Wigan Borough’s Children Celebrate Roma Gypsy Month With Song, Dance and Stories - Lancashire

From the Manchester Gazette

CHILDREN and young people in Wigan Borough have joined forces for a colourful multi cultural celebration of Traveller life.

The Derby Room at Leigh’s Turnpike Gallery came alive with the traditional sights and sounds of one the world’s oldest nomadic communities on Saturday June 22, as children and adults alike enjoyed a special event to recognise the close of Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month.

The international annual event runs each June and aims to raise awareness about the Gypsy life, challenge the negative stereotyping and prejudice often aimed at the Travelling community and to bring all sections of the local community closer together.

But this event was also three celebrations in one, because organisers from Wigan Council’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Team and Voice and Engagement Service, also used the opportunity to raise awareness about the recent national Refugee Week and the on-going Big Lunch campaign.

Leading the celebrations in Leigh was the council-backed junior Kamosi group, which is aimed at children from various ethnic backgrounds aged between seven and 11 years-old.

The children performed their own version of traditional Roma songs and dances for the packed crowd.

Ann O’Shea, who leads the council’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Team, explained: “We have been working with the children and young people to organise this event. They wanted to put on a show that highlights their culture and traditions. It’s a chance for the children to express themselves and what is special about their culture. We have thrown the event open to the entire community to help develop greater understanding. As well as celebrating our cultural differences, the event was also a way of recognising everything we have in common.”

Visitors to the event had the chance to take in an exhibition created with the help of the children all about Traveller life. Young people had the chance to draw their own traditional Gypsy caravan, or Vardo and take part in traditional Romani crafts.

There was also a masterclass in circus skills for the children and young people from Leigh-based juggler Sam Armstrong of Circus Maximus.

“We have been working with the borough’s schools to also help raise awareness and we have run a competition for primary aged children to create their own colourful Gypsy caravan drawings,” said Ann. “We have been delighted with the responses and have used this event to award the winners with their prizes.”

Mehmood Ahmed from the council’s Voice and Engagement Service says: “The young people have worked really hard in preparation for this event, giving up several Saturdays to plan and rehearse their performances. They have been really excited about sharing their creative skills with the local community and even made sure they put on their best clothes for the event!”

Roma Gypsies and Travellers make up the largest ethnic minority community within the European Union, with more than 12 million people. The UK community is made up of more than 300,000 people. Originating in India, the Romani community has spread throughout the world and there are many celebrities and household names who can trace their roots back to the travelling community – Sir Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins and Mother Theresa of Calcutta for example.

Vladimir Turtak, 10, was just one of the young people taking part in the event.

He said: “It is really great that so many people have come here to see what is going on. It is important for us to let people know about our lives so we can understand each other better and all be friends.”