Unpacking Traveller Mental Health – Background

‘Unpacking Traveller Mental Health’ is an immersive and multi-sensory approach to highlight the various dimensions that impact on Travellers’ mental health.

The Process

Drawing on the work from Syrian-born artist and architect Mohamad Hafez in his exhibition ‘Unpacked: Refugee Baggage’, this event uses traditional Traveller ‘grub-boxes’ to explore the individual, social and structural dimensions that impact on Travellers’ mental health.

U.S. based artist, Heather Harris, supported the development of each box by working with workers from Traveller Primary Health Care Projects in the Eastern Region. While people spoke about their work and their experiences recordings were made and the group worked together to transform ideas into a 3D format.

The Exhibition

This exhibition consists of 10 grub boxes packed with expressions of the stresses impacting on Traveller mental health. The ten boxes reflect the experiences of different perspectives;

Women/Men/Youth/OlderPeople /LGBT Travellers/Disabled Travellers/Perinatal Perspective/Positive Mental Health Perspective/Impact of Substance Abuse and the Social Determinants (education, accommodation, employment)

Participants who created the boxes will be present on the day to talk visitors through their grub box contents.

Mental Health Context

Traveller Health Action Plan Must be Published