Friday, July 5, 2013

Bradford's Centenary Square Hosts Gypsy Festival

 By Óné Chappy 


The Bradford Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities have gathered at the heart of the city to celebrate the launch of a new book and DVD.



The joyous event organised by the Thornbury Centre aims to capture and celebrate the Gypsy Roma and Traveller community's lives in Bradford.

This was just one of the many events scheduled around the country, which coincide with the celebration of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller month.

'Moving on', the book about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in Bradford highlights the life and history of these communities in and around the city, who have lived within the diverse society for centuries.

Violet Cannon, project co-ordinator at the Thornbury Centre said: "In the DVD and the book, we explore things around discrimination and different subjects so people from the outside can get an honest look at the communities which are often sensationalized".

The book features photographs, alongside words of members of the communities to celebrate their culture and history with a local flavour.

The event was also a celebratory moment for Thornbury Centre's, for their success in bringing together the Romany Gypsy, Irish Travellers and European Roma people and encouraging them to live peacefully alongside each other, by recognizing their similarities and differences.

When asked why it was important for the event to be held in Bradford, Violet said: "Because people have such a narrow veiw of who Gypys and Travellers are".

"It's about showing the positive side of Gypsy-Traveller Culture", she said.

The idea behind the book and film is a hope that sharing the culture of these communities with the Bradford society will break barries and stereotypes which Gypsy and Roma people face on their day to day lives.

"What a lot of people don't know is that over fifty percent of Gypsy-Travller population are in bricks and water accommodation now".

"It's not the stereotypical, Oh they live in a caravan, they must be a gypsy", she said. 

The event organizers said mainstream media often prints stories that encourages hostility between different groups and this book offers an alternative view of the differing cultures.


"You're a gypsy because of your ethnic identity, you're an Irish Traveller because of your ethnic identity, not because you live on four wheels", she said.

The project which is funded by heritage Lottery Fund was celebrated on the square with a screening of the DVD, Gypsy culture crafts and dancing, alongside stalls providing information about the people and their culture.

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