As I have mentioned earlier, when I started to figure out my own background and my ancestors, I discovered it used to be several organizations or smaller groups which represented The Travelers (Romani people). I also noticed very soon that a couple of the organizations hardly communicated with each other, or had any sensible dialogue at all in regards to how to tackle the past and present issues about the Minority of the Travelers.

I joined two of the organizations as a paying member, in order to get a broader perspective on various issues “my people” struggled with these days, as well as to learn from older members about the past. And I learned a lot from both organizations. Both from their Facebook groups and from their web pages. And I also received a monthly newsletter in the post.

That was when I discovered that amazingly enough, we didn’t have an Umbrella organization (Main organization) which all the smaller ones belong to. An organization where all the other smaller groups could send a representative or two for a regular meeting to discuss various present issues or strategic planning in regards to meeting the authorities, etc. Such a main organization could pool all the resources and be able to put a bigger pressure on the local or central authority. Not to forget talk with one voice in Media.

I suggested this to both the orgs which I was a paying member of. But the result was negative, to put it mildly. One of the orgs replied fairly fast and informed me that they hardly agreed about anything with the other org in regards to almost anything. The other did not even reply. They did not even bother to reply after several inquiries by e-mail or direct messages via their Facebook group.

To organize several similar groups into a main organization is very common throughout the society, everywhere in the world actually. Whether it is Political parties, labor or employer unions, social and sports organizations. They have come together in one Main Organization to push their main issues. And still, the individual groups can run themselves after they own local rules. And of course, as I always talked about, as more small and local groups and organizations, as better it is. When it comes to the visibility of us Travelers as a group, in the Media.

So, to get us on the agenda once again, we need to step up. Sure, we have an article here and there published in special interests’ publications, or a local news paper somewhere. But we are not visible enough among the general public. The vast majority of the population still believe we are what the negative stories they heard about us.

Finally…… Look at the Sami people. One can only credit them about how clever they have been by coming together and speak with one powerful voice, for the entire collective. They have been very good in “hammering the Media” about themselves and their issues. They have worked and worked and managed to be visible in local as well as main Media outlets.

We must stand together good people!

Rgds, Kai Ståle Ødegård (Proud Travellar)