Traveller Community Celebrates Culture, Identity and Resilience as Traveller Pride Week 2023 Kicks Off
Traveller Pride Week, a two-week event celebrating the culture, heritage and identity of Travellers, kicks off today (03.07.23). The initiative aims to celebrate and promote the Traveller community’s unique contribution to Irish society while combating the discrimination and prejudice they face.
The theme for this year’s Traveller Pride Week is ‘A celebration of Traveller changemakers in Irish history’, which aims to unite Travellers and settled allies in promoting Traveller rights and contributing to positive change in Travellers’ lived experience in Ireland.
Events will take place across the country, including art exhibitions, film screenings, panel discussions, musical performances, workshops, and community gatherings.
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD launched the annual event on Monday, 3rd July at The Complex arts centre in Dublin. Speaking at the event, Minister O’Gorman said: “Traveller Pride Week is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the positive contributions of Travellers in society and to promote respect and understanding of cultural diversity. It is a fantastic celebration of the culture, unique traditions and rich heritage of the Traveller community, with the whole of Irish society.”
The launch event was MC’d by actor Michael Collins and featured performances by creatives from the Traveller community including international uilleann pipes player, Paddy Keenan.
Spotlight on events
The programme for this year’s festival features more than 40 free events across 22 counties. Highlights include:
- On Saturday, 8th July, Ballyfermot Traveller Action Project will host ‘Traveller Living History’ which will involve a traditional tinsmith exhibition, bread making and paper flower making. They will also celebrate wider Traveller culture with a wagon and fireside scene, photography exhibition and traditional storytelling.
- From 11th July to 14th July, Limerick City Traveller Health Programme and Limerick Social Service Council will present the ‘Moments of Truth’ exhibition which is a series of seven large artworks on canvas and a quilted textile artwork completed by a group of 12 Traveller women.
- Running for five days starting Monday, 3rd July, Southill Hub Limerick will present a series of podcasts titled ‘The Change in Travellers’ which will examine heritage and history, culture, modern versus older Traveller traditions, the place horses and dogs have in Traveller culture and how Southill Hub represents Traveller young people.
- On 14th July, Offaly Traveller Movement will host a Traveller Pride family festival. Visitors can experience life in a handcrafted wagon and shelter tent and will have the opportunity to ask questions and speak with members of the Traveller community.
Also speaking at the launch Michael Power, CEO of Involve Youth Services and member of the Traveller Pride Week Steering Committee, said: “Traveller Pride Week provides an opportunity to promote understanding, acceptance, and equality while raising awareness about the challenges faced by this historically marginalised group. Through various educational workshops and seminars, we hope that we can dispel myths and stereotypes surrounding the Traveller community and work towards fostering a more inclusive society. We encourage members of the Traveller community and the non-Traveller community to come together, learn from one another and challenges these stereotypes.
“This year we received the most applications ever for events during Traveller Pride Week. The Traveller community have a rich cultural heritage that has played a significant role in Irish society and it’s vital that they are given a platform to celebrate and showcase this. We hope that Traveller Pride Week will empower members of the Traveller community to speak out about issues affecting them such as access to education, employment, health services, accommodation and combating racism. Traveller Pride Week also provides an opportunity to encourage the next generation of young Travellers to embrace their cultural heritage and become ambassadors in Irish society.”
Also commenting at the launch, Nancy Power, Coordinator at National Traveller MABS, said “There are fantastic events taking place right across the country for Traveller Pride Week which provide an opportunity to educate the wider community on Traveller culture. There are lots of inspiring role models within the Traveller community who have excelled in various fields including art, music, sport, academia and activism. We hope that by highlighting these achievements we can inspire future generations to embrace their talents and potential, that no dream is too big.”
Traveller Pride Week is funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and coordinated by the national Traveller organisations consisting of the National Traveller MABS, the Irish Traveller Movement, Involve Youth and Community Services, Pavee Point, the Parish of the Travelling People, Exchange House Ireland, Minceirs Whiden and the National Traveller Women’s Forum.