Scotland’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History with Nawken (Scottish Traveller) Davie Donaldson

“This lellum’s mangin is naggins tae (this land’s story is mine too)”.

We know that Travellers have been in Scotland since at least the 12th century. Since the medieval times, Scotland’s travelling communities have played a myriad of roles, including ballad singers, craftspeople and pearl fishers.

Travellers have been immortalised in art and literature and have contributed a lot to Scotland’s heritage.

But despite the important roles they’ve played throughout Scotland’s story, Travellers have often been pushed to the margins and have faced persecution. We rarely talk about their contributions and experiences to Scotland’s heritage.

Today many continue to travel Scotland’s roads, passing their culture and traditions to a new generation.

Watch as Nawken (Scottish Traveller) Davie Donaldson tells some of Scotland’s Traveller stories.

[Smallholdingonashoestring]

I'm an English Romany gypsy but my grandmother was a Young from the border of England and Scotland. The discrimination has never gone away. My father still lives by the side of the road in a caravan and told me only a few years ago that barely a week goes by without someone driving by and shouting abuse out of their car at him. He's in his late 60s now. Imagine that your whole life.

[randomdoodles]

Nice to see travellers being shown in a positive light.... some shocking treatment even now ...I hope that this way of life is allowed to be continued

[drs]

I’ve been looking for you. More content, please and thank you. 🙂

[jenniferboak]

The podcast, The Cruelty, on bbc sounds, narrated by Davie Donaldson is brilliant.

[jamiwilson]

Beautiful Video, so happy to find this today.... Jami Wilson. (Gypsy Four Designs) Traveller genes never truly leave your soul.... 32 moves in 30 years of Marriage and looking forward to so many more and the beautiful landscapes and people we meet.

[claireandersongrahamkeller]

I have centuries of my Scottish roots' genealogy, from my father, born on Shetland, buried in Morningside, Edinburgh, and I had NO idea about these peoples. So grateful for this video. It explains a lot; the ancestral pain of not being allowed to be, and why I know the name of my future Scottish Home, Garden and Farm is "BELONG HERE." All are welcome. Aloha, Blessings, Claire

[peterlovie]

Very interesting 😎👍 it's good to challenge your own bias and doubt.

[lairdofdunstan]

for me, it all started with Ancestry DNA, i became curious at my 3% "egyptian " blood, so i dug deeper and found the my origins are of the Youngs, a gypsy familly from the Scottish borders, this probably explains my love of camping and travell

[edwarda.moonstar]

Edward A. Moonstar
1 second ago
Many of us dislike the term Gypsy... My Grandmother would insist in being called Romani. She was a Lowland Scots Romani. After all the term is a misidentification.

[jamesbowring]

You have peaked my interest. So, the history in England, as I believe was that the Egyptians Act was enacted in 1530, whereas anti-Gypsy legislation in Scotland was enacted in 1541. The last person to be executed under this law was in 1714, whereas in England, I believe it was 1650. Looks like I need to do a little more research to see why this was. Anybody know if Scotland was independent at this time?

[Sean-qyex]

Proud of my Gypsy traveller heritage I’m a descendants of the tribe that was sadly deported in the 1800’s era many were sent to Caribbeans Mexico America and also Canada

[rsgpdhu]

This video needs updated. Gypsy's and travellers are not the same group of people. Dna is showing our history. And travellers with highland names are the Scottish Highlanders.

[mjc]

Very well presented Davie..WELL DONE!

[TheAndromeda]

Wonderful to learn more about the history of Travellers!

[thebristolianmackem]

Found out im romani or part. Of Eastern European Roma im decend from the lombards and clovis the first king of France and im also a Wallace trying to find my community my sister was told in a dream to tell me im indo Aryan she did a DNA test months later and it later said we are roma from dads side so it was true and we strangely dream the future on occasion too 😅 it scares me lol

[justfrosty]

What language did he speak in the beginning

[JinnDante]

Commonly known Scotalnds gypsies as well as Irish gypsies are not related to the Gypsies or Roma from north India. It is just a way to describe their lifestyle. They are part of Scottish history as well as Irish.

[mcphengus]

Have you got your own YouTube channel Davie?

[sjefkerolleman]

He spoke old Jenisch Or now called Jidisch An old Germanic language Just as old as the Germanic Jenisch are

[lonniecurl]

No group of people should be marginalized for the way they choose to live.
If society as a whole, in this day and age, claims to be inclusive then travelers should receive the same equality and respect.
My ancestors were scottish highland travelers, my great grandparents were horse dealers, as was their parents and siblings.
They immigrated to the US and Canada. And they traveled here as well and didn't live in one place for much time. And of course people had opinions of them but they lived life on their terms and were good people.