The Travellers of Norway

Like the Romany Gypsies of Britain, the Travellers are a national minority group who have lived in Norway for the last 500 years. The minority has been through a harsh assimilation policy which has affected their attitude to today’s society. The article gives a small summary of the Travellers history in Norway and shows how many have a fear even today. Many Travellers feel they don’t fit in, and some are afraid of sending their children to kindergarten (playschool). The article shows how a project focusing on the Travellers culture can help them to feel pride and also accept kindergarten as something important to their children.

Associate Professor Anne-Mari Larsen 

aml@dmmh.no

Travellers and the culture: Experiences from a project in kindergarten 

The Travellers are a National minority group who have lived in Norway since the 15th century. They were known as small-scale sellers and craftsmen. They travelled round the country, offered their goods and took different jobs as craftsmen and brought news, songs and music to the farmers. The core of the Travellers’ culture is travelling as indicated by the name of the group. Ever since the Travellers came to Norway they have faced problems, been persecuted and looked down upon.  They have been discriminated because of their culture and travelling life style which was different from the majority in Norway.  The Norwegian authorities have used a very harsh assimilation policy towards the Travellers in order to make them "proper" Norwegians, stop the travelling, and deny their language and culture (Gotaas, 2000).

In 1935 the Norwegian Mission for the homeless, called “The Mission” was established. This was a private organisation, with economical support from the official authorities and was by the Ministry of Church and Education given the responsibilities for the assimilation policy toward the Travellers. The reason to establish “The Mission” was to get the Travellers fully assimilated into the Norwegian culture and society and to prevent the children from the travelling life. Many children were taken from their parents and put in orphanage, or with foster families. These children grew up without knowing anything about their biological family and background. Parents were not told with whom or where the children stayed, and many did never meet each other again. This was also the aim of the Mission who claimed; every child who is united with their Travelling parents is a lost child (Kjeldstadli, 2003:450).  Between 1900 and 1989 about 1500 children were taken from their parents (Eide & Aanesen 2008, St.meld nr. 15 (2000-2001)).

A project about the Travellers' culture in the kindergarten

From interviews (Larsen, 2010) we have registered that many Travellers still have an anxiety towards the greater society, and tell they are afraid the history might be repeated. Some parents tell they are afraid someone might come and take their children, and this could be the reason for a very protective attitude towards children. Because of the former policy many Travellers are extra conscious towards their family and children, and many says: We are afraid our children might be mocked, but we want the best for them, and we are very conscious in the upbringing trying to make the children feel strong and proud with an equal status though they belong to a minority group.

There is no tradition of sending children to kindergarten. The Travellers give different reasons for keeping the children at home. Fear towards the greater society might be the reason number one. Among the elder generation there is a suspicion and fear towards teachers and school in general, and this attitude is often transmitted to the younger generation. Another reason is that many women among the Travellers don’t work outside the home, and if they send children to kindergarten they might get critical comments from other Travellers saying it’s expected you take care of your own children. Others mention that the culture in kindergarten is so different from what they are used to, and there are no other Travellers there, neither children nor adults (Larsen, 2012).

How to work with the Travellers' culture in kindergarten

The project has run since 2010, and has been conducted in many different kindergartens in Norway.

Aim

• Children from the Travellers group shall meet their own culture in the kindergarten
• All the children shall learn something about the Travellers culture
• The teachers and staff shall learn about the history and culture of the Travellers
• Motivate more Travellers to send their children to kindergarten

Method

Every program starts with a lecture to the staff about the Travellers culture and history in Norway. When the staff knows the history they will have a better fundament and background to understand the Travellers, their attitude, fear and concern for their children, and they will hopefully feel they have a better basis to arrange for children and parents.

The project lasts from two – six months, and a Traveller come to the kindergarten every second or third week and work with the staff and children.

Stories

We start by telling stories about the Travellers, where they came from, how they travelled inland and by boats. How they earned their living and where and how they found places to stay. We focus on the positive side of the culture, importance of the family and how they always travelled many together. Equally important is to inform how the Travellers live today.

Pictures

Pictures make it easier to understand how the Travellers lived in the old days and also how they live today. Pictures can be used as inspiration to make own stories based on the knowledge and stories the children have listened to.

Role play

If it is possible to use one particular room, or a corner of a room, while you have the project it will give inspiration to the role play. The room can be decorated with pictures, drawings made by the children, equipment from the Travellers culture and cloths. The atmosphere in the room might give an extra inspiration to the role play. If it is possible it is even better to make a camp outside with tent and a place to have bonfire.  Cloths can also give inspiration to role play, and children are often fascinated by dressing up.  Girls might use long skirts or dresses along with scarfs in bright colors. Boys can wear shirts, waistcoats, hats and small scarfs.

Role play is important and central in children’s life. It is their language and one of the most important ways to social learning, understanding and empathy.  They adapt certain incidents in their life, things they have seen, heard, experienced by playing it.  Through play children get a better understanding of the situations. In role play children have to give and take, they have to keep to rules, each other, use the language which all give them experiences in social relations (Lillemyr, 2004).

Signs

When the Travellers travelled in the old days they used to put different signs on the road. It could be signs to tell other Travellers where they had gone, or signs to inform about a house where you find nice people, or the opposite (Ribsskog, 1945). Put different signs outside, either in the playground or if it`s possible in the neighborhood.  Let the children look for signs and try to find the whole route.

Food

The Travellers did not have their own traditional food. The people who travelled inland used to get food from the farmers. They either bought it or they exchanged with their goods.   One difference to the farmers was that the Travellers often prepared their food outside on fire, and a popular dish among children was “kølbulle” which is a kind of pancake made of flour, milk, eggs and sugar.

Handicraft

The Travellers used steel wire to make beaters, candleholders and bowls for sale. It was mostly men and elder boys who did this job. They also made ear rings, bracelets, belt buckles and filigree brooches in silver. In kindergarten you can combine steel wire and pearls to make jewelry. Tread pearls in different shapes, size and colors on steel wire to make a bracelet or a necklace and let the children experiment.

Songs and music

The Travellers were good singers. Listen to their music and learn a song in their language, Romani.

Experiences and evaluation

Many of the Travelling parents say the project has given children and staff a background and a better understanding of the Travellers culture which help their children to adjust and feel happier in the kindergarten. The staffs agree, and tell that when the Traveller is in the kindergarten the children are more eager, freer and take more part in the activities. Focus on the culture gives statues and even more when it is a person from the minority who is in charge. In this way this particular Traveller is an important role model, can she, can others.

When the project has closed many parents have come to the staff and said: Now that you have worked with and know about the culture, I dare to admit to you that my family also belongs to the Travellers.

The children have learnt by stories told by the Traveller. Pictures have given the children a better understanding of how the Travellers lived and travelled. Knowledge about the Travellers is often limited among the staff. Only the elder part of the staff told they had met Travellers in their youth. They had never spoken to them, but were told to go inside, and to be aware of their belongings since; you can never trust a Traveller, they are thieves, and make problems wherever they come. After the project teachers say they have got a better understanding based on knowledge and relations, and they are now able to facilitate better.

We cannot conclude and say an exact number of Travellers who have sent their children to kindergarten, but we experience another attitude. People are more open towards kindergarten, many see the value, and they are less scared of sending their children there.

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This article is an abbreviated version of the article "Travellers and the culture: a project in kindergarten with a national minority group in Norway" by Anne-Mari Larsen. Anne-Mari Larsen is an associate professor in drama working at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education in Trondheim, Norway.  She has since 2004 worked together with the Travellers Organization. The aim for the projects is to visualize the Travellers culture in kindergarten and schools.

Literature

Eide, B., og Aanesen, E. 2008. Nasjonens barn. Oslo: Conflux forlag.

Gotaas, T. 2000. Taterne. Livskampen og eventyret. Oslo: Andresen & Butenschøn.

Kjeldstadli, K (2003) Norsk innvandrerhistorie 1, Pax forlag, Oslo.

Larsen, A-M. (2010) Vi er fargerike bare vi tør, Om taternes fortellinger. Tapir, Trondheim.

Larsen, A-M (2012) Taterkultur i barnehagen http://www.tater-romani.info/

Lillemyr, O.F. (2004) Lek – opplevelse – læring, i barnehage og skole. 2. utg. Universitetsforlaget, Oslo

Ribsskog, Ø. (1945) Hemmelige språk og tegn. Tanum, Oslo

St.meld. nr. 15. 2000-2001. Nasjonale minoriteter i Norge – Om statleg politikk overfor jødar, kvener, rom, romanifolket/taterne og skogfinner, Kommunal- og regionaldepartementet, Oslo.