insiders and outsiders

Essay text:

alcohol or gambling · some live in hostel accommodation, many more are living out an existence in the streets Shelter Shelter - the national Campaign for the Homeless · helps many thousands of homeless people each year · letters (asking for assistence to find rooms) come in every day Down and out Homeless but happy: · Harry has not always been on the road · had a room once but wasn't happy there · travels around, doing odd jobs, kip in a hostel in winter Gypsies · many of them still speak their traditional romany language and keep up their old customs · no one knows exactly where they came from - it has been suggested that it was from as far as india · used to travel freely across national boundaries in the years before passports were necessary · were met with hostility and suspicion · some people think that they bring good luck · others think that they have special powers and can "tell fortunes" · gypsies say they are just ordinary human beings who have chosen to live their lives in their traditional way · many of them see themselves as living better lives than the "Gorgios" (non gypsies) The travellers · are often confused with gypsies · do not speak romany or have the same traditions · like the Navvies, who built the roads, railways and canals · many of the travellers are Irish and they are met with the same hostility as gypsy people Laplanders · are insiders in the society of their parts of the world · houseowners = outsiders since they do not conform · keep herds of reindeers · move with the herds / follow them