I started a project involving gypsy families in the Algarve in 2019, especially in the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António areas. What fascinated me about these families was the way they have kept their traditions and nomadic way of life for centuries.
Roma communities in Portugal continue to face discrimination and are forced to live on the margins of society, with poor housing conditions, low education levels and high unemployment rates, according to a report by the Council of Europe released in January 2020.
This project aims to counter the commonly held view of gipsy communities in the Algarve, and includes the Faro, Loulé and Boliqueime camps, namely Cerro do Bruxo, Horta da Areia, Alto do Relógio and Monte João Preto.
This work aims to show the daily lives of these families, emphasizing their traditions and highlight the prejudice, racist and xenophobic stereotyping that they constantly face.