A
Anonymous
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The term 'True Romanies' is somewhat pejorative and usually employed by those wishing to impose sanctions on those of a nomadic bent. Whatever you may think of that, it's probably best left here to the Kilroys of the world.
But, yes Scotland does have a Romany (that is, Romani-speaking and observant of cultural taboos and mores found across Romani populations in Europe) community mostly concentrated in the lowlands, particularly numerous in Larkhall, West Lothian and the borders. Scotland had its own Gypsy Kings, crowned at Yetholm until the late nineteenth century. Most of them are from the Kalderash tribe.
The position of the 'Tinkers' is somewhat different. There has been a great deal of intermarriage in some parts, giving rise to the 'Gypsy Traveller' epithet. Generally though, the two groups do not get on, the Tinkers referring to the Romanies as 'thae foreigners' while the Romanies turn their nose up at them and think up much more creative names, usually in Romani.
Scottish Tinkers are of a kind with the Irish and speak Cant, although in the highlands they spoke a Gaelic backslang known as buerla regaird. Timothy Neat's The Summer Walkers was published a few years ago and is probably the most authoritative recent account of these northern Tinkers, known as the Ceardannan. their roots go back at least as far as Celtic/Gaelic Scotland, though others have posited that due to their distinctive use of words not-cognate with Gaelic, Scots or English and their physical appearance, they may be a Pictish or Neolithic throwback. Neat himself plumps for a relationship with the Lapps and Sami, supported somewhat by cultural similarities and their facial appearance. He describes Tinkers as broad-headed, relatively flat faced and stocky, often dark haired but sometimes fair-headed, like the Sami. And it is true, if you know what to look for you can usually detect Tinker ancestry among some individuals from these features - although Neat's association is very much a circumstantial theory.
However, Traveller populations are no more static than settled - the ranks of Scotland's Travelling people have been swollen since the process of land clearance began in the 17th century, reaching a height with the Highland clearances, the Scottish Potato Famine and movement towards an enclosure system. Not sure if any of these DNA wizards have been conducting any tests in this area or not.
Anyway, hope that clears up some of your questions
But, yes Scotland does have a Romany (that is, Romani-speaking and observant of cultural taboos and mores found across Romani populations in Europe) community mostly concentrated in the lowlands, particularly numerous in Larkhall, West Lothian and the borders. Scotland had its own Gypsy Kings, crowned at Yetholm until the late nineteenth century. Most of them are from the Kalderash tribe.
The position of the 'Tinkers' is somewhat different. There has been a great deal of intermarriage in some parts, giving rise to the 'Gypsy Traveller' epithet. Generally though, the two groups do not get on, the Tinkers referring to the Romanies as 'thae foreigners' while the Romanies turn their nose up at them and think up much more creative names, usually in Romani.
Scottish Tinkers are of a kind with the Irish and speak Cant, although in the highlands they spoke a Gaelic backslang known as buerla regaird. Timothy Neat's The Summer Walkers was published a few years ago and is probably the most authoritative recent account of these northern Tinkers, known as the Ceardannan. their roots go back at least as far as Celtic/Gaelic Scotland, though others have posited that due to their distinctive use of words not-cognate with Gaelic, Scots or English and their physical appearance, they may be a Pictish or Neolithic throwback. Neat himself plumps for a relationship with the Lapps and Sami, supported somewhat by cultural similarities and their facial appearance. He describes Tinkers as broad-headed, relatively flat faced and stocky, often dark haired but sometimes fair-headed, like the Sami. And it is true, if you know what to look for you can usually detect Tinker ancestry among some individuals from these features - although Neat's association is very much a circumstantial theory.
However, Traveller populations are no more static than settled - the ranks of Scotland's Travelling people have been swollen since the process of land clearance began in the 17th century, reaching a height with the Highland clearances, the Scottish Potato Famine and movement towards an enclosure system. Not sure if any of these DNA wizards have been conducting any tests in this area or not.
Anyway, hope that clears up some of your questions