A Note for Teachers

• Facing History and Ourselves is an educational charity providing teaching resources to help young people develop as empathetic, critical thinkers, who understand the role they can play in shaping society for the better. We believe that civic agency is developed through intellectual rigour, emotional engagement and ethical reflection. Learn more about us on our website.

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• This PowerPoint presentation has been created to be used in a KS3-4 or S1-4 assembly on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.

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• While you may need to modify this presentation to meet the needs of your students, please note that Facing History and Ourselves does not endorse your changes that alter the presentation's content or original layout.

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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month

Facing History UK Assemblies

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Essential Question

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What is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and why does it matter?

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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month

What is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month?

GRT website

What is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller �History Month?

• Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month (GRTHM) is celebrated every year in June.
• GRTHM seeks to raise awareness of the GRT community and give a platform for their voices. This is done through celebrating and educating, with a hope that this will challenge the prejudice towards, and misconceptions of, these groups, highlighting a different narrative concerning their history in society.
• This year, the theme is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller 'Heroes' Month: "Who inspires you?", which is about celebrating some of the incredible people who make up Romany Gypsy, Roma, Irish Traveller, New Traveller Showmen, and Liveaboard Boater communities.

GRT website

Why is it Important to Celebrate GRTHM?

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities still face high levels of prejudice and discrimination. By seeking to understand and celebrate these groups, we can move towards a more fair and equal society.

• Gypsy and Travellers continue to face high levels of racial discrimination, contributing to and exacerbating the inequalities they experience. (House of Commons Library)
• Children from Gypsy and Traveller communities attain and progress significantly below the national average throughout compulsory education. (House of Commons Library)
• 62% of the GRT community experience racial abuse - the highest out of all minority groups. (GRT)
• GRT people disproportionately make up 15% of secure training units and young offender institutions. (GRT)
• Recently in the UK, the number of legal stopping sites for GRT communities to locate to has reduced making it very difficult for them to live nomadically and threatening their way of life. Some communities have been forced off land they are living on.

Is there anything you find surprising or troubling about this information?

Understanding the Terms

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GRT communities?

It can be difficult to define Gypsies, Roma and Travellers as the term does not refer to one single group. It can include groups with different history, cultures and beliefs:

• Roma: The Roma are the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Many Roma in Western Europe are migrants from countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and the former Yugoslavia. (NHS England)
• Gypsy: This group originated from the Punjab in India, but were mistaken for Egyptians, which people shortened to ‘Gypsies’.
• Travellers: These can include groups of different travellers, cultural travellers or travellers. There are also occupational travellers, such as showmen and waterway travellers. (House of Commons Library)

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A Short History of Britain’s Gypsies, Roma and Travellers

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Watch the video about Gypsies, Roma and Travellers and answer the questions:

(Travellers Times)

1. All humans were once nomadic. What does this mean? When did this change and why?
2. What in the video did you find surprising and/or interesting about the history of the GRT community?
3. Why might culture, history and family be important to GRT communities?

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The History of GRT Communities

GRMT

GRT 'Heroes' Month: "Who inspires you?"

Gabi Jimenez

Gabi Jimenez is a French-Spanish Romani Traveller and an award-winning artist. He explores social justice issues and sheds light on the discriminatory treatment of travellers through his work.

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The painting on the right is called ‘Expulsions’. What do you think it is depicting? Why might Jimenez have chosen to paint on this topic?

GRT 'Heroes' Month: "Who inspires you?"

Richard O’Neill

Richard O’Neill is an internationally acclaimed performance Storyteller, Author and Playwright. He was born and brought up in a large traditional, fully nomadic Romani Gypsy family, travelling throughout the North of England and Scotland. His roots are also to be found in the coal mining communities of the North East having family members who worked down the pits.

Richard has had several children’s storybooks published, winning literary, cultural and diversity awards in the UK, Europe and US, including being awarded National Literacy Hero status for his work with excluded communities.

As an activist Richard has worked hard to positively promote Gypsy Culture and inclusion.

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GRT 'Heroes' Month: "Who inspires you?"

Josephine O’Driscoll

Josephine O’Driscoll is a Traveller and activist.

Josie was born into a Traveller family in Ireland. She came to the UK in the late seventies, married at sixteen and has seven children. She lived a nomadic life travelling around Britain until an illness forced the family to settle in Hertfordshire in the 1990s.

She has worked as a community development worker and a meditator, and has sat on local and national governmental advisory boards. Much of her work is focused on supporting GRT communities and eliminating the discrimination and disadvantages facing Gypsies, Traveller and Roma people.

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Exit Ticket

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Take a moment to think about:

1. One new fact you have learnt about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
2. Is there anything that has surprised you or improved your understanding about the GRT community?
3. Why is it important to celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month?
4. Why do you think the theme for this year is about celebrating inspirational people?

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