ABSTRACT
The Council of Europe identifi es two main groups of Travellers, Gypsy Travellers and Occupational Travellers, the latter group including, for example, Show and barge people. (Others sometimes include a third group, ‘new age’ Travellers.) Our project focused on Gypsy Travellers and Show Travellers; however, the fi ndings discussed below show a more complex situation for Gypsy Travellers, upon whom this paper concentrates. [...]
While there is some diversity of opinion over the correct descriptive terminology the term Gypsy Traveller seems to be the most often currently used by organisations representing the community itself such as the Scottish Gypsy Traveller Association. By Gypsy Traveller we mean those who consider themselves to be part of this community, whether still nomadic or housed, and who share the common knowledge, speech, customs and manners historically associated with that culture. Our defi nition is, therefore, principally one of self-ascription.
