teaching materials

Connections is a pioneering education project set up by Lontano ensemble
with the aim of celebrating Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) music and traditions.
It is difficult to state precisely the size of the GRT community since many
members hide their identity due to a fear of discrimination. However the 2011
census identified 54,895 people of GRT heritage living in England, and
broader estimates suggest there are around 300,000 in the UK as a whole.
This important minority is often subject to discrimination and racism from
other communities. As the Equalities and Human Rights Commision's 2009
report states, "racism towards most ethnic minority groups is now hidden, less
frequently expressed in public, and widely seen as unacceptable. However,
that towards Gypsies and Travellers is still common, frequently overt and seen
as justified"1.
Against this backdrop, many GRT families encourage their children to hide
their cultural identity and believe school to be irrelevant and dangerous.
“Passing” or concealing one's identity is a concept well-established among all
GRT communities. Jake Bowers, a Romani journalist, has written, “most
Gypsy and Traveller kids can tell you exactly what a cloak of secrecy feels like.
It allows you to keep your head down and pass by unnoticed”2. In educational
terms concealing identity can limit social relationships and inclusion, and
prevent children from sharing aspects of their identity and culture.
Due to a combination of racist bullying, discrimination, cultural and social
isolation, family pressure, mobility and lack of support, children of GRT
heritage habitually underperform at school. Children and young people with
GRT heritage are the lowest achievers in school at all key stages, surpassing all
other ethnic groups in terms of free school meals, 'looked after children' in
1
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/documents/resear
ch/12inequalities_experienced_by_gypsy_and_traveller_communities_a_re
view.pdf
2
Hiding to nothing, in Traveller Times at www.travellerstimes.org.uk, 2008
© Lontano Trust 2014
terms of absence, exclusion, SEN and secondary school drop out3. More
broadly, a Mori poll commissioned by Stonewall in 2001, found that although
most interviewees had no personal contact with Travellers and Gypsies, these
groups (along with Asylum seekers) were found to be the subject of aggressive
prejudice as well as open and explicit animosity, often backed with the threat
of violence4.
We aim to tackle this troubling situation through a music programme
educating children about GRT culture. The programme will encourage
community cohesion through:
- Highlighting the important contribution of GRT music and culture to
British society
- Encouraging children of GRT heritage to talk about their background
- Showing parents of GRT heritage that their culture is respected in the
school system
- Educating the wider community about GRT music
We are keen for all school communities to benefit from greater awareness of
Gypsy Roma Traveller culture. As such, this education pack contains a range
of classroom activities, all of which encourage greater understanding of GRT
culture. We hope you will be able to make use of the activities and information
we have provided and support us in our aim of encouraging greater
understanding of GRT culture and traditions.
For any additional information about the project, please contact Education
Development Officer, Soosan Lolavar on slolavar@gmail.com
For resources contained in this pack, please see www.lontano.co.uk and the
education section of the website.
Department for Education and Skills, Ethnicity and Education: the evidence
on Minority Ethnic Pupils aged 5 - 16, 2005
4 Profiles of Prejudice. The nature of prejudice in England: in-depth analysis
of findings (Stonewall/MORI, n.d. [2003]. Preface by Sir Herman Ouseley.)
3
© Lontano Trust 2014
Some famous people of GRT heritage
There are a great many famous and accomplished people of GRT heritage,
although often their ethnic background is not widely known.
Charlie Chaplin, (1889-1977), an English comedic actor, director,
filmmaker and composer. Best known for the ‘Tramp’ character that has a
small moustache, baggy trousers, a wobbly cane and a bowler hat. Knighted in
1975 for his contribution to TV and film. His grandmother was Roma.
José Antonio Reyes (b. 1983), a Spanish footballer signed for Arsenal
during the 2003-2004 season for a reported transfer fee of £17.5 million. He
has 20 national caps for Spain and is of Spanish Roma heritage, also known as
Gitano.
© Lontano Trust 2014
Yul Brynner (1920-1985), a Russian born, US-based actor, most famous for
playing the King of Siam in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
The King and I.
Bob Hoskins (1942-2014), a British actor whose grandmother was Romani
from Germany. Like many Gypsies, Hoskins spent his youth travelling and
performing occasional activities like working in circus.
© Lontano Trust 2014
Ronnie Wood (b. 1947), the guitarist for the Rolling Stones was born into a
family of boat people and was the first member of his family to be born on dry
land. His parents were born on barges in the Paddington basin of West
London. The Rolling Stones made 22 studio albums and have sold more than
200 million albums worldwide.
Django Reinhart (1910 – 1953). Belgian-born pioneering virtuoso jazz
guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar
technique (sometimes called 'hot' jazz guitar).
© Lontano Trust 2014
Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977), best known as a pioneering rock n roll musician.
What is less well known is the fact that his ancestors came from Germany in
the early 18th century and their original surname was Pressler. They were part
of the Sinti people commonly known as “Black Dutch”, also called “Chicanere”
or “Melungeons”. It is also likely that from his mother's side, Smith by
surname, the family would have been of Romanichel origins.
Louise Doughty (b.1963), an English novelist, playwright and journalist of
Romani background. Her work, Whatever You Love, was shortlisted for the
Costa Novel Award and longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction
© Lontano Trust 2014
Rita Hayworth (1918-1987), born Margarita Carmen Cansino to a Spanish
Gitano father and Irish mother. She dyed her hair, had her hairline altered
and changed her name in order to become a successful Hollywood actress.
Mother Teresa (1910-1997), a Roman Catholic missionary of Macedonia
gypsy heritage, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work in Kolkatta.
She was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman
Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the poor.
© Lontano Trust 2014
Cher Lloyd (1993), a British singer and rapper of Romani descent, she
finished 4th in the 2010 series of the reality show The X Factor.
© Lontano Trust 2014
Activity 1: Literacy and Geography
Gypsy Roma Travellers have a long history of migration. Much evidence
suggests that their origins can be located in North India as early as 250 BC.
Around 900-1100 AD, mass migration began to occur as people moved across
the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and America. Many families settled along
the way and as such there is now a Gypsy Roma Traveller presence in nearly
every country in Europe. Gypsy Roma Traveller culture has proved very
adaptable, picking up words, customs, religions and ideas from each of the
countries in which they have settled.
A map of Gypsy Roma Traveller migration across Europe and Asia
Key stage 1
-
Write about your journey to school
Do you take a car or bus? Do you walk? What do you see on your
journey?
Draw pictures to show what you see on your journey
Key stage 2
-
Write about your family’s journey to where you live now
Did you or your parents move to a new city or country?
Why did you move? What do you miss? What do you like about living
where you do now?
Research your family tree, collect pictures of your relatives
Stick pictures of your relatives on a map of the UK/world to show
where people have moved in their lifetime.
© Lontano Trust 2014
A map showing concentration of Gypsy Roma Traveller population across
Europe: the larger the wheel, the larger the population
© Lontano Trust 2014
Activity 2: Numeracy and Literacy
It is largely because of the linguistic similarity between Romani, Hindi and
Punjabi that the origins of the Gypsy Roma Traveller people are placed in
India. Romani words for numbers are the most obvious example of this,
sharing many common words with Farsi (Persian).
Recordings of numbers 1-10 in Romani and Farsi can be found at
www.lontano.co.uk in the education section of the website
Hindi
Romani
Farsi
1
ek
ekh
yek
2
do
duj
do
3
t!n
trin
se
4
c"r
shtar
chahar
5
p"ñc
pandj
pandj
6
che
shov
shish
7
s"t
ifta
haft
8
"#h
oxto
hasht
9
nau
inja
noh
10
das
desh
dah
Key stage 1
- Listen to the recordings provided and learn to count 1-5 in Romani,
compare with Farsi
- Discuss how different cultures often have things in common. Even in
languages that sound very different there are lots of similarities which
bind us together as people
Key stage 2
- Listen to the recordings provided and learn to count 1-10 in Romani
- Ask children in the class if they know how to count in any other
languages
- Discuss how different cultures often have things in common. Even in
languages that sound very different there are lots of similarities which
bind us together
- Consider also Romani words which have entered the English language,
discuss how English culture has benefitted from Gypsy Roma Traveller
influence
Words of GRT origin:
Cushti - good
Wonga - money
Hotchpotch - mixture
Pal - friend
© Lontano Trust 2014
Pukka - good
Lollipop, derived from the Romani loli phabai 'red apple', referring to a sweet
red apple eaten on a stick
© Lontano Trust 2014
Activity 3: Music
Key stage 1
- Practice reciting the words to the songs dooy dooy or Chayoriy
shukariye
- Practice singing the melody with the backing track
Key stage 2
- Practice singing the songs dooy dooy and Chayoriy shukariye
- Revise the meaning of the lyrics
- Try and write your own lyrics to the song
A full version of these songs plus a backing track version can be found at
www.lontano.co.uk in the education section of the website
Dooy dooy
Dooy, dooy, dooy, dooy, desho-o-dooy
Te choomidav te choomidav tiro mooy
Tiro mooy me choomidav, shel ezera pocinav
Sharika Marika tut kamov
Tiro mooy me choomidav, shel ezera pocinav
Sharika Marika tut kamov
Two, two, two, two, ten times two
I would like to dance with you
If you let me dance with you, I will give you a gift
Sharika Marika I love you
Chayoriy shukariye
Chayoriy shukariye no phirunde pala mande
Na phirunde pala made chaye – CHAYE!
Chayoriy shukariye no phirunde pala mande
Na phirunde pala made chaye – CHAYE!
Opre dzidzilam – CHAYE SHUKARIYE
Halam pelklammas – CHAYE SHUKARIYE
Te na dicklam chaye
Ay ne dane dane dande dane dane dane nel
Girl, please don’t walk away
© Lontano Trust 2014
If we don’t marry our life will not be good
We will not drink and eat meat and we will not see each other
Activity 4: Art and geography
In 1971 the first World Romani Congress affirmed the red, green and blue flag
as the international symbol of the Romani people. The flag is very symbolic:
the blue as the sky and the heavens, the green as the land, organic and
growing and the wheel symbolising movement, progress and the traditional
Roma horse carts.
Key Stage 1
- If you were to create a flag what would it look like?
- What images would you use?
- What colour would it be?
- Create your own flag and tell the rest of the class what it means to you
Key Stage 2
- If you were to create a flag for your life what would it look like?
- Which images, colours and ideas mean a lot to you? How would you
use them?
- If someone looked at your flag, what would it tell them about you?
- Look at some other flags and talk about why they contain the images
and colours that they do, for e.g.
o Union flag as a combination of flags from Scotland and England
o Indian flag with a traditional spinning wheel, symbolizing at its
centre, symbolising Gandhi's goal of making Indians self-reliant
by fabricating their own clothing
o Japanese flag which depicts the rising sun
- Create your flag and tell the rest of the class what it means to you
© Lontano Trust 2014
Flag of the United Kingdom
Flag of India
Flag of Japan
© Lontano Trust 2014