New age travelers — as the typically young, typically European communities of self-made nomads were initially called — began traveling through the UK in the late 1970s, and continue to survive as a sub-culture to this day. The idea was that individuals from mainstream English heritage (non-Gypsy, non-Irish Traveler/ Tinker) could drop out of the dominant [...]
New age travelers — as the typically young, typically European communities of self-made nomads were initially called — began traveling through the UK in the late 1970s, and continue to survive as a sub-culture to this day. The idea was that individuals from mainstream English heritage (non-Gypsy, non-Irish Traveler/ Tinker) could drop out of the dominant social structure and form a migratory culture for themselves modeled off various nomadic groups of history within the context of the modern era. To various degrees of depth, they were, and are still, successful in these ends: there are still remnants and revivals of the new age traveller movement throughout Europe, and some communities have even entered into their third generation.
Now simply called “travelers,” which is also the designation the English use for the Roma or Irish Travelers, this subculture peaked in the UK in the late 1980s, but still exists to a lesser extent all around Europe. Though the methodologies, philosophies, and lifestyles of the various groups lumped together under the “traveller” banner greatly differ, the constant variable is that they move from camp to camp as communities in converted coaches, school buses, vans, trucks, or even horse and buggies. They tend to live off independent travel businesses, as roving tradesmen, artists, musicians, temp manual laborers, or receive government assistance. Generally speaking, modern travelers attempt to etch out a lifestyle modeled off of glory days of the traveling Roma, Irish Travelers, or other nomadic cultures of history blended within the modern hippie/ punk/ anarchist philosophical framework.
What is striking to me is that these modern travelers have taken a lifestyle that many people on this planet fantasize about — who hasn’t romanticized about living on the road in a community like Gypsies? — and have actualized it in practice. The first generation of these modern travelers were, almost invariably, born into sedentary society, but left it behind in pursuit of an idea that they could live a better, “freer,” way of life on the road. For many of these kids the traveling lifestyle isn’t much more than a youthful fancy to do for a while before going home and getting a formal job, but for others it is a substantial and full fledged way of life. The latter group has, in a very real sense, formed fully functioning nomadic communities which are currently spanning into their third and even forth generations.

New age travellers in a painting
The following three films are about new age travellers, which are the topic of this week’s community discussion. Please watch these films and tell us what you think of them, the new age traveller sub-culture, any ideas you have about them, or your opinions on this lifestyle in the comments below (important! please participate). Although I feel that none of the below films show the sub-culture very positively, they definitely show the inherent problems and difficulties that nomadic communities face in the modern era.
Please watch these films and tell us what you opinions on them. Be sure to reference the background information links below as well.
What do you think of the modern traveler lifestyle?
Do you think of their lifestyle in terms of legality?
What’s your take on how the police deal, or have dealt, with them?
What are your ideas as to the practicality, potential, or possibility of living as a nomadic community in the early 21st century?
New Age Traveller additional resources
Legal campsite in Brighton for New Age Travellers – BBC News
Photos of travelers
Photo exhibition of new travelers
Research paper linking new age travelers with nomadic groups of history
New Age Travellers Wikipedia
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About the Author: VBJ
I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 93 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. VBJ has written 3729 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.
VBJ is currently in: Rome, Italy
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December 17, 2011, 11:32 am
They seem a little like kids who are just rebelling. Rejecting society is not enough to build a new one.
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December 18, 2011, 7:24 pm
Excuse the following, I wrote it as I watched the videos, in bits and pieces and it may not flow well and might not reflect my overall opinion, but shows some of my thoughts as I watched. At the end, I answered your questions more directly. Thank you for giving me a place to rant.
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Wow. Interesting videos. What a great insight into personalities and cultures. At different points in the films I found myself rooting for the travelers, hippies, landowners, cops, politicians etc. I also found myself, at different points, rooting against each of these.Forget New Age traveling. Look at what this says about societies as a whole. All parts of this. Try to live as you like. That’s fine. Get a whole bunch of people like you together to live as you like, and it shakes up the officialdom. This attracts the worst parts of society to join in, making your fairly innocent lifestyle illegal and no longer fun.
These films can be taken in so many ways. It is easy to take either (any) side. To see where each group is coming from. To arm chair quarterback and say “What did you really expect” about any sides reactions.
I remember going to Grateful Dead shows, where those without tickets decided that it was not right to put up fences and therefore destroyed private property. Most of the people I talked to felt that was fine. Alternative thinking is always interesting, more so if you don’t agree with it, or even more so if you agree “up to a point”..
I fought the law and the law won…….
I like the guy getting unemployment insurance saying he just wants to be free to go where he wants and live the way he wants. If someone ELSE is paying your way, you are NOT free. You are expensive. As one of the suits said, if you are doing this at others expense you are not being a free spirit.
The laws/rules are seldom fair for everyone. But they are the laws. If you are surprised that you get resistance, you are not paying attention. If you are doing something legally, but law enforcement says you cannot do it, don’t expect decent treatment. It is not good, but it is a sad fact of life. Life ain’t fair.
In some cases, the officials (cops) went WAY overboard to harass. In other cases, they went WAY out of their way to accommodate them, within the limits them chose. Such as telling them in one way station that they are there illegally and must leave by the next day.
In the US there are a lot of areas where you can stop almost anywhere and sleep, assuming you are only one or two vehicles. But, even in these places, you are ALWAYS subject to being told to move on if the cops choose to for some reason. In many places, it is illegal to park your vehicle to sleep in it. This came about partly because of the 60’s and 70’s where people thought they could park anywhere and party. This really hurts those that truly are just travelers.
With most of what is in these videos, few people would have a problem with a few caravans/families. It is when it becomes BIG that it becomes an issue with some.
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ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
What do you think of the modern traveler lifestyle?
-In reference to the films, it is not for me, but I would have loved it when I was young. For a short bit. I would like to caravan around many places now, but not quite the way they are doing it. I would go for organized campsites mostly. Preferably free or cheap, but organized and legal none the less. The fact that some of them (maybe a lot????) are doing this on the public dime, that would piss me off. If you are capable of work, and are not actively trying to get work, then NO public money should go to you. NONE.Do you think of their lifestyle in terms of legality?
-Laws are laws. Just because something is legal does not mean that people won’t try to stop it, and if someone does not like it, a law will eventually be created that hurts more than just those that it was intended for. The last film showed small numbers of people trying to live on the road wherever they can. As long as they move along when requested, at least try to get permission from land owners, and don’t do things that hurt others, then that’s fine. Unfortunately, it only takes one instance to cause a bad name for all. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be a real instance, just people getting worked up about imagined issues.What’s your take on how the police deal, or have dealt, with them?
-Using these films. They went way too far at one point (a few of the cops needed to be arrested themselves). Not far enough another. And then started using the most effective stonewall tactic to kill the large movement as a whole. Don’t beat them, don’t arrest them. Just move them around and inconvenience the heck out of them. Most of the people will just give up, the rest won’t be much of an issue. Not saying this is right, just how they dealt with it.What are your ideas as to the practicality, potential, or possibility of living as a nomadic community in the early 21st century?
-Similar to communes. A community like this is doomed to failure. Too forced. Too…… I can’t find the right word. It works in the way that it does in this country of snow birds and RV’rs. Everyone on their own, but still kind of a community. When a community is created out of thin air, as the gypsies tried to do, there will always be resistance. From the inside and from the outside. Even the Burning Man festival uses all the trappings of a true government, plus works withing the rules and with the officials. What could work, but would lose it’s following, would be if a group of travelers got together in small groups and went from one legal location to another together. Take out the all night parties. Take out the visible drug use. Set up toilet facilities, medical, etc. Make sure the land owners are OK with you being there, and are compensated for any damage, and things are good.Now…. If you had asked me 30 years ago, my answers might have been very different. But maybe not. We usually think that what we are doing is right at the time, and that no one should interfere.
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December 18, 2011, 7:26 pm
Sorry for that long post. I wrote it, and did not scan it to see what all I wrote.
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