My father always said that we were from Romany stock. He is now deceased. How can I trace my history to find out if we are.

Gillian, Gravesend

I'm disgraced at the morals of young travelling girls these days. Speaking as a 15-year-old travelling girl myself, why do they try to act and dress like gawdgys and all young travelling boys want is to take drugs and hang around sesskenners! The intergration between travellers and gawdgys over the last 30years or so has ruined travellers. They are acting and talking like each other to the point were it`s almost immposible to tell yhem apart. Let each be proud of their own heritage and stick to it. I blame the parents of young tavelling children for the severe drop in morals today.

Margie, Surrey

Hi, I am a Traveller, and I am fed up with the attitude of today's society towards the Romany people! They are treated the way black and Asian people were 50 years ago. They are herded into small well hidden caravan sites that are always built near busy main roads, sewage plants, electric pylons, in other words places where most non Travellers would never live. Travellers' way of life has all but been eradicated, while, for instance, Asians have expensive mosques built for them just to pray in. Yet a Travellers' natural way of life is to be on the move, yet rather than this be encouraged, it is made impossible by the police and the general publics attitude. We are a long way from a truly tolerant society.

Editor's note: It isn't true that Asians have expensive mosques built for them. Certainly here in Kent the temples that have been built have been with money raised from within the Asian community, they have provided for themselves just as many Travellers are now seeking to do by applying for permission to stop on their own land. I guess all that anyone is asking for is to be treated equally and with respect.

Paul and Victoria, Chichester

I am a non-Gypsy and it really annoys me when young girls (Gorgers) try to look like Gypsies i.e wearing the jewellery and clothes. You are what you are and should be proud of that.

Anon, Medway

I would say no, not all Gypsies are bad, but they hardly do anything to make us Gorgers think any different. My brother's family are from Romany decent but he knows nothing about them. I think he should learn about his culture as I think it is very interesting, but because of all the bad press they get he feels ashamed.

Anon, Kent

Wow, this site is so informative! I just love learning about my culture. I am mainly, a Russian Roma Gypsy, but I do have Romnichael blood in me, as well (my grandmother was pure English Gypsy.)

I find it so fascinating to see the differences from my Gypsy language, and Boyash's (Romnichaels). Their language is so vibrant and intriguing. Romanes is more ethnic sounding then Romnichael language, but they both have that great spirit that is only evident in the Gypsy way of life.

The sad thing is that Gadje (non-gypsies) seem to have very negative views about our culture, and that only makes the cloud of racial ingnorance stronger. I wish this wasn't so, but that's life.

Well, I love being a hogha (Gypsy girl), and wouldn't want to be anything else other than that. We should be proud to be born in such a unique and rich culture... I know I am.

And, one day I hope to marry a shokaud shogho (beautiful Gypsy boy) and, have lots of babies, and make a lot of lovay (money)... Sastematsa. LoL! Bye

Crystal Evans, 18 yrs old, Texas USA

I am a Traveller and I hate the way people say you are a dirty pykie and ain't got no money we have got more money and nicer things than them old gorgie kenicks and when they calls me dirty i feels like jobbing them old dins cause our places are ten times cleaner then theres and when them old gorgies try to dress up like us with the big earings and chains it make me mad cause they can never be a Traveller once a gorgie always a gorgie.

Charlene, Surrey

I agree with Sarah. We know we are not dirty pikies. Peaple don't understand our way of life. They are just ignorant because they live the Gorgie way.

Hi Tommy, no offence taken! At the moment I am trying to learn Romanes through websites and books, but it's difficult to learn a language without conversing regularly! This website's been good though, because when people write in Romanes it gives me a chance to test what I've learnt. All the best with the music Tommy, I look forward to hearing it here someday!

I went to school one day and a girl called me a 'pikey' so I said you never be like any of us Travalers at this school.But the old girl dont get nank done to but i was only sticking up for my self. But the old teachers put you in a room all day for fighting but what they dont know is when they call us names like 'old pikeys' they know that they have to dashed for calling me that. The gorgers at school are proper gonners they've never bin used to nank only bin used to a old jook in their tan.

I was at school one day and a girl started calling me a dirty pickey. I told her that she wouldn't be like me in a life time and just left it the next day she thought she would be big in front of her little kenic mates and called it to me again so I set about her. Then the teachers come and stop me and then they sent me home and wouldn't have me back for 2 days. Me mum went mad she said to the old school teacher "I send my girl to school to learn not to come up here and get called names and to fight", but at the end of the day I was only sticking up for myself and I got chucked out the school for it. The thing is the kenic children they never get narked for calling us dirty pickies which is racist.

We are both 15 years old, we go to school and we hate it. We don't knno why we have to go. We would rather stay at home and help our mums clean up. When we leave school we are only going to get married so i don't knno why we should go to divey school!

My name is Betsy. I live in a kenner with mum and dad and 5 brothers and four sister. I was born in Essex. I went to Appleby this year and I was with my cousins. I stayed in a trailer which was my dad's. It was quiet and peaceful and we spent time round the fire chatting and I played on my counsin`s Quad bike. Dad bought me a Channel bag. It was good to get away from Denton for a while. I was playing over Bakers park with my cousins and a boy came over and said `you pikies` and I was a bit upset but I said `call me a pikey and I will show you what we can do` and then I chased him and he ran off.

Hi Tommy, that's cool, no offence taken! The only way I can learn at the moment is from various websites, but you're right, the spelling is different every time! I would love to have the chance to speak with other Romanes speaking people like I can with my friends and family in Welsh. Funnily enough, my Welsh side of the family are Griffiths, but there's no Rom blood there... as far as I know! I look forward to hearing your music when they post it here!

Sorry Rebecca, it wasn't a dig. It's just that as a race we can tell each other, if you come up to me and you were as you said you are I would know, but the fact that you are learning Romany is a lot better than the Gorgers whom just pick up and use the one or two words constantly without understanding the meaning. I didn't even know that kushty bok was a saying, thank you you have taught me something today!!! Iisn't it funny though how the spelling changes but it sounds the same? My gran said that was because her family always wrote as it was pronounced!

I'm a Traveller and proud of being one. I have a very big family. I live in a house but I was living in a trailer about 4 years ago Me and my mate always go to the Gypsy fairs and goes and spends are shondolees. Me and my mate go to work out in the fields doing a little bit of cherry picking and that is what we've been brought up to do with our mother and father. People think we are dirty little Gypsies but the little Gorger breds will never be like us in a life time. But if that's what they think of us they can think it. Me and my mate are both courting Travelling boys but our mother and father would kill us both if they found out they would kill the boys as well!

Tommy, I totally respect where you're coming from, but unfortunately there are many Rom, both full blood and mixed blood, who can't speak Romanes. Personally, my father knows a few words, and I am trying to learn, but only understand a little. So if you were to speak to me in Romanes I wouldn't understand everything you said, but I wouldn't want you to look down on me for that! I am not full-blood Roma, nor am I full blood Welsh, but as I was brought up in Wales into a Welsh speaking community. I can speak Welsh.

Romanes is something I am having to learn. I would encourage those with Welsh blood to learn the language, just as I think you should encourage people like me to speak Romanes. By the way, I am the same age as you and a musician too, and I went to performing arts college, so I wish you the best of luck with everything! Kushti bok to you.

My gran and grandad were the ones travelling and my mother settled down when I was born. My gran is directly related to Lovell and Griffith. My travelling family are all in Wales and I have never met them, but my close Romany family in Winsford are great. My granparents brought up 11 kids on their own and with no help in them days and I am the oldest of the third generation, the house living ones.

I love talking in my own language although I don't get much chance in today's society even when there are Travellers. In Winsford the Romany families stick together and don't seem to branch out to the other families, so there are lots of Romany families that live in houses and don't speak to the others.

My family and I, especially me, are proud of our traditions and I am completely happy with who I am. There needs to be a Romany school set up where we can teach our chavey and become the best out there, nobody wants to help us and we have always been self sufficient.

Has anybody noticed how the Gorgers always say that their family is Romany when they are not after rockerin romanchal and the Gorgers shunnin mandy dickda yoks an vasts!! (translated as "when we speak to them in Romany they don't understand and we can tell by the way they try hide the faces, fidget and dont understand." Ed) Romany indeed!!

When people understand it's the tradition and the family blood and not just travelling in a varda and showing us up by wallowing with the chavey's!! It's a life which nobody understands but us. DORDI!! Romany culture is a del send and at least we know where we've come from, where we've been and where we want to go.... with our families.