Old Photograph Travelling People Loch Ness Scotland

Old photograph of Scottish Travelling People camped near Loch Ness, Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the " Ceàrdannan " or " the Craftsmen ", or " luchd siubhail " people of travel, for travellers in general. Poetically known as the " Summer Walkers ", Highland Travellers are a distinct ethnic group and may be referred to as " traivellers ", " traivellin fowk ", in Scots, " tinkers ", originating from the Gaelic " tinceard. " Mistakenly the settled Scottish population may call all travelling and Romani groups tinkers, which is usually regarded as pejorative, and contemptuously as " tinks " or " tinkies ". Highland Travellers are closely tied to the native Highlands, and many traveller families carry clan names like Macfie, Stewart, MacDonald, Cameron, Williamson and Macmillan. They follow a nomadic or settled lifestyle; passing from village to village and are more strongly identified with the native Gaelic speaking population. Continuing their nomadic life, they would pitch their bow tents on rough ground on the edge of the village and earn money there as tinsmiths, hawkers, horse dealers or pearl fishermen. Many found seasonal employment on farms, e.g. at the berry picking or during harvest. Since the 1950s, however, the majority of Highland Travellers have settled down into organized camp sites or regular houses. Adam Smith, the economist and philosopher, was reportedly kidnapped by Highland Travellers at a young age before quickly being freed.



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