Socio-cultural background of the Romani communities in France

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- Histoire (fr)
- Reglementation (fr)
- Les Roms et l’Europe (fr)

1) Romanies/Tziganes’ identity in France

French Romanies/Tziganes, also called “Travelling people” by the public administration, belong to different ethnic groups, whose main peculiarities are the following :

• Sinties or « Manouches » :
Their name comes from Sindh (Hindi name of the river Indus). Sinties are mainly present in Germany, in France, in the Netherlands and in Belgium. In France they are also called « Manouches ». They were usually street traders, peddlers, musicians, basket-makers, scrap dealers and circus and fairground workers.

• Romanies or Roma :
Rom means “man” in Romany language, which is the basic language of many different dialects and languages spoken by Rom/Tziganes. The name “Rom” is given to groups that have long lived in Central and Eastern Europe. They are the most numerous and the most widespread ethnic group. Other often mentioned subgroups are the Abruzzi, the Xoraxané, the Kalderash, the Lovara and the Lautari. They used to work as dealers in horses and tinkers.

• Gitanos or Kales :
They are defined as “gypsies” for instance or “ejiftos”. The word « gitano » probably comes from « egyptano » with reference to « little Egypt », a Middle-Eastern region where they remained for a long time. Gitanos, who are also called “Kales”, that means “blacks” in their dialect, are either Andalusian or Catalan and are widespread mainly in the South of France, in Spain and in Portugal. Coercive measures they had to endure at the end of the 15th century strongly hispanized them. Gitanos have deeply influenced Flamenco music and dance; many Gitanos are bullfighters, vendors and scrap dealers.

• Yenishes :
Their origins are so far not well known yet. Yenishes, of European stock, are supposed to have long adopted Rom/Tziganes’ lifestyle and traditions. In France and in Germany they used to work as basket-makers.

• Other Travelling People :
Itinerants, they work in circuses, in the show business or in fairgrounds and share the concept of the extended family, without systematically being Romanies/Tziganes.

Eastern Europe Romanies
In addition to these « Travelling people », in France there are Romanies coming from Eastern Europe countries, which are already EU members, or whose country is going to be a EU member soon. These Romanies live in more disadvantaged conditions than French Romanies.

2) Travelling People environment
Camps and parking areas are among the main and most ticklish questions of Travelling people’s everyday life. By the end of 2004, 10,000 parking lots (5,000 of which with no facilities) were at the disposal of the families, when the caravans circulating in France are nearly 35,000. Due to the lack of camps and reception areas, we find travelling people in relegate sites, generally near thoroughfares, dumping grounds, waste disposal and sewage works, areas prone to flooding and nearly always on the outskirts of cities. Besides these problems, we must not forget difficulties due to cultural differences with communities that are forced to share a cramped space.

As for legislation, the 31 May 1990 Act concerning the implementation of the right to housing is recalled by the 5 July 2000 Act that asks municipalities with more that 5,000 inhabitants to set out reception policies and to elaborate provincial schemes of travelling people’s reception or transit camps. Otherwise they will be liable to penalty. In 2005, most municipalities signed a provincial reception scheme, but the carrying out of the plan is really behind schedule. Faced with the opposition of inhabitants who disapprove the carrying out of a camp in their neighbourhood, many Mayors have delayed the enforcement of these law provisions. Now, the expiry date for the implementation of such areas is two years after the publication of the provincial scheme. After this date, the state will requisition the grounds and carry out the plan according to the rules, to be paid by the municipalities.

• Reception areas
The first reception areas in France were created during the sixties. The decree law of June 29th, 2001, concerning technical rules applicable to reception areas for travelling people, says that “a caravan lot” must ensure the parking of a caravan, of its hauling vehicle and, if necessary, of its trailer, that is to say at least 75 m2, plus common spaces.

The area will have at least a sanitary appliances block, with minimum one shower and two WCs every five “caravan lots”. Each lot must have easy access to such facilities as well as to drinking water and electricity supply. Conceived as camps, these areas must also have management and surveillance service and a regular rubbish collection. As these services are not free, they could be a problem for low income families. Moreover, the ministerial circular letter says that municipalities should avoid creating such areas in relegate sites. On the contrary, they must ensure easy accessibility to social, educational and health services as well as to markets and fairs. These areas will be able to « accommodate » families for short or longer periods, according to the place and the local rules, but never for longer than nine months. A departure from the rules is possible for professional or medical reasons. The size of the camps will depend on travelling people’s transit in the region, with a minimum of 15 lots and a maximum of 50.

• Large transit camps
They will be able to accommodate groups of 50 - 200 caravans travelling together and will be situated near thoroughfares. The camps will be equipped with permanent water, electricity and sewage facilities.

• Camps for large rallies
The law also provides for the determination of areas that are able to « accommodate » many thousand caravans on the occasion of l travelling people’s large traditional or occasional rallies.

The municipalities commitment to equip themselves with camps for travelling people goes together with the travellers’ commitment not to camp out of equipped areas. At first sight this could seem an improvement ; in fact it is not always so : families who keep moving on from an area to a camp in search of a place, because of insufficient places, risk to find themselves isolated and cut off from their usual “chine” (work) circuits. “Itinerance” could then become vagrancy. In the exhibit of the draft bill on national security guidance and planning (LOPSI n°2002-1094, of August 29th, 2002), it is said: “to more effectively punish” Romany/Tzigane groups who refuse to leave a “private property” when they are ordered to do so. “Economic sanctions” are also provided for and also “the confiscation of all vehicles having been used to commit the offence”. The strict application of these resolutions could risk to seriously prejudice a person’s fundamental rights, such as « free movement », right to property and to domicile inviolability.

• Family grounds

Compromise between « semi-settlement and semi-travel », the purchase of areas by municipalities or their allocation is still a good solution for certain families. However, even if this resolution fits into general law provisions, it is not included in the directions of July 5th, 2000 Act and is difficult to be carried out due to the fact that there are very few municipalities that are willing to accept the presence of caravans even on private grounds.

On the other hand, it is also true that well equipped or « environment adapted » camps do exist on a small scale. Caravans are still the main accommodation, but there are also single buildings that include a kitchen, a living room and sanitary appliances. It seems important to take the best account of travelling people’s aspirations and to accompany those who wish to have a fixed benchmark between two trips or for longer periods.

The caravan : domicile or accommodation ?
Although the caravan is by implication recognized as domicile by the urbanistic code that mentions « users for whom caravan is the permanent habitat » (art R 443-4) and by administrative law that states in art.184 of penal Code: “ the inviolability of itinerants’ vehicles that are to be considered as their domicile ” is not always recognized as accommodation. Therefore it does not always offer the possibility to benefit from social aid, it is not subject to housing taxes and does not allow people to have an address. Travelling people are therefore obliged to register in a “reunion municipality” and to take up residence there.

3)Family life
Each group of travelling people has traditions, culture and specific lifestyles.

• Shared values
All Romany/Tziganes have shared values, among which the family is probably the most important; the “family” goes beyond the conjugal link. We can say that “ a Tzigane who is alone does not exist”. He/she only exists within his/her astonishingly rich relational network.
This is why Romany/Tziganes appreciate so much meetings and large rallies that are always a good opportunity for joyful get-togethers.

• Functions of the family

Mainstay of social relationships, the family is in charge of the group’s upbreeding and education, protection and economy. Children’s education is based on the imitation of the grown-ups and is practically carried out day by day. Young girls are brought up in order to be able to bear the responsibility of a household and to perpetuate traditions, whereas boys accompany older men in all their activities and, little by little, they play a more active role.

• Relationships with gadjés (non-tziganes)
Solidarity within the family and among families is very strong in the Tzigane community. If marriages seal families generally belonging to the same ethnic group, alliances with gadjés, that once were simply tolerated, tend to be increasing. They are at the same time a good opportunity for opening to modernity, but they are also responsible for the impoverishment of Tziganes’ culture. After having long been considered the only guarantors of their parents’ future, children are a source of happiness and a sign of wealth; men and women consider it a godsend to have many children.

4) Economic and cultural life

• Cultural significance of work
Work is of crucial importance in Rom/Tzigane life. However, it does not aim at economic security nor at capitalization, but at satisfying basic needs, sometimes even survival, and the need to be at liberty to travel and to fully enjoy their life. Conviviality and respect for family ties (christenings, weddings, sick people care, funeral ceremonies, and so on) are essential values for Rom/Tziganes who are ready to spend a lot of money in order to celebrate them.

• The passing of traditional jobs
Nowadays, new economic flows deprive Travelling people of many of their traditional income sources (handicraft, door-to-door trade, manual labour, fairground works…), spurring their great ability to adapt. Many of them have become bricklayers, chimney-sweeps, painters, car washers, etc.

• The journey linked to economic activities and sensed as cultural value
Deep-rooted in tradition, the journey is still an everlasting value for Rom/Tzigane communities. They are continually on the move because of job searching, family events, pilgrimages, and so on.

• A culture at risk of extinction
Susceptible to nature rythms, Rom/Tziganes have a flexible and interchangeable way of life according to their environment. In communion with nature, their relationship with time and space is totally different from sedentary populations’. In romani language, for instance, a single word has the double meaning of yesterday and tomorrow. Even when sedentarized, Rom/Tziganes keep having an idea of space and time that is completely different from the gadjés, deeply characterized by mobility and a great ability to adapt.
In a society organized by and for sedentary people, this nomadic or inherited by nomadism spirit causes organization problems, sometimes even conflicts : arrivals, departures and length of stay are unpredictable, removals are frequent and children often find themselves « mismatched » as far as the traditional school is concerned. Moreover, Rom/Tziganes language and history are not included in official school programmes, whereas regional languages are taught. Rom/Tziganes feel as if they were not recognized as cultural minority.

5) Young Travellers schooling

• Young Rom/Tziganes schooling and lifestyle
Rom/Tziganes lifestyle and numerous transfers throughout the year do no help young children’s and teenagers’ schooling.
In 1990, Delamon ministerial report on « Travelling people situation and improvement-oriented measures » stated that the number of children under 16 in Rom/Tzigane families is 120,000 According to estimates, nearly 50% of these young people do not go to school. 70% of Rom/Tzigane adults are illiterate.
As a matter of fact, families seldom have the possibility to stay nine months in the same camp; this makes it difficult to follow a school programme in the same school. Often in the caravans there are no books and reading and writing activities are often perceived as coercive measures.

In order to fight against illiteracy and to help young Rom/Tziganes integration, some initiatives are developing ; they propose teaching solutions that are adapted to these children’s lifestyle, but that should however not take the place of the traditional school, otherwise they risk to marginalize children.

• Mobile schools
Settled in 15 « départements » (provinces), ASET’s (Association pour l’aide à la scolarisation des enfants tsiganes – Association for tzigane children schooling) school-lorries give lessons in the camps to children and young people who have not had their schooling. A real springboard towards traditional school, ASET attended nearly 4,000 pupils in its 30 mobile schools in the year 2000. Teachers, recognized by the Department for Education, develop a pedagogy that is adapted to age and levels of the children they deal with and in their programmes they integrate fundamentals of Tzigane culture (oral traditions, time and space notions, etc.) Perceived as a sedentary society’s real opening to the reality of Travelling people’s way of life, these school-lorries are increasingly demanded by the families.

• Camp schools
There are not many camp schools nowadays. Conceived as adaptation structures, they offer a pre-school teaching aiming at an easier integration of young Rom/Tziganes in primary school or in the “collège” (the first years of secondary school). The implemented educational strategies are differentiated and individualized according to children’s age and level ; they are based on concrete realizations and take into consideration the reality of Travelling people. Respectful of Rom/Tziganes rythms and culture, these schools tend to change parents’ negative attitude on teaching and to spur the young to pursue their studies.

• CNED Correspondence courses (Centre national d’enseignement à distance)
If studying alone in a caravan is still a challenge for young Rom/Tziganes whose parents are often illitterate, CNED correspondence courses are another possibility for the most motivated ones to be connected to the education department. In 1995, when CNED courses started, the pupils were 46. Today nearly 6,000 pupils follow a specific programme that also valorizes their history and their identity. CNED pupils’ support network allows them to receive their lessons and to have their homeworks corrected according to their travelling.

• Persistence of difficulties
Despite the existing measures, many young Travellers stop going to school after 13 or 14 years of age. Their professional future is often jeopardized.
The situation of young Roms coming from Eastern European countries is even worse. Some children are enrolled in a school. However, as most families are staying on non-authorized areas and are expelled by the police, it is not possible for these young Romanies (most of whom come from Romania) to have long-term schooling.