Memories of nomadic life in Ireland | Ni N'akul nid'as (Free People)

Описание: An ode to life on the road. Irish Travellers at a gathering in County Galway share memories, songs and crafts by the fire.

English subtitles for this video are available by clicking the CC button at the bottom right of the video player.

Directors: Alice McDowell, Felix Ferguson (https://felixferguson.com/)
Galway Traveller Movement (https://gtmtrav.ie/)

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Irish Travellers are an Indigenous ethnic minority of Ireland, with an estimated population of 40,000, making up about one per cent of the island’s population. With roots that date back centuries, Travellers lived mostly nomadic lives until the 1960s, when forced government policies – including anti-trespass laws – made their distinct itinerant lifestyle difficult to sustain.
Free People, from the Australian Irish director Alice McDowell, captures a gathering of Travellers in 2023 at a site in County Galway recreated to resemble a camp that would have been common generations ago. In the short documentary, McDowell shows families and friends sharing memories from nomadic times, songs and crafts near a fire. This includes tinsmithing and the crafting of paper flowers – two skills deeply intertwined with Traveller heritage. Filmed with an observational lens, McDowell’s work is both educational and intimate, offering a window into a rich culture that persists despite ongoing assimilation efforts that threaten it.