Pupils discover the gipsy lifestyle
ROBYN GREENACRE
23 September 2008 06:20
It is a culture laced with a rich history which for hundreds of years has fought prejudice and preconceptions.
Now, in a bid to combat the stereotype and ensure future generations can face a more tolerant attitude, gypsies are opening their caravan doors to the public.
Primary school children from across the county will be visiting Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, near Dereham, to meet travellers and explore their way of life past and present.
The initiative called Home on the Road, kicked off yesterday and was organised by the workhouse and Norfolk Traveller Education Service.
Learning manager at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, Jan Pitman, said: “This sort of thing is absolutely vital. We have to accept there is a very negative attitude about travellers in the region.
“So any contact where people can see the different sides to the culture is going to have a very positive effect.
“The children are engaged and it's a very good response. You're going to have to start young people so they see the reality of it, which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Members of the gypsy and travelling community have set up a selection of mobile homes from the traditional Vardo to the modern caravan.
And for three days volunteer gypsy and travellers are holding a series of workshops introducing pupils to aspects of Romany life, including cooking, horse grooming, washing, and flower arranging.
Yesterday pupils from Scole primary school from Diss picked vegetables from the fields, made stew over an open fire, learnt how to plait horses' manes and tails, hand washed clothes and hung them out with gypsy pegs and on bushes, and saw how mobile homes had developed over the years.
Gypsy Mary Price said: “This is just a little taster for children. It would be nice if we could bring something out to educate everyone.
“I'm very keen on the idea of educating people. I'm from a large family and I'm aware of the problems children have when they go into mainstream schools.
“Everyday my children come home and have had something happen to them because of their heritage. Young children don't come across the words 'dirty pikey or gyppo' by themselves. They've learnt it from adults.
“Thieving, dirty, scoundrels is how we're seen. There's bad in everyone and if you look for the bad apples you'll find them. But we're not all like that, and there are bad apples in every culture.
“Years ago we were accepted because everyone was used to seeing caravans being pulled by horses along the road.
“Now because there are less and less places we can go, people don't see us.”
And at the end of the trip pupils opinions were transformed.
Scole pupil Jessica King-Fisher, nine, said: “It's interesting. I've had a fun day. I didn't know much about gypsies before and I thought they were horrible.
“But now I think they are very nice.”
23 September 2008 06:20
It is a culture laced with a rich history which for hundreds of years has fought prejudice and preconceptions.
Now, in a bid to combat the stereotype and ensure future generations can face a more tolerant attitude, gypsies are opening their caravan doors to the public.
Primary school children from across the county will be visiting Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, near Dereham, to meet travellers and explore their way of life past and present.
The initiative called Home on the Road, kicked off yesterday and was organised by the workhouse and Norfolk Traveller Education Service.
Learning manager at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, Jan Pitman, said: “This sort of thing is absolutely vital. We have to accept there is a very negative attitude about travellers in the region.
“So any contact where people can see the different sides to the culture is going to have a very positive effect.
“The children are engaged and it's a very good response. You're going to have to start young people so they see the reality of it, which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Members of the gypsy and travelling community have set up a selection of mobile homes from the traditional Vardo to the modern caravan.
And for three days volunteer gypsy and travellers are holding a series of workshops introducing pupils to aspects of Romany life, including cooking, horse grooming, washing, and flower arranging.
Yesterday pupils from Scole primary school from Diss picked vegetables from the fields, made stew over an open fire, learnt how to plait horses' manes and tails, hand washed clothes and hung them out with gypsy pegs and on bushes, and saw how mobile homes had developed over the years.
Gypsy Mary Price said: “This is just a little taster for children. It would be nice if we could bring something out to educate everyone.
“I'm very keen on the idea of educating people. I'm from a large family and I'm aware of the problems children have when they go into mainstream schools.
“Everyday my children come home and have had something happen to them because of their heritage. Young children don't come across the words 'dirty pikey or gyppo' by themselves. They've learnt it from adults.
“Thieving, dirty, scoundrels is how we're seen. There's bad in everyone and if you look for the bad apples you'll find them. But we're not all like that, and there are bad apples in every culture.
“Years ago we were accepted because everyone was used to seeing caravans being pulled by horses along the road.
“Now because there are less and less places we can go, people don't see us.”
And at the end of the trip pupils opinions were transformed.
Scole pupil Jessica King-Fisher, nine, said: “It's interesting. I've had a fun day. I didn't know much about gypsies before and I thought they were horrible.
“But now I think they are very nice.”
Labels: Children, Gypsy, Gypsy Family, Gypsy Lifestyle, UK
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