Country’s first gypsy festival hits Lahore

Festival to display gypsies’ products, stage theatrical performances

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: The first gypsy festival of the country, in which gypsies from far-flung areas of the country will participate, will commence at the Children’s Library Complex on Friday.

The festival will contain stalls and handicrafts depicting the true culture of gypsies. Around 800 gypsies are expected to attend the festival that is organised by Grass-root Organisation for Human Development (GOHD).

Meeting: Civil society representatives, lawyers, and elders of gypsies will hold a conference to discuss various problems facing the gypsies. The role of government departments in bringing the gypsies to the mainstream population will also be discussed. Government officials from various departments will attend the meeting.

Festival: The festival will put on display the products associated with the traditions and culture of gypsies. Apart from advertising their products, gypsy performers will show their art at the festival.

GODH Project Director Ahmad Bin Tariq told Daily Times at least 300 children of gypsies would attend the festival. He said gypsies from Multan, interior Sindh, and other parts of the country would depict their indigenous cultural traditions.

Tariq said gypsies from the city’s slums had confirmed their participation in the festival. He said food stalls, puppetry performances, folk singing, and theatrical performances would amuse the audience at the festival. “Many characters of gypsies like Behrupia are dying. We aim to preserve these characters along with other traditions of gypsies,” Tariq said. He said it would also help in bridging the gap between the public and gypsies.