‘Your house is not where your heart’s at.’
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 and the Australian director Felix Ferguson, 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. The short documentary 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, the work is both educational and intimate, offering a window into a rich culture that persists despite ongoing assimilation efforts that threaten it.
