Pride of Romany: Reclaiming Our History

There’s a powerful, growing sense of pride within the British Romanichal Romany community, and it’s not just about honoring our past—it’s about reclaiming our voices. This pride is deeply personal for so many of us because, for generations, our stories have been told by others, often inaccurately and without our consent. It’s time to change that.

As British Romany people, we’ve been called many names—Travellers, Roma, GRT, GRTSB—labels that have been imposed on us, often by those who don’t truly understand our culture or lived experiences. These terms, have been used to erase our unique identity, to blend us into a larger group, and to silence our authentic voices. We’ve been told that these labels are necessary for our inclusion , but in reality, they’ve been used to push us further to the margins and with that assimilated us.

Those who claim to be our friends or even our saviors often speak over us, acting as though we cannot represent ourselves. I’ve seen it firsthand: policymakers, professors, and so-called experts who, armed with their university degrees, assert that they know more about our culture than we do. I once had a non-Romany professor of social policy tell me outright, “This is my table. Tell me why you should have a place, and I’ll decide if you can have a seat.” Another policymaker, with all the arrogance that comes from academic authority, claimed she knew more about my culture than I did because she’d studied at university. 

These experiences are not just frustrating—they’re infuriating. They reveal a deep, systemic problem where those in power benefit from keeping us underfoot, where our voices are silenced in favor of those who have never lived our reality. These people claim to be inclusive, but their actions are anything but. They perpetuate a system that excludes us while pretending to speak for us.

For a long time, it felt like our people were asleep—silent, perhaps even resigned to letting others speak for us. But we’re waking up now. We’re realizing that no one can tell our story better than we can. This is why Pride of Romany was born.

Pride of Romany isn’t just about celebrating who we are; it’s about taking back control of our narrative. It’s about asserting our right to speak for ourselves, to be recognized and respected for who we truly are—not as someone else’s version of us. We are the true custodians of our culture, shaped by generations of lived experience, and it’s time we make sure the world knows it.

This pride we feel is not just about looking back at our history; it’s about shaping our future. It’s about ensuring that our children and grandchildren grow up knowing their culture is something to be proud of, that their voices matter. We’re demanding our seat at the table—not because we need permission, but because it’s our right. We’re no longer willing to be defined by others. Our voices are loud enough, strong enough, and they will be heard.

The Pride of Romany is more than just a organisation; it’s a declaration that we will not be silenced. We’ve are here for generations before us, and we’ll continue to be here—speaking for ourselves, defining our culture on our own terms, and making sure that the true story of British Romanichal Romany people is told. We have awakened, and we’re standing tall. This is our time to be heard, and we will not go back to sleep no matter how sweet the lullaby.