By Stephen Patterson
Photos: jbs photos kilkenny
A celebration of Traveller Culture took place in the Neighbourhood Hall on Friday the 31st of May. Traveller Pride Week is an important celebration that promotes the Traveller community’s unique contribution to Irish society while combating the discrimination and prejudice Traveller’s face. Every year Traveller Pride is underpinned by a theme, and this year it is ‘Hidden Voices within the Traveller Community’, – a celebration of those less heard.
The Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement with Kilkenny Leader Partnership organised the Traveller Pride events.
A Gathering
The community gathered in the Neighbourhood Hall where traditional Traveller Life in a typical 1950’s scene was on showcase. This included a traditional tent with a campfire, a flat cart, a Barrell Top Wagon built by a Traveller Man, smaller wagons and flat carts, paper flowers and jewellery making tables and lots of storytelling of days long past.
Sport
Local Traveller Men came together at the Water barracks to play handball and to take part in horseshoe throwing, both sports traditionally loved by Travellers.
Poet in residence
Samantha Joyce, a local Traveller Woman worked with Butler Gallery to explore her writing with an artist from the Gallery. Samantha is a writer who seeks to reflect the world view of a young Traveller woman in her own community and wider society. Her writing reflects the themes of identity, gender, culture, and the effects of discrimination. Samantha produced a beautiful piece to read at the Traveller Pride Gathering and performed in the gallery during Traveller Pride Week.
The Kilkenny Observer caught up with Samantha Joyce, and chatted about her involvement with the written word.
Samantha explained that she has had a love for music and poetry her whole life. “Growing up, I was massively influenced by my mother because she used to write poetry as well and that’s where I then developed my interest and my love for writing”, said Samantha.
Miss Joyce started sharing her poetry just over two years ago and she definitely has grown as a writer and a poet since then. “I’m grateful to have been given so many great opportunities so early on into my career which is incredible”, continued Samantha.
The Kilkenny based scribe said it was great to be able to share her poetry at events like Traveller Pride as it was at her first Traveller Pride event that she recited her own work for the first time ever. After that event is where things really starting moving for her as a poet/writer.
At The Traveller Pride celebrations at The Community Hall on The Butts Green, Samantha recited ‘I am Proud to be a Traveller’ and ‘Pavee Lackeen (Traveller girl).
The poem, ‘I am proud to to be a Traveller’ was written while she was a poet in residence at Butler Gallery.
Pavee Lackeen
By Samantha Joyce
I am a proud Pavee Lackeen,
even though you may not see.
When it comes to discrimination, it ain’t no game with me.
I am a proud Pavee Lackeen can’t you see?
Despite the animosity, I’m a proud Pavee Lackeen
I wish the world would seek to understand me.
I am proud to be me regardless of society , and what faces me.
I know I’ve got the backing of my community.
Being individual is hard , but I will always seek to be unique
in a world where being different is wrong .
I was always taught to stand out and be strong.
My life sometimes prevents me,
But I will always fight for what is right
And for my right to not have to fight
to be me.
In a world where my unity unites me
I strive to be the best version
of Pavee Lackeen Me.
