Scottish Romani and Traveller groups

Scottish Gypsy/Travellers^[1] is an umbrella term which includes several nomadic ethnic groups in Scotland. It includes both Romani and non-Romani ethnic groups. It is the official term used by the Scottish Government.^[1]

The term Scottish Gypsy/Traveller includes: Nawkens (Lowland Gypsies/Romani/Travellers), Romanichals (English Gypsies/Romani/Travellers), Roma, Scottish Highland Travellers, Minkers (Irish Travellers) and Showmen Travellers.

The above ethnicities have distinct histories and cultures.^[1]

Scottish Gypsy/Travellers can be divided into two groups: Romani and Indigenous.

The principle Romani subgroups in Scotland are:

• Nawkens (Scottish Lowland Travellers/Romani/Gypsies, or Gypsy Travellers^[1]) - The main Romani subgroup in the Scotland. They have inhabited the Lowlands since at least the 16th century, including as far north as Aberdeen and Inverness. There is controversy concerning their designation as Romani/Gypsy. Their main endonym is Traveller. The Scottish Government terms this ethnic group Nackens (Scottish Gypsy Travellers)^[2].
• Romanichals (English Travellers/Romani/Gypsies) - This Romani subgroup primarily inhabits England. Their main endonym is Traveller. Some Romanichal families from the Northern England sporadically travelled (and still do) into Scotland, as seen in In Gipsy Tents by Francis Groome. St. Boswell's Fair situated in the Scottish Borders is popular with Romanichals from all regions of England^[3].They do not have a large-scale permanent presence in the country even though they are listed under the umbrella term Gypsy/Traveller on the Scottish Government website.^[1] Romanichals speak Romanes, also known as Angloromani.
• Roma (Roma, Gypsies) - These are recent migrants from mainland Europe. Roma itself is an umbrella term encompassing several distinct ethnic groups which share the same endonym ("Roma") and which have a common origin in the south and central regions of Europe. The first Roma migration into Scotland happened in the late 19th century.^[4] Unlike the two other Romani subgroups, the various ethnic groups under the Roma label do not call themselves Travellers.

The principle Indigenous subgroups in Scotland are:

• Scottish Highland Travellers (Indigenous Highland Travellers) - The main nomadic ethnic group historically situated in the Gaelic-speaking parts of the Highlands of Scotland.^[5] They were called ceàrdannan ("craftsmen") by the Gaelic-speaking Highlanders. Unlike Nawkens (Lowland Gypsies/Romani/Travellers), Scottish Highland Travellers are of indigenous origin.^[5] They speak Beurla Reagaird, a Gaelic-based jargon.^[5]
• Minkers (Irish Travellers) - Irish Travellers have had a historical presence in Scotland since at least the mid 18th century^[6]. They speak Shelta, also known as Gammon or Cant. Many Shelta words are seen in Scoto-Romani^[4][7].
• Showmen Travellers (Funfair/Fairground Travellers) - Showmen Travellers are a distinct occupational group traditionally associated with travelling fairs, circuses and amusements.

Scottish Lowland Travellers, historically called Nawkens, also known as Nackens, Nagins, Nakins, Naggens and Nakens^[8] among other variants, are the most common, widespread and most well attested nomadic ethnic group in Scotland. Like the Romanichals, Kale and Minkers, the Nawken's primary endonym today is Travellers hence the term Lowland Travellers to distinguish them from English Travellers (Romanichals), Welsh Travellers (Kale), Irish Travellers (Minkers) and Scottish Highland Travellers.

Origins

Nawkens have been variably called Gypsies^[4], Tinkers^[4], Tinklers^[4] and Tinkler-Gypsies^[4] historically. They call themselves (Lowland) Travellers, and academics call them Lowland Romani or Lowland Gypsies. Although commonly called Lowland Romani/Gypsies in academia, there is ongoing debate on their precise origin. Some such as Walter Simson believed they were of Romani extraction in his 1871 publication A History of the Gipsies, while others such as Andrew McCormick believed Tinkers were a mix between pre-existing Tinkers and an incoming Romani population in 1504, hence the term Tinkler-Gypsy^[4]. David MacRitchie, in his Ancient and Modern Britons, puts forth the theory of a partial Pictish origin for Nawkens.

The Scottish Government terms this ethnic group Nackens (Scottish Gypsy Travellers)^[1] and places it under the Gypsy/Traveller umbrella term^[1].

There is written evidence for the presence of Romani in the Scottish Lowlands as early as 1505, when – during the reign of James IV – an entry in a book kept by the Lord High Treasurer records a payment of four shillings to a Peter Ker to take a letter from the king at Hunthall, to the "King of Rowmais". Two days later, the King authorised a payment of £20 to a messenger from the "King of Rowmais".^[9][10] In 1530, a group of Romanies danced before the Scottish king at the Holyrood Palace and a Romani herbalist called Baptista cured the king of an ailment.^[10] However, James V sent letters to his regional officials and clergy to expel the "Egiptianes" in July 1541^[11]

Romani migration to Scotland continued during the 16th century and several groups of Romanies were accepted there after being expelled from England.^[12][13] The Privy Council of Scotland made a proclamation in April 1573 ordering the "Egiptianis", who had been permitted to wander up and down the country, either to leave Scotland, or to settle in one place and take up a trade.^[14]

Records in Dundee from 1651 documented the migrations of small groups of people called "Egyptians" in the Highlands, noted to be of the same nature as the Gypsies in England.^[15] By 1612, Romani communities were recorded to exist as far north as Scalloway in the Shetland Islands.^[12][16]

The Kàlo, a Romani group in Finland, maintain that their ancestors were originally a Romani group who travelled to Finland from Scotland;^[17] this is because the Kàlo and the Romanisæl of Norway and Sweden are distantly related to present-day Romanichal, Kalé and Lowland Romani, with all of these groups having common ancestry, being descended from the Romani who arrived in Britain in the sixteenth century.

Romani people in the south of Scotland enjoyed the protection of the Roslyn family and made an encampment within the Roslyn castle grounds. However, as with its neighbour England, the Scottish parliament passed an act in 1609 against Romani groups known as the “Act against the Egyptians”;^[13] which made it lawful to condemn, detain and execute Romani people.^[12]

Scotland has had a Romani population for at least 500 years; they are a distinct group from the Highland Travellers. Lowland Romani Gypsies share a common heritage with Romanichal and Kalé. They enjoyed a place in Scottish society until the Reformation, when their wandering lifestyle and exotic culture brought severe persecution upon them.^[18]

Nawkens/Lowland Travellers speak a jargon^[4] called Cant^[4] (also known as Scoto-Romani and Tinkler's Cant^[7]). It is also called Scottish Tinker-Cant^[7]. Estimates of the Romani element in Scots-Romani includes up to "50% debased Romani" as put forward by John Sampson in his introduction to Andrew McCormick's publication The Tinkler-Gypsies of Galloway. Cant (Scots-Romani) has a small percentage of Shelta.

Border Gypsies^[19] were a regional cluster of the Nawken ethnic group inhabiting the small villages of Kirk Yetholm, Town Yetholm, Kelso and Coldstream situated in the Scottish Borders^[20]. They were also called Kirk Yetholm Tinklers^[20] or Yetholm Gypsies^[21]. Like other Nawkens, Kirk Yetholm Tinklers spoke Cant (Scoto-Romani)^[4]. Kirk Yetholm Tinkers were widely believed to be a separate "race" to the other Nawkens/Tinkers^[4]. This was disproved by McCormick through language analysis.^[4]

In recent years Border Gypsies (Kirk Yetholm Tinklers) have been called Border Romanichals by some authors and are said to be Romanichals who speak Northern Angloromani mixed with Scots^[22]. This information can be tracked back to a 2024 article on the Gypsy and Traveller History Month website. It remains controversial.

Scottish Highland Travellers, also known as Indigenous Highland Travellers (IHT) are a nomadic ethnic group historically situated in the Highlands of Scotland.^[5] Unlike Lowland Travellers/Gypsies (Nawkens), Scottish Highland Travellers are of indigenous origin.^[5] They are culturally and linguistically distinct^[5] from other ethnic groups under the Gypsy/Traveller umbrella term in Scotland such as Nawkens (Lowland Gypsies/Travellers), Romanichals, Showmen Travellers and recent Roma immigrants.^[1]

The pejorative term Black Tinkers is applied to them.^[23] Tinkers in Gaelic-speaking areas were called cèard fiosachd ("fortune-telling tinkers")^[24], baobh shiùbhlach ("strolling fortune-tellers)^[24] and ceàrdannan ("craftsmen") in Scottish Gaelic.

The Highland Travellers' spoke a Gaelic-based jargon called Beurla Reagaird^[25]. It is related to the Irish Traveller language Shelta and like the Highland Travellers themselves, the language is not related to Romani.^[25]. A lexicon can be found at the back of Timothy Neat's The Summer Walkers. It is unrelated to Beurlagair na Saor, the jargon spoken by Irish masons^[26].

Highland Travellers share a similar heritage, although are distinct from, the Irish Travellers. As with their Irish counterparts, there are several theories regarding the origin of Scottish Highland Travellers; some that have been claimed at different times are that they are descended from the Picts,^[27] originated as excommunicated clergy,^[27] were families fleeing the Highland potato famine, or represent a population displaced by the Norman Invasion or prior socio-political disruptions.^[27]. Several other European groups are also non-Romani, namely the Yeniches, Woonwagenbewoners in the Netherlands (who may be related to the Yeniche), Indigenous Norwegian Travellers, and Landfahrer in Germany. As with Indigenous Norwegian Travellers, Highland Travellers' origins may be more complex and difficult to ascertain, as they left no early written records of their own.

As an indigenous group, Highland Travellers have played an essential role in the preservation of traditional Gaelic culture.^[28] It is estimated that as few as 2,000 Highland Travellers continue to lead their traditional lifestyle on the roads.

Adam Smith, the economist and philosopher, was reportedly kidnapped by Highland Travellers at a young age before quickly being freed.^[29][30]

Showmen, also known as Funfair Travellers or Fairground Travellers and sometimes as carnies are a community of occupational travellers, who do not form an ethnic group but an occupational and organisational subculture, which can be categorised broadly as a business community of travelling shows, circus and carnival communities, and fairground families. Occupational travellers travel for work across Scotland, England, Wales and into continental Europe. The show/fairground community is close knit, with ties often existing between them and the older Romanichal families, although showmen families are a distinct, multi-ethnic group and have a vibrant social scene organised around both the summer fairs and the various sites and yards used as winter quarters. Many Scottish show and fairground families live in winter communities based mainly in the east end of Glasgow. Housing an estimated 80% of all British show families, Glasgow is believed to have the largest concentration of showmen quarters in Europe, mostly in Shettleston, Whiteinch, and Carntyne.^[31]

Showmen families have a strong cultural identity as British Showmen, dating back to 1889 and the formation of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and Ireland. Those in Scotland are known within the broader showmen tradition in the UK as the "Scottish section".^[32] As with other showmen communities, they call non-travellers (but not other distinct travelling groups including Romanichal, Roma, Scottish Lowland Travellers, Highland Travellers, or Irish Travellers) as flatties in their own Parlyaree language.^[33] The label of flattie-traveller can include showmen who have left the community to settle down and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Fairs in Scotland have been held from the early Middle Ages, and traditionally brought together the important elements of medieval trade and a festival. Many of the common markets and fairs are rooted in ancient times, from the medieval period or earlier, and are said to be "prescriptive fairs". Other fairs will have been granted a royal charter to cement their importance and secure their future, and these are known as charter fairs. In the middle ages, the royal charters gave the fairs legal status and developed their economic importance. The majority of fairs held in Scotland and the rest of the British Isles can trace their origins to charters granted in the medieval period. Traders would travel long distances to sell their goods, as did travelling musicians and entertainers who kept both the traders and customers entertained. In the thirteenth century, the creation of fairs by royal charter was widespread. Between 1199 and 1350, charters were issued granting the rights to hold markets or fairs. Kirkcaldy links market remains the longest-running funfair in Scotland, from a charter granted by Edward I in 1304. By the early 18th century, the livestock-market aspect of these Scottish charter fairs had diminished, with the focus shifting to amusement, and they evolved into the modern-day travelling fairs.^[34]

The modern travelling showmen have as strong a family history and heritage as do their counterparts in Wales, England and Ireland. Fairs in Scotland are presented around the same time as they are in the rest of Great Britain and Ireland with a similar mixture of Charter, Prescriptive and private business fairs. The run of fairs include Buckie fair, Inverness, Kirkcaldy links market and the historic fairs held at Dundee and Arbroath. Annually a team of young showmen from both Scotland and England play an “international football match” known as the international,^[35] where trophies and caps are held in high esteem. A Showman newspaper; World's Fair is in circulation and available to showmen and non showmen alike.^[35]

Parlyaree is the language spoken by Showmen Travellers^[36]. Parlyaree is primarily a mixture of Italian, Thieve's Cant, Angloromani, Yiddish and backslang^[37]. Parlyaree has been spoken in fairgrounds and theatrical entertainment since at least the seventeenth century.^[38] As theatrical booths, circus acts and menageries were once a common part of European fairs it is likely that the roots of Polari/Parlyaree lie in the period before both theatre and circus became independent of the fairgrounds. The Parlyaree spoken on fairgrounds tends to borrow much more from Romany as well as other languages [citation needed] and argots spoken by other travelling groups, such as cant and backslang.

• Andy M. Stewart, Scottish folk-singer and songwriter. Lead singer of the band Silly Wizard
• Lizzie Higgins, Scottish folk singer (daughter of Jeannie Robertson).
• Jeannie Robertson, Scottish folk singer.
• Belle Stewart, Scottish traditional singer.
• Sheila Stewart, daughter of Belle Stewart, who was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to her country's cultural oral tradition in Scots and Gaelic.
• Duncan Williamson, author / storyteller who wrote down the oral history, stories and ancient tales of the Highland Traveller. He recorded over 3,000 stories over his lifetime.^[39]
• Stanley Robertson, master storyteller, ballad singer and author of several books of Lowland Traveller tales. (Nephew of Jeannie Robertson)
• Jamie Macpherson, 17th century Highland outlaw, fiddler and composer of 'Macpherson's Lament'

Supported by local authorities and the wider United Kingdom Government, from the 1940s to 1980s a series of policies retroactively labelled as the "Tinker Experiment" were pursued.^[40][41] The goal of these policies was to assimilate Travellers into the wider population by acclimatising them to "normal housing", preventing them from traditional nomadic practices. ^[40] This process involved the relocation of Scottish Traveller families into designated campsites across Scotland, including Aberdeenshire, Argyll, Highlands, Perthshire, Fife and the Scottish Borders.^[40]

Families who resisted the move were reported to have been threatened with the removal of their children into social care.^[40] The conditions on many of these sites were described as poor: the Bobbin Mill site in Pitlochry originally featured prefabricated military Nissen Huts with no electricity and coal-fired heating, with one family reporting "one bedroom for nine of us".^[42]

The policies have been described by critics and former residents as a form of cultural genocide, compared to similar policies carried out against other indigenous or minority groups, such the Canadian Indian residential school system.^[42][41] In 2022, the Scottish SNP Government announced an independent report would be commissioned into the experiment.^[42]

Pejorative Terms

The term Gypsy is seen as pejorative by some individuals, especially Roma.^[43]

Another generally dismissive term throughout Britain is Pikeys (also Pikies, Pykies; popularized widely even beyond the UK by the 2000 film Snatch). The also-pejorative Knackers (a reference to livestock rendering, a low-desire form of work often foisted on Travellers) has become uncommon.

• Yates, Mike, ed. (2006). Traveller's Joy: Songs of English and Scottish Travellers and Gypsies 1965–2005. English Folk Dance and Song Society. ISBN 9780854182008.