Many Voices Resources

Change over time is a major theme of this project. Whether looking back towards votes for women, or forward towards gender equality, the role of political activism in shaping those changes is clear.

Changes in cultural traditions and practices can evolve naturally or be forced on communities, especially itinerant communities. The move from life on the road to a more settled lifestyle in houses and trailers has not been easy for the Gypsy and Traveller communities. Life on the road although hard is a life loved, and largely forced on the community by land enclosures and evictions, leaving young Gypsies and Travellers ‘betwixt-and-between’ memories of a proud past and discrimination and prejudice against modern Gypsy and Traveller life.

Ghost Gypsy, a script and film, written by Sharon Muiruri Coyne, in collaboration with Kushti Bok and Life Changing Choices, follows Violet, a young Traveller, and her struggles with her own identity, how she is defined and treated by others, and how she learns to be proud of who she is. She has to find her own voice, just like many other women and girls struggling to achieve equality. Violet is one of many voices, struggling to be heard.

Modern politics needs to represent these voices, which is why this project encourages all young people to speak out, speak up, act and vote to make a difference.

The film and script are linked primarily to:

Drama and Performing Arts – live performance, working to a script, role play, characterisation, teacher-in-role, hot seating, thought tracking, tableau, writing in role, etc. But can also link to:

History – women’s suffrage, liberal reform, social and cultural change in post-war Britain

Citizenship – democracy and government, identity and diversity, rights and responsibilities

Politics – extension of the franchise, social reform

Sociology – social issues, feminism, power and inequality

English – language techniques, writing for an audience, speaking and listening

British Values – democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and those with none

SMSC – spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

Rights of the Child – Article 12 – a right to an opinion and the right to expect adults to listen and take them seriously

PSHE – mental health, safety online, preparation for adult life

RE – christianity, catholic christianity

Activities

Drama
Use the film and script with the Teachers Guide to explore Ghost Gypsy over a period of weeks, ending in a performance to other students and classes in the school using several Theatre-in-Education techniques. See ‘Dramatic Strategies’ document.

Other curriculum subjects and whole school approaches
Use extracts of the film and script with the Teachers Guide to explore key themes from Ghost Gypsy that link best to your curriculum and topic. Particularly useful are Scene 2 – which links to identity and diversity, racism and bullying; Scene 5 – which links to the Suffragettes, votes for women and social reform; and Scene 7 – which links to human rights, political protest and the rule of law. Read or watch those scenes and use the accompanying activities to explore these issues, and more, with your students.

Teacher guidance
You will need to ensure your classroom is a safe space to talk about racism, bullying and controversial issues. There is a lot of stereotyping and prejudice towards Gypsy and Traveller culture and a particularly negative portrayal in the media. Use the language guidance included in the teaching materials to help you. Mutual respect and listening to each other are key. Model respectful language. Avoid using stereotypes, assumptions and generalisations, ‘all’ and ‘every’ can be overused. Students need to be specific and personal e.g ‘in my opinion’ and ‘in this example’. Asking questions about where opinions come from can help students be more specific and will relate more to their personal experience helping them avoid stereotypes and generalisations.

Throughout the topic you can start and finish with big questions to reflect on, for example:

Are Gypsies and Travellers a ‘lost tribe’?

Why does racism still exist if we are all one human race?

Does voting matter?

Is peaceful protest the best way to affect change?

Collect your own big questions to explore, discuss or debate.

A young Traveller girl named Violet goes in search of her 'true self' guided by the ghost of her great-grandmother. Ghost Gypsy is a community film that was ...