Spin-Off Sites - Travelers (Gypsies, Roma) in England

Each country has its own narrative about its Roma, their origins, their past and future. See the "History of Travelling" at www.travellersinleeds.co.uk/_travellers/HistoryEngland.html, for the Roma or Romani or Travellers in Leeds, England. This is a central site for Travellers, with links to various needs and interest groups. It shows by maps and pictures and chronological events where Gypsies came from, and their earliest connections to England.

In England, there is increasing unrest by the community people against the Travellers. See www.abc.net.au/abccontentsales/s1519912.htm. It looks like similar immigration issues are arising worldwide, as peoples cross old boundaries. Distrust, resentment, efforts to dislodge without a place for them to go, etc. And the healthcare provided is abominable, like here. See ://www.news-medical.net/?id=22350. Governments use lots of words about them and great plans. See //83.137.212.42/sitearchive/cre/policy/gypsies_and_travellers.html. Maybe just see that there is healthcare and sustenance and let them travel? Leave a culture alone if they want it?

Our Ireland site provides information on other areas of the British Isles, see Ireland Road Ways, Travellers post, and there is a good overview historical-social-political site at ://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofEnglish/imperial/ireland/travellers.htm.

Roma are in the news and media now, especially with the film, "The Golden Compass," This topic is too much for one post, with the film so please visit Gypsies, Roma, Romani. The post on the film is at Golden Compass.

For Scotland and a cultural history angle, see the post on Johnny Fa, the Scottish gypsy in ballads, at 11/12/2007, Johnny Faa.

As to Johnny Faa's surname, we find no connection to the solfege do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti system - see ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solfege. Will keep looking. Perhaps Mother Faa sang?