Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller History Month: History, Facts, Resources, and Advocacy
June is Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) History Month. This year we are celebrating by putting together a collection of resources, information, and links highlighting the past and present of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller culture and lived experience.
Who are Gypsies, Roma, and Travellers and what is their history?
Here is a short animated history of Britain's Gypsy, Traveller, and Roma peoples, from Traveller Times. Watch "Roads from the Past":
Where can I learn more about the experiences of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people?
The SEIN Library has a selection of books available to borrow for free detailing different aspects of Roma, Traveller, and Gypsy histories and present day experiences. We have Romaphobia - The Last Acceptable Form of Racism, which is based on first-hand accounts from Roma communities, Romaphobia is an examination of the discrimination faced by one of the most persecuted groups in Europe; we also have Hearing the Voices of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities – Inclusive Community Development - this topical book is the first to chart the history and contemporary developments in GRT community activism, and the community and voluntary organisations and coalitions which support it. You can also find Bury Me Standing - The Gypsies and their Journey - detailing the travels of Isabel Fonseca, who lived and travelled with the Gypsies of Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the former Yugoslavia, Romainia, and Albania – listening to their stories and recording their attempts to become something more than despised outsiders; and finally we have We are the Romani People - the author, who is himself a Romani, speaks directly to the gadze (non-Gypsy) reader about his people, their history since leaving India one thousand years ago and their rejection and exclusion from society in the countries where they settled, their health, food, culture and society.
To borrow any of these books for free from the SEIN Library, please email info@seinglasgow.org.uk
How do I make my services more accessible and inclusive for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people?
We have a number of free downloads and resources available on the SEIN website, which cover different areas of policy and practice:
Gypsy, Traveller & Roma: Experts by Experience is a report reviewing UK Progress on the European Union Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies.
Adaptable Public Services: Barriers to Service Access for Roma Communities in Govanhill, Scotland is a dissertation for MSc. Global Migrations & Social Justice exploring how local services are addressing the needs & barriers Roma communities face in accessing services within the Govanhill locality.
Debunking Myths & Revealing Truths about the Roma is an accessible resource giving information and challenging common misconceptions about Roma communities.
Finally Til Doomsday in the Afternoon: A Gypsy/Traveller Perspective on the history, culture and traditions of the community in Scotland is a resource designed to enable practitioners to raise awareness and understanding of the history, culture and traditions of the Scottish Gypsy/Traveller community and work with young people to identify and seek solutions to the key ‘flash points’ [or conflicts] that often occur between Gypsy/Travellers and the ‘settled’ community.
You can also find teaching resources available for free here
Who can I follow on social media to increase my awareness of the experiences of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people?
Romano Lav - Roma community organisation based in Govanhill, Glasgow.
Ando Glaso - Nurturing Roma Talent
The Space - enables people to live flourishing lives. 4 streams of support: Community Drop-in, Community Integration, Building Better Futures & Building Community
Traveller's Times - Magazine & Website by Gypsy, Roma & Traveller people for all to enjoy - challenging stereotypes & improving lives.
The Traveller's Moment - A leading national charity working in partnership with Irish Travellers, English Romany Gypsies and Roma, challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion.
The Roma Support Group - Building bridges between Roma and non-Roma to overcome prejudice, foster understanding and improve the lives of Roma refugees and migrants in the UK.
LGBTIQ Roma - Existed since the beginning of time and not going away
ERGO Network - Strong and independent grassroots organisations are key for Roma to become equal stakeholders in society. Funded by EU's EaSI Programme. Views here are our own.
RomaReact.org - Building community that reacts on #antiGypsyism, identifies solutions to individual stories #RomaReact #OpreRoma #RomaDignity #WallFreeEurope #RomaniResistance
FFT - Getting a fair deal for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.
romaeducation - REF’s mission: closing the gap in educational outcomes between Roma and non-Roma by supporting policies and programs that ensure #qualityeducation for Roma
ERIO - As an advocacy NGO we fight discrimination against Roma, promote their inclusion and raise awareness of these communities
Romani Language Lessons - Need to learn Romani? Follow the links to watch easy to follow Romani lessons, stories in Romani and SLT advice on my YouTube channel (Romani Language Lessons).
Report Racism GRT - Report Racism GRT Report Racism Report Racism GRT is a hate incident reporting site and support service for Gypsy Roma Travellers.