Abstract
This text attempts to analyse the various similarities and differences between Irish traveller Diasporas in Great Britain and the United States with the original Irish travellers in Ireland. The common heritage will be explored first in order to discern the connection between these geographically distinct groups. A comparison across cultures will be made for various cultural aspects such as language, religion, society etc. This will aid in discerning how well preserved the Diaspora cultures are in respect to the original culture.
Historical Connection and Origins
The origins of the Irish Travellers have been mired in mystery. Myriad theories and ideas exist as to the origin of the travellers. (Helleiner, 2003) Most scholars hold that the Travellers descended from landowners and labourers who were persecuted by Oliver Cromwell during his military campaign in Ireland. The numbers are speculated to have increased as the famines of the 1840’s forced more settled Irish people to join the ranks of the travellers. Another alternative theory sees the Travellers as a mix of Scottish Travellers and certain other gypsies from England from somewhere around the 1600’s. An even older view persists that the Irish Travellers are derivatives of nomadic groups that roamed Ireland as far back as the 5th century. By the 12th century these nomads assumed the names of “Tynkler” and “Tynker”. (O Riain, 2008) A unified social system is seen to have emerged but the exact details of such a social system remain sketchy. The Irish Travellers were not and are not a highly learned group so historical records are neither stored nor transmitted.
Gaps in each of the theories presented above indicate that no theory can be seen as a culmination of the origins. Instead, the Travellers can be seen as a dynamically changing social group. Various influences such as the ones presented above have impacted the group’s cultural outlook. Changes in transport aided the Travellers in crossing regular geographical boundaries. Consequently the travellers continued to move to Britain and North America till immigration laws allowed. The resulting groups in various geographical boundaries offer commonly shared and unique perspectives that are analysed below in context of a common culture.
Baseline Irish Traveller Culture
The Irish Travellers are not ethnically distinct from the Irish people. Instead, the Irish Travellers are actually derived from the Irish people. However, the culture of the Irish Travellers is distinct and distinguished from regular Irish culture. The cultural development of the Irish Travellers has more or less occurred in isolation from popular Irish culture. There are streaks of some other cultural influences as listed above. These cultural influences include Christianity, Roma gypsies and localised influences on the Irish Traveller Diaspora. (Ó hAodha & Acton, 2007) An overview of common cultural traits of the Irish Travellers are provided below which will be used as a baseline to evaluate newer cultural developments of the Diaspora.
Profession
As mentioned before, the Irish Travellers were known as “Tynkers” which represents the prime profession of the travellers. The travellers were traditionally repairmen for tin pots and pans. Given that pot repair is not a regular function, the travellers would move about the countryside from settlement to settlement to repair utensils. This tendency produced a nomadic character while the profession became the identity of the travellers. The travellers became distinguished tin smiths but the dearth of work in one place caused them to be on the move. It is also mused that the travellers would purchase animals, often old ones in order to fulfil their nourishments needs. Thus they were also known as “knackers” in relation to their animal purchases. (Okely, 1983)
Dealing in horses was a speciality of the Travellers. They had a knack for identifying temporarily disabled animals. Once such animals were bought, they were rehabilitated through diet and exercise after which they were sold off. Dogs were also bred especially greyhounds and lurchers. Typical sites were associated with Traveller animal fairs where these animals were traded. (Harper, 1977)
Another major source of income for the Travellers was recycling scrap metal. Scrap metal has traditionally been collected by Travellers which was sold off to smelters later. Traditionally the Travellers collected ferrous metals but scrap collection has included non-ferrous metals in recent decades. (Meyer, 1993) The estimated worth of scrap collection by the Travellers in Ireland is 1.5 million pounds annually. Some 75,000 metric tonnes of scrap is collected and sold off each year by the Travellers.
In addition to the above the Travellers have filled gaps in the labour market wherever and whenever they arose. Social progression redefined wage labour and the concepts of work which were not in line with the concepts of the Travellers. This has often led to the Travellers being blamed as idle. The Travellers lived in pressing circumstances so bargaining was an important part of life. Most Travellers were experienced and aggressive bargainers which led to the development of a stereotyped image of the Travellers that held them as cunning and shrewd dealers. However, the truth is far different and the Travellers are as wise and shrewd as any other trader dealing in any part of the globe. (Burke, The Travellers: Ireland’s Ethnic Minority, 1999)
Language
As far as communication is concerned, the Irish Travellers are associated with Shelta which serves as their primary language. Some authors have related Cant as a language too but this is not true. Shelta is spoken in two different dialects known as Gammon (or Gamin) and Cant. (Harper, 1977) This language does not possess any written records so the exact lineage is untraceable. The earliest written references to the language of travellers date to the eighteenth century while the language is actually much older. (Gmelch, 1991)
Religion
Travellers all subscribe to the Roman Catholic Church. This is in tandem with the religious affiliations dominant in Ireland. The Traveller’s religion is Roman Catholic Christianity but again the traits of religion are articulate from the rest of society. Healing is of primal importance and certain rituals exist to bolster healing. The lack of conventional medicine and regular healing practices can be seen to affect this system of beliefs. (Brownlee, 2011) Other ritualistic practices include rituals for cleansing and death. These rituals differ greatly in comparison to the rituals of the Roman Catholic Church but there is little to prove that both set of rituals produce active conflict.
Moreover, the Travellers also possess a strict ethical code better known as “The Traveller’s Code” which steers their morality and behaviour. (McKinley, 2011) The Travellers do not attend any particular church but rather attend any church within their vicinity. The Roman Catholic Church has been very accepting of this practice of the Travellers. Women in general tend to attend more religious services such as Mass than men in the Traveller society.
However, most societies that interact with the Travellers view them as immoral and as con artists. The lack of regular interaction with the Travellers further fuels this belief for society at large. (Burke, 2009)
Familial Structure and Bonds
Being on the road with no established settlements meant that the Irish Travellers had to stick together to get through thick and thin. Such an arrangement encouraged the development of consanguine families. Entire clans lived together and moved together. This guaranteed their security from natural elements as well as from human prosecution. Like other social structures from before the Industrial Revolution, the Travellers possessed a male dominated patriarchal social setup. The head of each family was a male by necessity. Women were often persecuted and forced to behave as men demanded of them. (McKinley, 2011)
Marriages were held between straight couples and there is little evidence to support homosexual behaviour. Moreover, marriages were arranged by the elders of the clan and early marriage was a highly preferred option. Marriage within the same clan was preferred over marriage outside the clan but such marriages were carried out if need arose. Evidence suggests that Travellers who married other ethnic gypsies were also deemed acceptable though such marriages were still not preferred. (Burke, The Travellers: Ireland’s Ethnic Minority, 1999) However anyone marrying outside the Traveller’s domain was rejected by the Travellers and such people were often cast out of society. The family unit played a major role in the Traveller way of life and hence there was dire need to protect it. Skills were taught from fathers to sons and from mothers to daughters. The daughters were taught how to look after the children and how to support the family economically. Hence, the economic sustainability of the Travellers rested in large part on the family. The need to protect the family unit from erosion meant that arranged marriages were preferred.
Another major reason for arranged marriages within the extended family was the need to strengthen familial bonds by developing common stakes. This ensured that the clan stuck together as they shared common objectives. Most Travellers did not reform their mobile way of life for easier alternatives when they became available because of the stakes in large family units. (Stygles, 2009)
The isolation of the Traveller culture from the rest of society meant that the Traveller’s values changed little with time. Straight endogamous marriages were supported within the Travellers to ensure economic sustainability and the growth of familial bonds.
Education
The constant movement of Travellers meant that their children did not receive formal schooling. The only real means of education in the Traveller society were elders. Trade specific skills were passed between generations but no written records of such education exist. Skill building included learning how to breed animals, collecting and selling scrap, managing the household, repairing wagons etc. (Garrett, 2004) However, some Travellers did go to school especially after the educational reforms of the early twentieth century.
Interaction Outside the Group
Traditionally the Travellers have held a sordid reputation in society at large. They have been viewed as petty thieves, beggars, conmen, gamblers and as generally unscrupulous people. There are records of anti-social behaviour on the part of Travellers. Interaction with other social groups is limited by Traveller society in order to protect their way of life. External influences are shunned by most Travellers but this does not indicate that they are not progressive. Travellers are highly orthodox when it comes to social structures. Otherwise most Travellers are progressive and utilise modern technology such as automobiles, cellular phones and the like.
Comparison of Traditional Irish Travellers to the Diaspora
Over the centuries Irish Travellers have emigrated to Great Britain and to the United States of America and have formed Traveller societies there. These societies display some traditional Traveller characteristics but display modern undertones as well. The extent to which modernism has crept into Traveller societies varies widely today. The baseline created for Traveller societies before will be used as an instrument to analyse the current state of Traveller societies in Ireland, Great Britain and the United States. This comparison will serve to delineate how much the indigenous Traveller culture has changed over time due to geographic, cultural, social and other constraints.
Profession
The traditional Irish travellers are still carrying out the professions of their forefathers. Though animal breeding has decreased but it is still present. Horses and hounds form the bulk of the animal breeding. The greatest contribution to profession is collecting scrap metal including ferrous and non-ferrous metals. To put things into perspective, the Irish steel industry uses 60% scrap materials out of which 50% is provided by Irish Travellers. (Meyer, 1993)
In contrast, the British Diaspora of the Travellers is also breeding animals to gain a livelihood. However efforts to earn money have diversified and Travellers have become successful traders. (Burke, The Travellers: Ireland’s Ethnic Minority, 1999) Attempts on the part of the British government to settle the British Travellers has caused quite a few of them to lose their conventional professions. In turn many of them have been forced to seek government welfare assistance to make both ends meet. (McCann, 1994)
The American Travellers have modified themselves in large part. Animal breeding is only a small profession anymore. Trading as well as other professions have been utilised to progress further. Moreover, most of the American Travellers have settled down and meet on a regular basis on older camp sites. (Coogan, 2001) Settlements of American Travellers exist in South Carolina (Pavee Point, 2005), Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. (Marlock & Dowling, 1994)
Language
Traditional Irish Travellers have retained their language completely. No written materials exist but language is being transmitted flawlessly from generation to generation. (Hainsworth, 1999) Language has been preserved in Britain much the same way. However the government’s attempts at settling the Travellers may affect their oral traditions in the longer run as they face cultural assimilation. (Gmelch, Tinkers and Travellers, 1975) The American Travellers have already adopted English as a language although Shelta is still spoken in families. Shelta does not possess a written tradition in contrast to English. Future generations of American Travellers are more compelled by the use of English as a primary language. (McCaffrey, 1992)
Religion
Religion is one perspective where all Travellers still hold their common ground without any compromises at all. The Irish, British and American Travellers are all practising Roman Catholics. The percentage of women travellers attending church is far greater than that of men. Traditionally this has been the case and still is the case. (Stygles, 2009)
Familial Structure and Bonds
Irish Travellers still strictly adhere to their traditional family practices. The practice of arranged marriages extended well into the early part of the twentieth century and there is evidence to support that it is still practiced though not as pervasively. The ostracising of the Irish Travellers by contemporary society has meant that they continue to practice their social norms, values, folkways and mores unabated. (Nan & Farmar, 1985)
In contrast the British Travellers are as yet in transformation. They are rejecting conventional social practices to make room for more modern practices. (Burke, The Travellers: Ireland’s Ethnic Minority, 1999) The American Travellers have already adopted many modern practices. However, cohabitation is still largely absent and clan based marriages are still preferred. Families are tightly knit and women are given largely conventional roles. (Miller, 1985)
Education
Irish Travellers face discrimination when they try to enter the public school system. A December 2010 decision by the Irish Equality Tribunal allowed the entry of a traveller child to a school in Tipperary County. (Coulter, 2010) This is expected to encourage cultural assimilation of the Irish Travellers as well as a decent education. The British Travellers have undergone this transformation in large part. Almost all children attend full time school. The American Travellers are also well educated and face no discrimination on entering schools. Education is encouraged within American Traveller circles. (Miller, 1985)
Interaction Outside the Group
Traditional Irish Travellers as well as British and American Travellers present similar attitudes to interaction outside their own groups. All groups present some manner of resilience to contact with society at large. However, the severity of the resilience varies. American Travellers are the least resilient while the Irish Travellers are the most resilient to outside contact. (Skidmore, 1997)
Conclusion
Based on the arguments presented above it is apparent that all groups of Irish Travellers have retained certain parts of their culture especially religion and the resilience to socialise. However, with the progression of time the Travellers are adopting modern values. The pace of adoption varies as the American Travellers are most modified versus the Irish Travellers who are least modified from the original. In time the Irish Travellers will assimilate into culture especially with the growing tendency to educate and settle down.
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