 4’s My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is generating waves on television. While sympathetic and giving a voice to Gypsy Travellers, it nevertheless presents an exoticised image of their lives: the horse-drawn wagons, extravagant dresses and flamboyant wedding arrangements seem to encapsulate how they remain the ‘other’ of British society. As the opening voiceover put it: ‘For hundreds of years the Gypsy way of life was one of ancient traditions and simple tastes. Then their world collided with the 21st century. With unprecedented access to the UK’s most secretive community … this series will take you to the very heart of Gypsy life.’ If contemporary images of Gypsy Travellers seem to be polarised between vilification and the exotic, can the same be said for historical depictions of one of Britain’s oldest minority groups?

While the details remain contested, it is now broadly agreed that Europe’s Roma and Gypsy populations can trace their origins back to an Indian diaspora in the tenth century, with ‘Egyptians’ arriving in Britain by the early 16th century. Despite persecution, Gypsies established themselves, finding niches in both town and countryside, sometimes being protected by landowners who found them useful as a supply of casual labour, for entertainment and sometimes simply by the inconsistent application of the law. Their treatment reflected majority society’s deep ambivalence about the presence of Gypsies and a nomadic way of life. On the one hand it symbolised freedom from the responsibilities and duties associated with settled lifestyles – typified in folk songs such as ‘The Raggle-taggle Gypsy’; on the other it provoked an almost visceral hatred, a suspicion that Gypsies could evade the law and the codes of behaviour that bound settled society to a place and a parish.

Rather than being polar opposites, however, we might understand these stereotypes as two sides of a coin – as the product of a tendency to view Gypsy lives through the lens of the preoccupations and assumptions of mainstream society – rather than being grounded in reality. Whether articulated positively or negatively these stereotypes stem from the assumption that Gypsies were irredeemably separate from the rest of the population.

Yet, contrary to these stereotypes, Gypsies and Travellers traded with, worked and lived alongside the rest of the population: an analysis of the traditional songs sung by Gypsies and Travellers, for example, shows significant overlap with those current in wider society, suggesting a high degree of interaction between the communities, particularly in casual agricultural and seasonal labour. Arthur Harding’s classic account of the East End underworld at the beginning of the 20th century, compiled by the historian Raphael Samuel,  revealed in passing how Gypsy Travellers were part of the everyday fabric of poor urban life. David Mayall’s work on the 19th century, my own on the 20th and that of the Dutch scholars Lucassen, Willems and Cottars for the European context all confirm the ways in which the lives of Gypsy Travellers and settled populations were intimately interconnected and often how the lines between them were in fact blurred. Gypsies lived in peri-urban encampments or even cheap lodging in cities over winter alongside working-class populations, making and selling goods, moving in regular circuits across the countryside in the spring and summer, picking up seasonal work, hawking and attending fairs. Far from being ‘a separate people’, their economic survival in fact depended on close engagement with the wider population.  

The stereotypes became increasingly entrenched over the course of the 19th century as Britain’s population became increasingly urbanised and the countryside became the repository for the working out of anxieties related to the rapidly changing social and physical landscape. Alongside phenomena like the folk song revival, the cult of the ‘outdoors’ and the early caravanning movements there emerged a movement of amateur ‘gentlemen scholars’, self-styled ‘gypsiologists’, who developed an interest in recording the origins, language and customs of Britain’s Gypsy Travellers. Focused around the activities of the Gypsy Lore Society (GLS), established in 1889, they became preoccupied with the foreign ancestry of British Gypsies and with developing theories about their ‘pure bred’ nature, which often tied blood lines to Romany language use and ‘proper’ nomadic living. The Gypsy caravan, which had only made its appearance in the 1830s as a result of the improving road system, became central to settled society’s image of ‘the Gypsy’, in part through paintings, such as those of the prominent GLS member Augustus John. Fed by an outpouring of writings on the subject from the 1880s, popular imagination saw Gypsies as a people who turned up out of the blue, camped on commons or byways in their bow-topped caravan, grazed horses, sold pegs, perhaps ‘tinkering’, ‘here today and gone tomorrow’. Just as the producers of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding promised ‘unprecedented access’, so too did numerous gypsiologists spend a summer living with a group of Gypsy Travellers gaining an insight into ‘the secret people’ before writing a book about their experiences. Crucially, such Gypsies were always portrayed as ‘pure blooded’ or ‘true’ Romanies, largely untouched by modern, industrialised Britain. As one gypsiologist, Arthur Symons, wrote in the early 20th century:

Why ... are we setting ourselves the impossible task of spoiling the Gypsies? ... they stand for the will of freedom, for friendship with nature, for the open air, for change and the sight of many lands; for all of us that are in protest against progress ... The Gypsies represent nature before civilisation ... the last romance left in the world.

Crucially, for these stereotypes to find resonance in modern Britain, gypsiologists constructed a theory around the decline in the racial purity of Gypsies as they increasingly mixed and married with ‘degenerate’ members of the settled population. They developed a racial hierarchy which placed ‘pure-blooded’ Gypsies, who were believed to speak the best Romany, at the top; followed by ‘didikais’, half-breeds, or ‘pikies’ – groups with varying proportions of Gypsy blood depending on which source one reads; and ‘mumpers’, who were vagrants with no Romany ancestry, at the bottom. As David Mayall observed:

To confuse the ‘true’ Gypsy with those of diluted blood was presented as a grave error that led to much injustice being directed towards the clean-living Romany. The latter, declining in numbers as the century progressed, were superior in manners, morals and occupations to their degenerate and impoverished ‘mumply-brothers’. These half-breeds were said to have inherited all the vices of the Romany and the Gaujo [non-Gypsy] but none of their virtues.

For gypsiologists anxious to discover a Golden Age and a pure Gypsy culture this outlook allowed them to pursue their pet theories, with any contradictory findings dismissed as the result of cultural pollution and miscegenation. This enabled gypsiologists to distance themselves from the squalid, urban Traveller encampments that existed around all Britain’s major cities and any other elements that impinged on romantic notions of a rural Gypsy idyll.

Just as the impetus to romanticise Gypsies gained ground in the later 19th century, so too did negative stereotypes, as a growing body of opinion saw Travellers as being out of step with modern society. Along with longstanding beliefs about the lazy and lawless nature of Gypsies came newer concerns about their unsanitary habits, which were seen as anachronistic in a nation that increasingly set store by its housing and sanitary legislation. Added to this were commonly expressed sentiments that they were escaping from paying taxes and consequently evaded the responsibilities that came with modern living. Such views gained ground particularly in times of social difficulty. During the Second World War Gypsies were a common scapegoat for the press, which depicted them as shirkers and deserters, able to escape conscription through their nomadism and evading rationing through poaching and foraging. As the South Wales Evening Post put it: ‘Many people wonder how Gypsies get off with food rationing. It is understood, however, that hedgehogs are not rationed.’

Lacking a political voice or a representative body Gypsy Travellers responded to this entrenchment of stereotypes not by challenging them but by working within their parameters. Thomas Acton first pointed to the practice of claiming to have ‘pure Gypsy blood’ as a means of asserting an individual’s right to travel, while scapegoating other travelling communities: ‘I’m a real Gypsy/Traveller/Romani, and we don’t do that, only the (ethnic category name with pejorative overtones)’. He observed that the effect of this ‘transference of blame’ was to divert the hostility of the accuser away from that particular individual to an absent outsider group which both parties could agree was fundamentally incapable of maintaining a nomadic lifestyle. While in the short run this was ‘an attractive strategy for the individual Traveller’, it was not without its shortcomings, as it served to confirm racialised definitions of

Travellers, equating a right to travel with spurious definitions of blood purity. It was not until the 1960s and the formation of the Gypsy Council that Gypsy Travellers as a community found a collective voice, one which tried to assert that all had a right to travel and that nomadism did have a place in modern Britain. While it scored some early successes, notably in the 1968 Caravan Sites Act, its influence both within and outside the travelling community has declined over recent years and has failed to dislodge the enduring stereotypes surrounding Gypsies.

Travellers have modernised alongside the rest of society and are not a ‘secret people’ living in the manner of their great grandparents. Crucially this change in their lifestyle has removed what settled society understands as the markers of ‘true’ Gypsies: bow-topped caravans, horses and so on. These images of Gypsies have become the rod with which their back is consistently beaten: failing to conform to romantic expectations, the stereotypes most often deployed in the popular press and by politicians are the negative ones relating to anti-social behaviour and an inability to adapt to the standards of ‘normal’ society.

This leads us back to the people of Dale Farm and the stars of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding . We may wonder at the dresses and tut over wedding venues cancelling bookings when they find they are to host a Traveller wedding, but this translates into neither an understanding of the place of Gypsy Travellers in British society nor positive political action. Living in an ex-scrapyard by the side of a busy dual carriageway, the Dale Farm homes are immaculate trailers from which furniture-selling businesses are run. Vulnerable through their lack of romantic visual appeal and unable to attract political representation, Travellers are facing the active prejudice not just of Basildon Council but of councils across the country, which decide not only that Travellers may not stay on their own land, but are also determined that there is no place for a Traveller community within its district. It is surely time for us to move beyond the stereotypes which have served Gypsy Travellers, settled society and historical analysis so ill for centuries and instead have the strength to embrace the diversity and richness represented by Britain’s nomadic communities. Seeing 80 families being put onto the highway will be Britain’s shame as much as Sarkozy’s expulsion of Roma from France.

Becky Taylor is author of A Minority and the State: Travellers in Britain in the 20th Century (Manchester University Press, 2008).

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10 great films about Gypsies and Travellers

Jonas Carpignano’s The Ciambra, about a young boy growing up in an Italian Romani community, is one of the rare films about the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community that avoids stereotypes of criminality or mysticism. Here are 10 other films and TV shows that honestly show the vibrant culture of the GRT community.

12 June 2018

By  Christina Newland

gypsy travellers quotes

Jonas Carpignano ’s new film  The Ciambra  is a neorealist fable about a young boy growing up in the Italian region of Calabria, part of a secluded neighbourhood of Romani people. In a nation where highly publicised hate crimes against Gypsies and Travellers have been relatively recent, The Ciambra looks at the mistrust with which the GRT (Gypsy, Roma and Traveller) community regards the rest of society. As the young protagonist Pio’s grandfather tells him: “It’s us against the world.”

When it comes to depictions of the GRT community in cinema, the feeling can be pretty similar. Travellers frequently find themselves stuck between invisibility or ridicule, and as in real life, misunderstandings about them abound. Romani people are stateless, but have been living for generations in Europe and Great Britain; Irish Travellers are Celtic (‘Pavee’) in origin – all suffer endemic poverty, social exclusion and open discrimination.

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In some ways, it might be easier to write a list of films wholly ignorant of the travelling communities they portray – in the UK , for example, the obnoxious ‘reality television’ series and films that turn travellers into punchlines or employ racial epithets. Still, some films and filmmakers have sought to counter the popular narratives of their people as criminals or mystics. Their work has run the gamut from abstract fiction to harrowing documentary; they have depicted Eastern European slums and modern travellers’ camps in Essex.

Some of the filmmakers showcased below offer honest and diverse portrayals of their own Gypsy communities; all of them attempt to purge centuries of collective myth-making that obscure a vibrant culture.

Sky West and Crooked (1966)

Director: John Mills

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Sir John Mills ’ pastoral drama  Sky West and Crooked  is an open-minded portrayal of the travelling community in rural Britain. Its central focus is an oddball romance between Brydie ( Hayley Mills ), a troubled West Country teenager, and Roibin ( Ian McShane ), a broodingly handsome young man from a nearby travellers’ site.

Examining small-town prejudice and siding firmly with its two outsiders, Mills’ film intelligently portrays the mistrust between the settled community and the travellers and underlines how foundational fear of the unknown is when it comes to racism. Kids under the age of 10 parrot that they’re “scared of gyppos”, clearly never having interacted with anyone outside their country village. With poignant empathy and a smattering of real Romani words, Mills’ film attempts to bridge the gap between communities in a heartening way. Considering this was made in the 1960s, it’s shocking how few British films since have come with such a progressive perspective.

I Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967)

Director: Aleksandar Petrovic

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Aleksandar Petrovic’s  I Even Met Happy Gypsies  has the distinction of being one of the earliest internationally released features to be made in the Romani language. Because of the tendency of nomadic people to pass down culture orally, it’s a language that has long struggled to be recognised and written into the annals of linguistic history.

Soundtracked by genuine Gypsy melodies and unafraid of depicting the shocking poverty of isolated traveller sites around what was then Yugoslavia,  Petrovic ’s story is one of small-time dramas and family machinations, filmed with a heightened black and white realism that gives it a stylised documentary feel. The subject matter, too, is ultimately fitting – ritualised courtship, elopements, domestic strife and a girl seeking to escape the cruelty of a domineering stepfather – all feel deeply relevant to the close-knit, family-oriented Traveller community.

Where Do We Go from Here? (1969)

Director: Philip Donnellan

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This  short documentary  comes in at just around the 60-minute mark, but its activist intentions are as vital today as they were almost a half-century ago when they were filmed. This BBC doc attempts to shed light on the enigmatic lifestyles of British Travellers, particularly at a time when more traditional nomadic habits were being displaced by an increasingly industrialised nation and pressure to find a fixed abode.

Director  Philip Donnellan  was a documentary filmmaker for the BBC for decades, making dozens of films on the struggles of the working class and with a particular interest in GRT issues. He allows generous time in his film for insightful interviews with his subjects, many of whom still maintain prominent family names in contemporary English Traveller society. At a moment in the 20th century when questions about alternative ways of living were becoming increasingly germane, this film turns a fresh eye to the ethnically nomadic people who had been populating Britain for hundreds of years.

Angelo My Love (1983)

Director: Robert Duvall

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Robert Duvall ’s overlooked  feature  stars a young New Yorker that the director had a chance encounter with on the street. The boy’s street-smart manner belied his age, and Duvall was intrigued to learn that the kid – Angelo Evans – came from a cloistered enclave of Romani people.

The loose narrative of the film focuses on a stolen family heirloom, but this is a thin premise for a vérité romp through the chaos of the real Angelo’s life, featuring actual friends and family along the way. His rough-and-tumble and often comical interactions – not to mention his light hustling – are captured with a pseudo-documentary style. Swirling around old-fashioned values of the community – family pride, masculine honour and the like – Duvall makes a surprisingly ethnographic character study out of his collection of on screen incidents.

Time of the Gypsies (1988)

Director: Emir Kusturica

gypsy travellers quotes

As Serbia’s arthouse director du jour,  Emir Kusturica  has dealt glancingly with the Romani community in Eastern Europe for many years. Often, this is in the mode of magical realism, which presents certain questions about the superstition around Gypsy people, and the claptrap associations with the mystical attributed to them.

Time of the Gypsies  doesn’t help much on that front: its main character, the bespectacled Perhan, is telekinetic. But what Kusturica lacks in cliché-busting he makes up for in other ways: he is masterful in his tragi-comic sensory overload-style depiction of Traveller life. Squawking chickens, muddy-faced children and noisy encampments seem to overwhelm the characters within, and their response to that impoverishment is what one might expect: denigration, crime and outright begging on the street. The magical powers might be a foolhardy touch, but the rest of the picture is unfortunately accurate.

Latcho Drom (1993)

Director: Tony Gatlif

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Tony Gatlif – a prolific European Romani filmmaker who almost exclusively makes films in the Romani language – perfectly married form and content in this  French film . Its title means ‘safe journey’, referring to the fabled ancient migration of Romani people from India into the nations of Europe. The film is a quasi-historical documentary that meets with the far-flung Romani diaspora in various countries and examines their cultural practices and differences.

Brilliantly,  Gatlif  employs no voiceover or interviews for his non-fiction film, using traditional music and dance to evoke the moods and impressions of the people on screen. “Why does your mouth spit on us?” croons a female Gitano singer sorrowfully, bringing back the centuries of discrimination, enforced sterilisation and holocaust brought upon her people. It’s a moment that speaks for itself in reverberative, literal terms.

Pavee Lackeen (2005)

Director: Perry Ogden

gypsy travellers quotes

Perry Ogden’s gentle  fiction film  is about a real Irish Traveller girl and her family, as they stop on an unfriendly roadside outside Dublin. Ogden underlines the stark contrast between the Maughan family’s trailer and the lights and colours of contemporary urban life in Ireland. Since the governments of both the UK and Ireland regularly fail to allocate legal sites for Travellers to stay in, they are often forced to camp illegally on roadsides and lay-bys.

There’s no judgement in  Ogden ’s gaze, and he charts the frequent misunderstandings between the travelling and settled communities with real sensitivity. The community officers and various bureaucracies may want the family to integrate, but there’s a refusal to see that it may mean the Maughan family would be subsuming their ethnic identity as a result. Yet the safety and continued education of the children in the family is of concern, and so Pavee Lackeen offers a measured look at both sides.

Knuckle (2011)

Director: Ian Palmer

gypsy travellers quotes

Ian Palmer’s  documentary  was over a decade in the making as he gained intimate access to two Irish Traveller families locked in a series of violent feuds.  James Quinn McDonagh  is the central protagonist of the tale – a bare-knuckle Gypsy champion with a shaved head and solemn features. A rival clan, the Joyces, have a long-held hatred of the McDonaghs over an old brawl that landed one family member in prison and another dead.

Knuckle may not do much to quell stereotypes of Irish Travellers as belonging to a violent, honour-driven society deeply in thrall to old-style masculinity, but Palmer, trusty with a handheld camera, does present the reality of what he sees: engaging, brutal and sometimes bizarrely funny. There’s a real failure to more pressingly get to the heart of what drives these bare-knuckle fights – or to truly understand the families of the men who go through this primitive, trying behaviour repeatedly. As bitter a pill as it is for some to swallow, the iron-clad tradition of bare-knuckle boxing in the Traveller community is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker (2013)

Director: Danis Tanović

gypsy travellers quotes

A Bosnian festival favourite and winner of the Berlinale Grand Jury Prize,  Danis Tanović ’s upsetting  drama  is played out by a non-professional cast who genuinely experienced the events of the film.

Filmed in an unobtrusive style, the title describes Nazif and his wife Senada, who have two children and live on Nazif’s scrap-dealing income. Because of their ethnicity, the two are refused admittance to their local hospital after Senada suffers a miscarriage. They are then forced to undertake a painfully long journey while Senada grows increasingly desperate and in need of medical care. The shocking endemic racism recalls the cruellest days of America’s Jim Crow era, where the Travellers are turned away by the institutions that they are most in need of.

Peaky Blinders (2013-)

Creator: Steven Knight

gypsy travellers quotes

Although it took a few seasons to fine tune, this historical gangster drama about a gang of vicious British criminals is one of the most accomplished televisual depictions of Traveller history. With its colourful and nuanced set of central characters born of English Traveller blood, it offers something new – anti-heroic, dashing and complicated protagonists from Gypsy stock.

Set in the Black Country of Birmingham in the early 1920s,  Steven Knight ’s series focuses on the Shelby family, a bunch of strapping Romani-born lads who come up out of nothing to build an organised crime empire. Chief among them is the charismatic and coldly feline Tommy Shelby ( Cillian Murphy , whose angular face and cutting blue eyes are put to excellent use here), a shell-shocked First World War veteran who returns to his decrepit hometown with a desire for more.

Featuring Romani language from the second season onward and input – even supporting roles – for actors and writers from this background, Peaky Blinders has an implicit importance that goes far beyond the machinations of its often extravagant criminal plot twists. When someone speaks disdainfully of Tommy’s background, he sarcastically drawls, “I sell pegs and tell fortunes.” This isn’t your romanticised view of Gypsies. If anything, it’s a reminder that English Travellers have been around for a long time, and even back then they were sick of your stereotypes.

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Gypsy and Traveller families at the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, 2015

I'm a Romany Gypsy – why is racism against us still acceptable?

I grew up facing prejudice against Gypsies and Travellers. Now the Conservative government and media are still failing us

G rowing up in a small town in Lancashire, I was surrounded by others who looked and sounded like me. It was a three-bedroomed, semi-detached, 2.4 children sort of working-class normality. Except my family are Romany Gypsies . I remember from a very young age being acutely aware of my difference from the other children in my school. My dad had instilled in us that it was important to be cautious when it came to divulging our ethnicity. Having suffered many instances of poor treatment due to his race while growing up, he was trying to protect us.

My cousin was my classmate throughout my early years, and I remember a time when we both got bullied quite badly: somehow one of our classmates had found out and started calling us “Gyppo” in the playground. This only strengthened the idea that I should try to preserve and protect this element of my identity from the outside world. I went through high school in the early noughties, a time when Britain’s newspapers were flaring up with regard to Gypsies and Travellers. In 2005, the Sun launched a now-infamous campaign titled “Stamp on the camps”, which ran for several weeks. It was so bad that there were families in our community who were scared to send their children to school for fear of attacks. Fifteen years on, it sometimes feels that we haven’t progressed at all. In April, Channel 4 ran the episode of Dispatches, The Truth About Traveller Crime. It was laden with harmful stereotypes and, in the words of the charity Friends, Families and Travellers, was “dehumanising, unbalanced and unfair”. It is now under review by Ofcom.

Throughout my teens and adulthood, I have experienced so many instances of racism and prejudiced views. Anti-Gypsy rhetoric is an acceptable everyday racism. I’ve sat in training sessions at work and had to listen to damaging stereotypes of Gypsy customers, and I’ve experienced death threats online for speaking out about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) rights on television. As an adult I’m presented with three choices in any new environment I enter, whether that be a workplace, a friendship or even a relationship: “come out” to the person and make clear my ethnicity from the off but risk unfavourable treatment; drip-feed them bits of information and hope they connect the dots themselves; or stay silent, and hope that they don’t say anything offensive or upsetting about my culture. I am constantly having to shrink or dilute my ethnicity to be more palatable to others.

Racism and poor treatment against Gypsies, Travellers and Roma people is nothing new. Half a million Roma people were killed during the Holocaust, for instance. Roma are the biggest ethnic minority within the European Union yet often get unfavourable treatment and are very rarely represented fairly. Many European countries to this day still have such things as segregated schools for Roma children, blocked access to housing registers and children being separated from their families by authorities. In 2010, the then French president Nicolas Sarkozy even paid Roma people €300 (£269) each to leave the country .

On home turf, we have our own issues. When the Conservative manifesto was revealed at the end of last year, it contained a notable plan for legislative powers to create a new offence of “trespassing whilst setting up an unauthorised encampment”, which would give police the power to arrest and seize the property of Gypsies and Travellers. When your property is a caravan that serves as your home, this cannot be seen as anything but an attempt to erase us from existence. Many illegal sites exist because councils fail to provide adequate housing or approve planning applications for legal sites for Gypsies and Travellers. As the UK currently has unprecedented levels of homelessness (estimated to be 280,000 people in England), I am stunned that the Conservatives seem willing to add to that number, forcing vulnerable families on to the street. We know that this rhetoric runs deep within the party and is something they tend to roll out before an election. One Tory candidate in Crewe is reported to have actually led a demonstration against unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller encampments in his constituency, and other politicians have been vocal about Gypsies and Travellers not being welcome in their areas in recent years.

This month is GRT History Month . It’s an opportunity to celebrate our rich and diverse culture but to also take personal responsibility for educating ourselves about the history of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people. Gypsies have been a part of British life since the 16th century, yet are still largely not accepted as part of our society. We must all seek to dismantle the institutional racism faced by our community, and that involves putting pressure on the media, the government and the other agencies that are failing us. My dad always told me: “Not everyone is going to like you”, but I’d welcome a world where my ethnicity wasn’t one of the reasons why.

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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities endure worsening racism and inequality: this must be a turning point

gypsy travellers quotes

Professor of Social Change, University of Salford

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Philip Brown has received funding from public bodies for his work on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller organisations. He is a member of the Labour Party and has worked as a Specialist Advisor to the Tackling inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities Inquiry.

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gypsy travellers quotes

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities continue to experience open discrimination and prejudice, both in the UK and Europe. Just in the past few weeks Roma people have been attacked in France as a result of fake news spread about the community. Meanwhile in the UK, the Equality and Human Rights Commission intervened in a holiday park which held a “no Travellers” rule , and a caravan site allocated for use for Travellers was subject to an arson attack .

April 8, 2019 marks International Roma Day – a day created to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the issues facing Roma people . The day was established in 1990, but since this time the challenges Roma face have remained and even increased, driven by the rise of the Far Right and austerity.

The reality of their situation has been driven home by a new report from the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee, which provides a damning critique of the progress made on addressing the inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. It also challenges the government to do more to improve communities’ outcomes in education and health care, tackle discrimination and hate crime, as well as violence against women and girls.

The committee report demands that the government develop a clear and effective plan to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, in line with the inequalities they face. The report also suggests a key role can be played by the Race Disparity Unit , which gathers information on the experiences of minority groups in the UK, by demanding that government departments must “ explain or change ” any disparities between Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and the general population.

A history of neglect

The fact is, the discrimination and adverse life chances faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller populations in the UK and Europe have been a problem for decades. Reports from the Commission for Racial Equality (in 2006), the Equality and Human Rights Commission (in 2010) and the European Commission (in 2018) have rigorously documented the inequalities and discrimination faced by these communities.

Indeed, the most recent of these confirmed that countries with larger Roma populations experienced an increase in anti-Roma hate speech, segregated and poor accommodation, even as hundreds of thousands of Roma endured a lack of access to basic services including clean water and sanitation. With the steady arrival of Roma from central and eastern Europe to the UK, there’s a real risk of replicating the hostile anti-Roma environment seen in much of central and eastern Europe, which forces such communities to flee and polarises neighbourhoods.

The UK government’s record on Roma issues has been one of inaction and neglect. Plans, such as the coalitions 2012 strategy to tackle inequalities have been widely derided for having limited scope, little ambition and weak recommendations. The most recent inquiry failed to consider the shortage of pitches and site accommodation across the UK, which many groups representing Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities would consider to be one of the most pressing concerns.

Yet the report represents a significant intervention against government inaction and hostile policy making. Few politicians – with notable exceptions such as Kate Green and Baronness Whitaker – speak out against the inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Indeed, during the inquiry, Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price said : “Let’s be honest: we are all Members of Parliament and we all know there are no votes in championing this group of people”.

gypsy travellers quotes

As with all reports prepared by parliamentary committees, the government has 40 days to respond. With the current atmosphere of anti-migrant sentiment in the UK, coupled with the continuing hostility to Gypsies and Travellers, it is difficult to predict the sort of response the report will receive. But maintaining the status quo cannot be an option.

Turning point

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, on average, continue to die far younger than members of other communities and have poorer health than members of other communities. They also experience the death of a child far frequently than other communities. The needs and position of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are so stark that considered steps must be taken.

So this should be an opportunity for the government and other public bodies to take more forceful and co-ordinated action. One way forward is for the government to use the Race Disparity Audit to address inequalities. Vocal leadership is also required from within government at all levels. For too long, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities have been used as a political football, with few people in positions of power speaking up for their needs.

Successive governments have tried doing nothing, pilot projects have been attempted and mainstreaming the needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities has been the recent approach. But all have failed over the long term or led to very little improvement. Government needs to lead and to foster leadership in others – there needs to be coordinated plans and actions. As in most areas, resources will also be an issue, but a desire and an ability to affect change is critical. In doing so, the UK will address some of the longstanding issues for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and make communities more equal and less hostile places.

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Documentary series revealing the hidden world of Gypsy and Traveller communities, delving into their unique traditions and codes to understand how this community continues to thrive. Documentary series revealing the hidden world of Gypsy and Traveller communities, delving into their unique traditions and codes to understand how this community continues to thrive. Documentary series revealing the hidden world of Gypsy and Traveller communities, delving into their unique traditions and codes to understand how this community continues to thrive.

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Twenty-First Century Drama pp 175–190 Cite as

These Green and Pleasant Lands: Travellers, Gypsies and the Lament for England in Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem

  • Nadine Holdsworth 3  
  • First Online: 18 June 2016

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In this chapter, Holdsworth looks at how Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem (2009) responded to a climate of political debate, media rhetoric and cultural representations that reflected a growing fascination and unease with the presence of Gypsy and Traveller communities at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Focusing on the original Royal Court production, it explores how Butterworth created the complex ‘heroic’ figure of Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron to reveal the contradictions evident in simplistic distinctions between the civilised ‘good’ society of traditional ‘settled’ communities and the amoral ‘unsettled’ life epitomised by Byron. In turn, it comments on the reasons why critics and audiences embraced Jerusalem as a state-of-the-nation piece that offered insightful reflection on England, national identity and belonging.

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Holdsworth, N. (2016). These Green and Pleasant Lands: Travellers, Gypsies and the Lament for England in Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem . In: Adiseshiah, S., LePage, L. (eds) Twenty-First Century Drama. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-48403-1_9

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Interim Gypsy/Traveller site design guide

Guide to assist public sector providers of Gypsy/Traveller sites to design and provide high quality accommodation that meets their needs.

1. Introduction

This Site Design Guide has been developed under the Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan, Improving the Lives of Gypsy/Travellers: 2019-2021 , published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in October 2019, which includes a commitment to more and better accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers.

In March 2021, the Scottish Government published Housing to 2040 which sets out a vision for housing in Scotland to 2040 and a route map to get there. It aims to deliver our vision for everyone to have a safe, good quality and affordable home that meets their needs in the place they want to be. Housing to 2040 announced the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund, up to £20 million of capital funding is available to local authorities over five years from 2021 to 2026. This Site Design Guide has been developed to sit alongside the funding programme, setting the direction for newly built or refurbished accommodation.

1.1 A Message from Community Members

Throughout the summer of 2021 we spoke to Gypsy/Travellers, through the MECOPP Women's Voices Project and Article 12. This section summarises some of the views expressed during those conversations. We have also added these views as quotes throughout the Site Design Guide.

Gypsy/Traveller communities are not all the same. Different people will want different things so it is very important to listen to what the residents on a site are telling you they need. While not all the same, family is very important to Gypsy/Travellers and sites should be designed with family life at the heart of them. Sites and pitch sizes need to meet the needs of different and growing families.

"Families need space to grow. Enough sites and pitches are needed so that family members can live alongside each other." Gypsy/Traveller, Consultation Event, July 2021

Like the settled community, Gypsy/Travellers want safe and warm homes where they can live and raise their families. While Gypsy/Traveller sites provide a different type of home to settled housing, they should still be of a good standard and meet the needs of the people living there.

"We are not asking for anything more than the settled community, just the same – a decent place to live." Gypsy/Traveller, Consultation Event, August 2021

1.2 Purpose of the Site Design Guide

The purpose of the Site Design Guide is to assist public sector providers of Gypsy/Traveller sites to design and provide high quality accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers that meets their needs. In conjunction with the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund, the Site Design Guide is intended to help meet the following outcomes for Gypsy/Traveller accommodation:

  • More accommodation - enough sites/pitches to meet the established needs of Gypsy/Traveller communities;
  • Accommodation in suitable locations, taking into account place making principles including, for example, access to local services;
  • Sites that provide pleasant places to live and include attractive outdoor space, communal facilities and appropriate facilities, including for children and young people;
  • A mix of accommodation with layout and facilities that meet the needs of residents and provides for different family sizes and preferences and to allow for movement to different accommodation on the same site if circumstances change;
  • Accommodation built to a high standard, in line with other public housing and relevant principles set out in Housing to 2040;
  • Accommodation that is durable, sustainable, flexible, safe, secure, digitally connected, warm and economic to run and at a level of rent that represents value for money for residents;
  • Accommodation that meets accessibility standards and provides for a range of needs, including families with members who are elderly, disabled or have caring responsivities;
  • Improved satisfaction with accommodation and more meaningful engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities;
  • Additional transit provision, where needed, to facilitate travelling and foster good relations with the settled community.

1.3 Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund

The Scottish Government and COSLA Leaders have agreed that the Fund should initially be focussed on a number of demonstration projects that can establish examples of model sites. These first projects will allow us to take a flexible approach, trialling the Site Design Guide, exploring what good quality Gypsy/Traveller accommodation that reflects Housing to 2040 principles looks like, and seeking cost effective ways of delivering it. This approach will be reviewed in later years of the Fund. More information on the Fund can be found on the Scottish Government website or by emailing [email protected]

1.4 Development of the Site Design Guide

Work under Improving the Lives of Gypsy/Travellers: 2019-21, identified the need for a Site Design Guide for new sites or major refurbishment of existing sites. The drive was to set a high quality standard for the future, so that the Minimum Standards for Gypsy/Traveller accommodation, published in 2015, were not seen as the standard for new accommodation.

The Site Design Guide has been developed using current published information and information gathered from Gypsy/Traveller communities on their accommodation needs and preferences, with the input of policy leads and stakeholders. An online survey gathered the views of Gypsy/Travellers to support the development of the Site Design Guide from December 2020 – March 2021. We have referenced the results of the survey and included feedback from discussions with members of Gypsy/Traveller communities throughout the Site Design Guide.

The Scottish Government would like to thank all members of Gypsy/Traveller communities who contributed to the development of the Site Design Guide through completing the online survey or by giving their time to discuss their views with us.

The Site Design Guide seeks to:

  • Establish parity with the most relevant standards for the settled community and continue to maintain parity going forward e.g. the standards expected in social housing under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme ( AHSP ).
  • Link to existing standards where possible but select and combine most relevant standards if needed.
  • Stretch and future proof, where there is a need to do this to meet the outcomes and to ensure that Gypsy/Traveller accommodation develops in line with the principles in Housing to 2040.
  • Support the design process so that Gypsy/Traveller sites meet the needs and aspirations of residents as closely as possible.

1.5 Meeting the Needs of Gypsy/Travellers

Sites are used by Gypsy/Traveller communities in different ways. Some have long standing residents, perhaps only leaving the site to travel in the summer season while on others, families tend to stay for a shorter period. Some may only be open during the summer season or have mixed patterns of use. This Site Design Guide does not offer a single site design to meet the needs of Gypsy/Travellers. It sets out key considerations for the design process. These may need to be prioritised in consultation with residents and community members, e.g. depending on the space available or other limitations on the site. The demonstration projects will help to explore the costs attached to modern site development and how local authorities balance available resources and the priorities of Gypsy/Traveller communities. It also includes some forward looking standards to ensure that newly built or renovated sites offer high quality, robust accommodation that helps deliver on the objectives set out in Housing to 2040.

1.6 Terminology

In this Site Design Guide we have used the following terms. Please note this section defines these terms for the purposes of this document, and is not (and is not intended to be) a reference for how these terms are used in legislation, other guidance or by local authorities and others.

Amenity Block – permanent building on a pitch that usually provides bathroom, kitchen and storage facilities. Some amenity blocks will also provide some living space, for example a day room. There is one amenity block per pitch and facilities are not shared.

Caravan – a caravan that the resident uses to provide their sleeping accommodation. This is provided by the resident and not the site provider.

Residential Mobile Home – a residential mobile home that someone lives in as their residence, this is sometimes referred to as a park home or a chalet. This may be provided by the site provider or may be installed on a pitch by a resident by agreement.

Permanent Site – sites that are open all year round and provide long term accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers. While some residents may travel during the summer months, they retain their pitch and occupancy agreement and return to the site following the period of travel. Some residents stay on the same site for many years while others will stay for shorter periods.

Seasonal Site – sites that are open for part of the year. Generally residents travel to and stay on the site for the period of time that it is open.

Transit Site – sites that are open all year round to provide access to facilities while people are travelling. People tend to stay on the site for much shorter periods of time.

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  21. Interim Gypsy/Traveller site design guide

    1. Introduction. This Site Design Guide has been developed under the Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan, Improving the Lives of Gypsy/Travellers: 2019-2021, published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in October 2019, which includes a commitment to more and better accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers. In March 2021, the Scottish Government published Housing to 2040 which sets out a vision ...

  22. Gypsy/Traveller Quotes

    Gypsy/Traveller Quotes. 12,966 likes · 24 talking about this. Community