Scottish Travellers
Encyclopedia
Scottish Travellers, or the people termed loosely Gypsies and Tinkers in Scotland, consist of a number of diverse, unrelated communities, with groups speaking a variety of different languages and holding to distinct customs, histories, and traditions. There are six distinct communities that identify themselves as Gypsies or Travellers in Scotland: Indigenous Highland Travellers; Funfair
Travellers, or Showmen; Romanichals (a subgroup of the Romani people) and Lowland Scottish travellers. In modern times, Irish Traveller
; New Age travellers
and Romani people from continental Europe (especially Roma) have emigrated to Scotland.
and Norwegian and Swedish Travellers (the latter Romanisæl who are themselves descended from Romani groups from Scotland).
Lowland Scottish Travellers share many cultural features with European Gypsy communities such as a belief in the importance of family and family descent, a strong valuing and involvement with extended family and family events, a preference for self-employment, purity taboos (among the Romani people the purity taboos are part of the Romanipen
) and a strong commitment to a nomadic lifestyle.
, when an entry in the Book of the Lord High Treasurer records a payment to Peter Ker of four shillings, to go to the king at Hunthall, to get letters subscribed to the 'King of Rowmais'. Two days after, a payment of twenty pounds was made at the king's command to the messenger of the 'King of Rowmais'. A group of Roma danced before the Scottish king at Holyrood Palace
in 1530, and Romani herbalist called Baptista cured the king of an ailment. Romany migration to Scotland continued and in the 16th century as some groups were expelled from England resulting in their migration across the border to Scotland. Records in Dundee c.1651 shows the migrations of small groups of people called by the name of Egyptians in the Highlands, and are noted to be of the same nature as of the English Gypsies. By 1612 communities are recorded as far as Scalloway
in the Shetland islands
. The Finnish Kale
a Romani group in Finland, maintain that their ancestors had originally were a Romani group who travelled from Scotland
, thereby supporting the idea that they and the Scandinavian Travellers are distantly related to present-day Scottish gypsies and Romanichals. Romani population in the south of Scotland, enjoyed the protection of the Roslyn family and made an encampment within the castle grounds. However as with its neighbour England, the Scottish parliament in 1609 passed an act against Romani groups known as the “Act against the Egyptians”; that made it lawful to condemn, detain and execute Gypsies on proof solely if they are known or reputed to be Romanies on regards to their ethnic origins.
, called Cant
, includes many words in common with Romani including Anglo-Romany words. Between 25-35% of Scottish Cant originates in a Romani-derived lexicon. Containing up to 50% or more Romani loan words in some groups of the Central Belt
of Scotland, those who are Romanichal or Scottish border Gypsies. Which demonstrates the intermarriage and links between Scottish travelers and English Romani populations, historically and in recent times. This can be seen as some people from the Scottish travelling community are even members of Romani organisations based in England and are a minority group in Scotland. Includes Romanies of English heritage in Scotland, Scottish phonology however differs in some respects from that of Angloromany, and there are items of Romani origin which some researchers have referred as Scoto-Romani, which has not been recorded in the other Romani languages of Britain, suggesting an earlier history for the Scottish Romani population and grouping other than that of being an indigenous group. The earliest texts survive from the 16th century perhaps to the late Medieval and may represent one of the oldest of the component traveller dialects of the British Isles
. More research is needed into the Scottish traveller Cant variant.
, who are also Romani. The first official mention of Travellers in Britain
was in 1505, when it was recorded that seven pounds were paid to 'Egyptians' by King James IV
at Stirling
. They enjoyed a privileged place in Scottish society until the Reformation
, when their wandering lifestyle and exotic culture brought severe persecution upon them. Romani populations from other parts of Britain often travel in Scotland. These include English Romanies and Welsh Kale. English Gypsies/Travellers from the north of England mainly in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Cumbria
as well as an annual gathering at Appleby Horse Fair
may be part of common communities with Scottish Travellers living in the Lowlands and borders. Romanichal traders were upwardly mobile, by 1830 travelled to the potteries in Staffordshire and buying china and other goods, selling the items chiefly in Northumberland, while based in Kirk Yetholm
in Roxburghshire
. Some people from the Scottish travelling community are even members of Romani organisations based in England and are a minority group in Scotland. Includes Romanies of English heritage in Scotland,
they are known as the Ceàrdannan ("the Craftsmen"). The English term 'travelling people' has been adopted into contemporary Gaelic as luchd siubhail (people of travel) but this is a wider term covering other groups of travellers too and it still has to gain full currency and comprehension amongst ordinary Gaelic speakers. Poetically known as the Summer Walkers, Highland Travellers are a distinct ethnic group and may be referred to as traivellers, traivellin fowk, in Scots
, tinkers, originating from the Gaelic tinceard or (tinsmith) or "Black Tinkers". Mistakenly the settled Scottish population may call all travelling and Romani groups tinkers, which is usually regarded as pejorative, and contemptuously as tinks or tinkies.
Highland Travellers are closely tied to the native Highlands, and many traveller families carry clan names like Macfie
, Stewart, MacDonald
, Cameron
, Williamson and Macmillan
. They follow a nomadic or settled lifestyle; passing from village to village and are more strongly identified with the native Gaelic speaking population. Continuing their nomadic life, they would pitch their bow-tents on rough ground on the edge of the village and earn money there as tinsmith
s, hawker
s, horse dealers or pearl
-fishermen. Many found seasonal employment on farms, e.g. at the berry picking or during harvest. Since the 1950s, however, the majority of Highland Travellers have settled down into organized campsites or regular houses.
Adam Smith
, the economist and philosopher, was reportedly kidnapped by Highland Travellers at a young age before quickly being freed.
'. It is related to the Irish Traveller Shelta as a creol of the Goidelic
language group. It was used as a cultural identifier, just as Roma used the Romani language
. However like the Highland Traveller the language is unrelated to the Romani languages.
s. As with their Irish counterparts, there are several theories regarding the origin of Scottish Highland travellers, one being they are descended from the Picts
, excommunicated clergy, to families fleeing the Highland potato famine, or the pre-Norman-Invasion, have been claimed at different times. Highland travellers are distinct both culturally and linguistically from other Gypsy groups like the Romani, including the Romanichal, Lowland Scottish Travellers, Eastern European Roma and Welsh Kale groups. Several other European groups are related to the Scottish Highland Travellers, and share similarities to other non-Romany groups across Europe, namely the Yeniche
s, Woonwagenbewoners in Holland, and Landfahrer in Germany. As with Norwegian and Swedish Travellers, Highland travellers origins may be more complex and difficult to ascertain and left no written records of their own.
As an indigenous group Highland Travellers have played an essential role in the preservation of traditional Gaelic culture. Travellers' outstanding contribution to Highland life has been as custodians of an ancient and vital singing, storytelling and folklore tradition of great importance. It is estimated that only 2,000 Scottish travellers continue to lead their traditional lifestyle on the roads.
Funfair or travelling showmen are a community of travellers officially called occupational Travellers, that can be categorized broadly defined as a business community of travelling show, circus communities and fairground families. Occupational travellers travel for work across Scotland, the rest of the UK and into Europe. The Show/Fairground community is close knit, with ties often existing between the older Romanichal families, although showmen families are a distinct group and have a vibrant social scene centered both around the summer fairs and the various sites and yards used as winter quarters. Many Scottish show and fairground families live in winter communities based mainly in the east end of Glasgow. Housing an estimated 80% of all showfamilies Glasgow is believed to have the largest concentration of Showmen funfair quarters in Europe
, centred mostly in Shettleston
, Whiteinch
and Carntyne
.
Showmen families have a strong cultural identity as ‘Scottish Showmen’, as well as long histories within these communities. Scottish Showmen are members of an organisation called Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
and Ireland, and are known within the UK as the “Scottish Section” of a wider British showman community. As with other showmen communities they call non-travellers including members of the public, and other non related travelling groups including Romanichal, Roma, Scottish Lowland traveller/Gypsy groups, and Highland traveller, Irish Travellers as “Flatties” or non-`showmen’ travellers in their own Polari language
. The label of "Flattie-Traveller" can include showmen who have left the traditional way of life to settle down and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
s. In the Middle Ages the Royal charters gave the fairs legal status and developed their economic importance. The majority of fairs held in Scotland and the rest of the British Isles
can trace their ancestry to charters granted in the medieval period. Traders would travel long distances to sell their goods, as did travelling musicians and entertainers who kept both the traders and customers entertained. In the thirteenth century, the creation of fairs by royal charter was widespread. Between 1199 and 1350 charters were issued granting the rights to hold markets or fairs. Kirkcaldy
links market remains the premier funfair in Scotland, evolving from a charter granted by Edward I in 1304. By the early 18th century the main aspect of these Scottish charter fairs had diminished and shifted to that of amusement with the advent of technology, and had evolved into the modern day travelling fairs.
The modern travelling showmen have as strong a family history and heritage as do their counterparts in Wales and England. Fairs in Scotland are presented around the same time as they are in the rest of Great Britain
with a similar mixture of Charter, Prescriptive and private business fairs. The run of fairs include Buckie
fair, Inverness
, Kirkcaldy
links market and the historic fairs held at Dundee
and Arbroath
. Annually a team of young showmen from both Scotland and England play an “international football match” known as the international, where trophies and caps are held in high esteem. A Showman newspaper; World's Fair
is in circulation and available to showmen and non showmen alike.
slang
spoken throughout the U.K. by Scottish, English and Welsh showfamilies. It is a mixture of Lingua Franca
, Romany, Yiddish, Cant
London slang
and backslang). The language has been spoken in fairgrounds and theatrical entertainment since at least the 17th century. As theatrical booths, circus acts and menageries were once a common part of European fairs it is likely that the roots of Polari/Parlyaree lie in the period before both theatre and circus became independent of the fairgrounds. The Parlyaree spoken on fairgrounds tends to borrow much more from Romany
, as well as other languages and argots spoken by other travelling groups, such as cant
and backslang.
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
Travellers, or Showmen; Romanichals (a subgroup of the Romani people) and Lowland Scottish travellers. In modern times, Irish Traveller
Irish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
; New Age travellers
New age travellers
New Age Travellers are groups of people who often espouse New Age or hippie beliefs and travel between music festivals and fairs in order to live in a community with others who hold similar beliefs. Their transport and homes consist of vans, lorries, buses, narrowboats and caravans converted into...
and Romani people from continental Europe (especially Roma) have emigrated to Scotland.
Lowland Scottish travellers
Origins of Scottish lowland travellers is not clear, and can be categorized into three main theories, i) those of indigenous origin to the British Isles, like the Scottish Highland and Irish traveller communities, ii) they are of Indian origin and have a common ancestry with the English Romanichal, and continental Romani groups, iii) or a fusion or mix of Romani and indigenous traveller groups. Regardless of the accepted theories, there has been a certain degree of socio-biological fusion historically between Romani groups and indigenous Scottish travellers, perhaps from the outset of Romani groups arriving in Scotland in the early 16th century. and there are Scottish travellers with at least some degree of Romani including Romanichal ancestry. This is not uncommon and can be seen in other groups throughout Europe including the Yeniche peopleand Norwegian and Swedish Travellers (the latter Romanisæl who are themselves descended from Romani groups from Scotland).
Lowland Scottish Travellers share many cultural features with European Gypsy communities such as a belief in the importance of family and family descent, a strong valuing and involvement with extended family and family events, a preference for self-employment, purity taboos (among the Romani people the purity taboos are part of the Romanipen
Romanipen
Romanipen is a complicated term of Romani philosophy that means totality of the Romani spirit, Romani culture, Romani Law, being a Romani, a set of Romani strains....
) and a strong commitment to a nomadic lifestyle.
History
Written evidence for the earliest presence of Gypsies in Britain more specifically to the Scottish Lowlands can be dated to 1505, in the reign of James IVJames IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
, when an entry in the Book of the Lord High Treasurer records a payment to Peter Ker of four shillings, to go to the king at Hunthall, to get letters subscribed to the 'King of Rowmais'. Two days after, a payment of twenty pounds was made at the king's command to the messenger of the 'King of Rowmais'. A group of Roma danced before the Scottish king at Holyrood Palace
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle...
in 1530, and Romani herbalist called Baptista cured the king of an ailment. Romany migration to Scotland continued and in the 16th century as some groups were expelled from England resulting in their migration across the border to Scotland. Records in Dundee c.1651 shows the migrations of small groups of people called by the name of Egyptians in the Highlands, and are noted to be of the same nature as of the English Gypsies. By 1612 communities are recorded as far as Scalloway
Scalloway
Scalloway is the largest settlement on the North Atlantic coast of Mainland, Shetland with a population of approximately 812, at the 2001 census...
in the Shetland islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
. The Finnish Kale
Finnish Kale
The Finnish Kale "blacks") or the Finnish romanis are a group of the Romani people that live primarily in Finland and Sweden.Their main languages are Finnish and Finnish Romani. They are mostly Christian.-History:...
a Romani group in Finland, maintain that their ancestors had originally were a Romani group who travelled from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, thereby supporting the idea that they and the Scandinavian Travellers are distantly related to present-day Scottish gypsies and Romanichals. Romani population in the south of Scotland, enjoyed the protection of the Roslyn family and made an encampment within the castle grounds. However as with its neighbour England, the Scottish parliament in 1609 passed an act against Romani groups known as the “Act against the Egyptians”; that made it lawful to condemn, detain and execute Gypsies on proof solely if they are known or reputed to be Romanies on regards to their ethnic origins.
Scottish Traveller Cant
The Lowland Travellers speak a form of non-standard Scots languageScots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, called Cant
Cant (language)
A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
, includes many words in common with Romani including Anglo-Romany words. Between 25-35% of Scottish Cant originates in a Romani-derived lexicon. Containing up to 50% or more Romani loan words in some groups of the Central Belt
Central Belt
The Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically central but is nevertheless situated at the 'waist' of Scotland on a conventional map and the term 'central' is used in many local...
of Scotland, those who are Romanichal or Scottish border Gypsies. Which demonstrates the intermarriage and links between Scottish travelers and English Romani populations, historically and in recent times. This can be seen as some people from the Scottish travelling community are even members of Romani organisations based in England and are a minority group in Scotland. Includes Romanies of English heritage in Scotland, Scottish phonology however differs in some respects from that of Angloromany, and there are items of Romani origin which some researchers have referred as Scoto-Romani, which has not been recorded in the other Romani languages of Britain, suggesting an earlier history for the Scottish Romani population and grouping other than that of being an indigenous group. The earliest texts survive from the 16th century perhaps to the late Medieval and may represent one of the oldest of the component traveller dialects of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. More research is needed into the Scottish traveller Cant variant.
Television
- Mauro the Gypsy (1972) Television dramatisation - by the Children's Film and Television Foundation LtdChildren's Film FoundationThe Children's Film Foundation was a non-profit-making organisation which made films for children in the United Kingdom, typically running for about 55 minutes. It was founded in 1951. For 30 years it was subsidised by the Eady Levy - a tax on box office receipts, but this was abolished in 1985...
. A story about a family of gypsies and the discrimination and hostility they experience in a Scottish village when they apply for a permanent camp site. When chickens start to disappear and scrap metal litters the countryside, the time has obviously come for Mauro and his family to be moved on, but the gypsy family are innocent and were framed by the locals and are allowed to stay. The film received a special award for contribution to racial tolerance by the Moscow International Film FestivalMoscow International Film FestivalMoscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
in 1973.
Novels and short stories
- Scottish Traveller Tales: lives shaped through stories by Donald Braid 2002—the storytelling and ballad traditions of the nomadic minority of Scottish Travellers.
- Pilgrims in the Mist; Stories of Scotland’s Travelling people by Sheila Stewart -– a collection of Traveller stories from across Scotland.
- Northern Traveller tales by Robert Dawson -– traditional tales collected from Travellers in the East Midlands, North of England and Scotland.
- Travellers: An Introduction by Jon Cannon & the Travellers of Thistlebrook -– insight into the history, culture and lives of Travellers in Britain today.
- Rokkering, Crecking and Cracking by Robert Dawson –- the Romani language and cantCant (language)A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
dialects of travelers and Gypsies found in present-day today.
Border Gypsies
Scotland has had a Romanichal population for at least 500 years, they are a distinct group from the Highland traveller and share a common language and heritage with the English Gypsies and Welsh KaleKale (Welsh Romanies)
The Kale are a group of Romani people who reside in Wales. Many claim to be descendant of Abram Wood, who was the first Romani to reside permanently and exclusively in Wales in the early 18th century, though Romanies have appeared in Wales since the 15th century...
, who are also Romani. The first official mention of Travellers in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
was in 1505, when it was recorded that seven pounds were paid to 'Egyptians' by King James IV
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
at Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. They enjoyed a privileged place in Scottish society until the Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
, when their wandering lifestyle and exotic culture brought severe persecution upon them. Romani populations from other parts of Britain often travel in Scotland. These include English Romanies and Welsh Kale. English Gypsies/Travellers from the north of England mainly in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
as well as an annual gathering at Appleby Horse Fair
Appleby Horse Fair
The Appleby Horse Fair is a horse fair which is held annually at Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria in England....
may be part of common communities with Scottish Travellers living in the Lowlands and borders. Romanichal traders were upwardly mobile, by 1830 travelled to the potteries in Staffordshire and buying china and other goods, selling the items chiefly in Northumberland, while based in Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm is a village in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, south east of Kelso and less than west of the border. The first mention is of its church in the 13th century. Its sister town is Town Yetholm which lies half a mile across the Bowmont Water...
in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
. Some people from the Scottish travelling community are even members of Romani organisations based in England and are a minority group in Scotland. Includes Romanies of English heritage in Scotland,
Roma
In recent years a variety of European Roma, descended from the same people as British Romani Gypsies, are Gypsies/Travellers who have moved here from Central and Eastern Europe, and are also a recognised ethnic minority group. Some have arrived as asylum seekers and refugees, fleeing persecution abroad.Indigenous Highland Travellers
In Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
they are known as the Ceàrdannan ("the Craftsmen"). The English term 'travelling people' has been adopted into contemporary Gaelic as luchd siubhail (people of travel) but this is a wider term covering other groups of travellers too and it still has to gain full currency and comprehension amongst ordinary Gaelic speakers. Poetically known as the Summer Walkers, Highland Travellers are a distinct ethnic group and may be referred to as traivellers, traivellin fowk, in Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, tinkers, originating from the Gaelic tinceard or (tinsmith) or "Black Tinkers". Mistakenly the settled Scottish population may call all travelling and Romani groups tinkers, which is usually regarded as pejorative, and contemptuously as tinks or tinkies.
Highland Travellers are closely tied to the native Highlands, and many traveller families carry clan names like Macfie
Macfie
Macfie or MacFie is a surname of Scottish origin. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe, which means "son of Duibhshíth" . This Gaelic personal name is composed of two elements: dubh "black" + síth "peace"...
, Stewart, MacDonald
Macdonald
MacDonald, Macdonald, and McDonald are Anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic name MacDhòmhnaill. It is a patronym where Mac means "son" and Dhòmhnaill means "of Dòmhnall". The personal name Dòmhnall is composed of the elements domno "world" and val "might", "rule"...
, Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
, Williamson and Macmillan
Clan MacMillan
Clan MacMillan is a Highland Scottish clan.-Origins of the clan:The MacMillans are one of a number of clans - including the MacKinnons, the MacQuarries, and the MacPhees - descended from Airbertach, a Hebridean prince of the old royal house of Moray who according to one account was the...
. They follow a nomadic or settled lifestyle; passing from village to village and are more strongly identified with the native Gaelic speaking population. Continuing their nomadic life, they would pitch their bow-tents on rough ground on the edge of the village and earn money there as tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
s, hawker
Hawker (trade)
A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with peddler or costermonger. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells items or food that are native to the area...
s, horse dealers or pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
-fishermen. Many found seasonal employment on farms, e.g. at the berry picking or during harvest. Since the 1950s, however, the majority of Highland Travellers have settled down into organized campsites or regular houses.
Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
, the economist and philosopher, was reportedly kidnapped by Highland Travellers at a young age before quickly being freed.
Language
The Highland Travellers' speech includes an acrolect called 'Beurla-reagairdBeurla-reagaird
Beurla Reagaird is a nearly extinct, Gaelic-based cant used by the indigenous Highland Scottish Travellers.-Name:Beurla Reagaird loosely translates as "speech of metalworkers"...
'. It is related to the Irish Traveller Shelta as a creol of the Goidelic
Goidelic languages
The Goidelic languages or Gaelic languages are one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic languages, the other consisting of the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland through the Isle of Man to the north of Scotland...
language group. It was used as a cultural identifier, just as Roma used the Romani language
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
. However like the Highland Traveller the language is unrelated to the Romani languages.
Origins and customs
The Highland Traveller community has a long history in Scotland going back, at least in record, to the 12th century, and share a similar heritage, although are distinct from the Irish TravellerIrish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
s. As with their Irish counterparts, there are several theories regarding the origin of Scottish Highland travellers, one being they are descended from the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
, excommunicated clergy, to families fleeing the Highland potato famine, or the pre-Norman-Invasion, have been claimed at different times. Highland travellers are distinct both culturally and linguistically from other Gypsy groups like the Romani, including the Romanichal, Lowland Scottish Travellers, Eastern European Roma and Welsh Kale groups. Several other European groups are related to the Scottish Highland Travellers, and share similarities to other non-Romany groups across Europe, namely the Yeniche
Yeniche (people)
The Yeniche, or Jenische, are the third-largest population of nomadic people in Europe, living mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of France...
s, Woonwagenbewoners in Holland, and Landfahrer in Germany. As with Norwegian and Swedish Travellers, Highland travellers origins may be more complex and difficult to ascertain and left no written records of their own.
As an indigenous group Highland Travellers have played an essential role in the preservation of traditional Gaelic culture. Travellers' outstanding contribution to Highland life has been as custodians of an ancient and vital singing, storytelling and folklore tradition of great importance. It is estimated that only 2,000 Scottish travellers continue to lead their traditional lifestyle on the roads.
Famous Highland travellers
- Sheila Stewart, who was awarded the British Empire MedalBritish Empire MedalThe Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
for services to her country's cultural oral tradition in Scots and Gaelic.
- Duncan WilliamsonDuncan WilliamsonDuncan James Williamson was a Scottish storyteller and singer, and a member of the Scottish Traveller community.-Books:* Fireside Tales of the Traveller Children...
, author/storyteller who wrote down the oral history, stories and ancient tales of the Highland Traveller. He recorded over three thousand stories over his lifetime.
In popular culture
- Rob RoyRob Roy (film)Rob Roy is a 1995 historical drama film directed by Michael Caton-Jones. Liam Neeson stars as Robert Roy MacGregor, an 18th century Scottish historical figure who battles with feudal landowners in the Scottish Highlands. Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, and Jason Flemyng also star...
— 1995 film featuring Liam NeesonLiam NeesonLiam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
that details the exploits of the early 18th century Highland clan chieftain Rob Roy MacGregor. The film opens with MacGregor clansmen retrieving stolen cattle from robbers they call "Tinkers". Later on, Rob Roy's wife (Jessica LangeJessica LangeJessica Phyllis Lange is an American actress who has worked in film, theatre and television. The recipient of several awards, including two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and one Emmy, Lange is regarded as one of the première female actors of her generation.Lange was discovered by producer...
), when commenting on potential economic misfortunes for their clan, dismisses any relationship between their status and that of "Tinkers". - Death Defying ActsDeath Defying ActsDeath Defying Acts is a 2007 supernatural romantic thriller. The film is a UK-Australian co-production directed by Gillian Armstrong and starring Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It concerns an episode in the life of Hungarian-American escapologist Harry Houdini at the height of his career in...
— a film about Harry HoudiniHarry HoudiniHarry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
and his encounter with a Scottish traveller woman and her daughter.
Novels and short stories
- Scottish Traveller Tales: lives shaped through stories, by Donald Braid 2002 – The storytelling and ballad traditions of the nomadic minority of Scottish Travellers.
- The Yellow on the Broom: The Early Days of a Traveller Woman, Betsy Whyte, 1992 – Life on the road for Scottish Travellers in the early part of the 20th century.
- Red Rowans and Wild Honey, by Betsy Whyte,2004 – The sequel to "Yellow on the Broom" the life of Scottish travellers till the outbreak of the second world war.
- Red Eye Ghost by Micky MacPhee – The story of a Scottish Traveler who encounters a ghostly victim of the Highland ClearancesHighland ClearancesThe Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
.
- Northern Traveller tales by Robert Dawson – Traditional tales collected from Travellers in the East Midlands, North of England and Scotland.
- The Summer walkers: Travelling People and Pearl–Fishers in the Highlands of Scotland, Timothy Nest 2008 – The story of the itinerant tinsmiths, horse-dealers, hawkers and pearl fishers who made their living 'on the road' in the Highlands of Scotland.
- Jessie's Journey, by Jess Smith, 2003 – The first book of a trilogy and an autobiographical account of stories from the Highland traveller family.
- Tears for a Tinker by Jess Smith, 2005 – The third book of a trilogy; recounting a collection of stories from the authors family tales, ghosts, poems, tales of the road from a family of Scottish Highland Travellers.
- Tales from the Tent , by Jess Smith, 2008 – The third book of a trilogy of stories from the authors own folk tales.
- Bruars Rest, by Jess Smith 2006 – A story of love and loyalty and the journey a woman makes for the love of her husband.
- Stookin Berries, by Jess Smith 2006 – A collection of stories for younger readers, ancient oral tales of Scotland's travelling people.
- Queen Amang the Heather; The Life of Bella Stewart, by Sheila Stewart 2006 – The moving autobiography and life of Belle Stewart, traveller, folk composers and singer who was awarded the British Empire Medal for her contribution to folk music.
- Pilgrims in the Mist; Stories of Scotland’s Travelling people, by Sheila Stewart – A collection of Traveller stories from across Scotland.
- Never to Return: The Harrowing True Story of a Stolen Childhood, by Sandy Reid 2008 – The true story of a family of tinker children taken from their families.
- The Book of Sandy Stewart, by Alexander Stewart, 1988 – Biography of a Perthshire Tinker
- The last of the Tinsmiths: The Life of Willy MacPhee, by Shelia Douglas 2006 – A collection of songs, tales and stories from the rich Highland travelling people.
- The Horsieman: Memories of a Traveller 1928-58, by Duncan Williamson – Memoirs of a Traveller family living at Loch Fyne.
- The King And The Lamp: Scottish Traveller Tales, by Duncan Williamson 2000 – A collection of stories from the rich oral tradition of the Scottish Highland Travellers.
- Fireside tales of the Traveller Children, by Duncan Williamson 2009 – A collection of traditional travelling stories.
- Horse Healer: Eclipse (and other stories in the horse healer series) by Judy Waite 2007 – Includes some short stories based on Highland Travellers.
Fairground travellers
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, centred mostly in Shettleston
Shettleston
Shettleston is a district in the east end of Glasgow in Scotland. Like many of the city's districts, Shettleston was originally a small village on its outer edge. Today Shettleston lies between the neighbouring districts of Parkhead to the west, and Baillieston to the east, and is about 2 and a...
, Whiteinch
Whiteinch
Whiteinch is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde between the Partick and Scotstoun areas of the city...
and Carntyne
Carntyne
Carntyne is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde, and to the east end of the city...
.
Showmen families have a strong cultural identity as ‘Scottish Showmen’, as well as long histories within these communities. Scottish Showmen are members of an organisation called Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
Showmen's Guild of Great Britain
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain exists to protect the interests of travelling showmen at funfairs in Great Britain.The Showmen's Guild was originally founded as the United Kingdom Van Dwellers Protection Association in 1889 in Salford...
and Ireland, and are known within the UK as the “Scottish Section” of a wider British showman community. As with other showmen communities they call non-travellers including members of the public, and other non related travelling groups including Romanichal, Roma, Scottish Lowland traveller/Gypsy groups, and Highland traveller, Irish Travellers as “Flatties” or non-`showmen’ travellers in their own Polari language
Polari
Polari is a form of cant slang used in Britain by actors, circus and fairground showmen, criminals, prostitutes, and by the gay subculture. It was popularised in the 1960s by camp characters Julian and Sandy in the popular BBC radio show Round the Horne...
. The label of "Flattie-Traveller" can include showmen who have left the traditional way of life to settle down and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
History
Fairs in Scotland have been held from the early Middle Ages, and traditionally brought together the important elements of medieval trade and a festival. Many of the common markets and fairs are rooted in ancient times, from the medieval period or earlier, and are said to be 'prescriptive fairs'. Other fairs will have been granted a royal charter to cement their importance and secure their future, and these are known as Charter fairCharter fair
A charter fair in England is a street fair or market which was established by Royal Charter. Many charter fairs date back to the Middle Ages, with their heyday occurring during the 13th century...
s. In the Middle Ages the Royal charters gave the fairs legal status and developed their economic importance. The majority of fairs held in Scotland and the rest of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
can trace their ancestry to charters granted in the medieval period. Traders would travel long distances to sell their goods, as did travelling musicians and entertainers who kept both the traders and customers entertained. In the thirteenth century, the creation of fairs by royal charter was widespread. Between 1199 and 1350 charters were issued granting the rights to hold markets or fairs. Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
links market remains the premier funfair in Scotland, evolving from a charter granted by Edward I in 1304. By the early 18th century the main aspect of these Scottish charter fairs had diminished and shifted to that of amusement with the advent of technology, and had evolved into the modern day travelling fairs.
The modern travelling showmen have as strong a family history and heritage as do their counterparts in Wales and England. Fairs in Scotland are presented around the same time as they are in the rest of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
with a similar mixture of Charter, Prescriptive and private business fairs. The run of fairs include Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
fair, Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
links market and the historic fairs held at Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
. Annually a team of young showmen from both Scotland and England play an “international football match” known as the international, where trophies and caps are held in high esteem. A Showman newspaper; World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
is in circulation and available to showmen and non showmen alike.
Language
The language of the Showmen or Parlyee, is based on a cantCant (language)
A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
spoken throughout the U.K. by Scottish, English and Welsh showfamilies. It is a mixture of Lingua Franca
Lingua Franca
Lingua Franca was an American magazine about intellectual and literary life in academia.-Founding:The magazine was founded in 1990 by Jeffrey Kittay, an editor and Professor of French Literature at Yale University...
, Romany, Yiddish, Cant
Cant (language)
A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
London slang
London slang
London slang is a mixture of words and phrases from around the globe. It reflects the diverse ethnic and cultural makeup of the city's population. Because London occupies such a dominant economic position in the United Kingdom, slang originally unique to the city has spread across the UK....
and backslang). The language has been spoken in fairgrounds and theatrical entertainment since at least the 17th century. As theatrical booths, circus acts and menageries were once a common part of European fairs it is likely that the roots of Polari/Parlyaree lie in the period before both theatre and circus became independent of the fairgrounds. The Parlyaree spoken on fairgrounds tends to borrow much more from Romany
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
, as well as other languages and argots spoken by other travelling groups, such as cant
Cant (language)
A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
and backslang.
Irish travellers
Irish Travellers are a distinct Irish social group with their own customs, language and traditions. Many live in the UK for all or part of the year. Like Gypsies they are a recognised ethnic minority group.New Age travellers
New Age or New Travellers choose to live an alternative travelling lifestyle for ideological reasons, for example, because they want to live in a more 'green' way. New Age Travellers have existed since the 1970s, so some are now second or third generation Travellers.See also
- Cant (language)Cant (language)A Cant is the jargon or argot of a group, often implying its use to exclude or mislead people outside the group.-Derivation in Celtic linguistics:...
- Irish TravellerIrish TravellerIrish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
- NomadNomadNomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
- Romani people
- Yeniche people
- Indigenous Norwegian TravellersIndigenous Norwegian TravellersThe indigenous Norwegian Travellers are an ethnic minority group in Norway. They are a wandering people who once travelled by foot, with horse-drawn carts and with boats along the southern and southwestern coastline of Norway.-Names for the group:...
Resources
- Scottish Clans & Tartans (ISBN 0-600-31935-0) by Ian Grimble (1973); 3rd edition (revised impression 1982)
- Traveller's Joy: Songs of English and Scottish Travellers and Gypsies 1965-2005 by Mike Yates, Elaine Bradtke, Malcolm Taylor, and David Atkinson (2006)