HELP WANTED THE WAGGONS NEED YOU!
Museums Worcestershire are embarking on a 3 year project funded by the John Ellerman Foundation that aims to illuminate the context of their extremely rare collection of Vardos, the largest on display in the UK, by connecting directly with the GRT community and sharing information about its culture and identity.
This will empower the collection to challenge negative stereotypes and preserve a neglected history in the public domain before it is lost.
We need to develop our research and knowledge around the collection and are therefore looking to hear from members of the Gypsy Roma Traveller community who are willing to share any information, stories, memories or craft relating to the life of Travellers. Areas of research could include
- Living and Working Conditions
- Languages used
- Skills and Trade
- Tradition – Weddings, Funerals, Family dynamics, Spirituality
- Diet, traditional meals and recipes, Herbalism, Foraging, Hunting
- The importance of Horses and other animals/Livestock
- Popular Pastimes
- History of the Vardo, Décor and Maintenance
- Adaptation from travelling to settled life
- Music, song and dance, fashion
There are no limits to how information is captured and could be a simple written account, an audio or visual recording, a recipe, a piece of artwork, photographs, a demonstration or example of craft or trade, an object with a story to tell, music … whatever you want to share, however you want to share it, get in touch with the curator of the project at Museums Worcestershire using the details below to discuss further and/or obtain more information about the project.
We look forward to hearing from you!
You can find out more about what's happening in Vardo Shed HERE