Kemal Sadulov (53) President of the Association Romano, dialogue, social worker, radio presenter image: courtesy
“We Roma live our daily lives in the normal – family, work, school. But about this and about the history of Switzerland with the Roma people know little. Their image of us is strongly influenced by art, media, movies, and pseudo-scientific publications – often stereotypical representations. This has to do with everyday life. The structural racism , and racism in everyday life are still present. There’s a lot to consider: How much of my culture I show to the outside world? But some of them are proactive. I am one of them. The decision of the Federal government, us Roma, not to recognize as a national minority – in the Knowledge that Switzerland sales in the past Roma long years out of the country and not enter let – out, is a cynical decision, a scandal. It is hard to feel this attitude. But we hold firmly to it, our recognition and protection as a national minority. One of our concerns of the Romani language, our language. It is threatened. We need to have more opportunities to maintain, to motivate people, to speak Romani, to write, teaching about the language and culture of the Roma. For the International day of the Roma, I hope that more will be made against structural racism and discrimination against the Roma, the needs of the highest level. It is a long-term focus needs to be programs for the combating of racism and discrimination, which are drawn up in cooperation with Roma organisations. And the authorities and the population must be made aware of the history and culture of the Roma should be an integral part of the curriculum. The false images about us way to soon.”
Mo servant artist, artistic Director of the Roma Jam Session Art kollektiv The Performance of “Chroma” of the Roma Jam Session Art kollektiv, Neu-Oerlikon, Zurich, 2018. Image: zvg
“The Roma community in Switzerland is not perceived in its diversity, really. The name Roma is, unfortunately, interpreted often stereotype and therefore as a Stigma to be experienced. Only a few have the desire to come out of the closet in this atmosphere. As a Swiss citizen with a Sintiza Background I look at the world through slightly different glasses. I look back on a history of discrimination and violence. In my artistic work I am interested in personal stories and their Contextualizations in the official narrative of history. There are many stories of Assimilation and the loss. It is important to tell you – just today. I’m working on. I’m looking for an artistic Form for narratives that refer to it in the future. For the past five years I have been working in the Roma Jam Session Art collective, where we try to work together, stereotypes and fossilierte prejudices against the Roma, to dissolve – artistic as well as activist. We work with Public Performances and graphics. “Chroma Detox Switzerland – Detox Europe” is the title of our latest Public Performance. We interweave the encounters, touches, music, and Text to a liquid social body, including the audience. The Roma Community wishes that the Roma be recognised as a Swiss minority. This requires political courage and some clarity. To me this request seems to be legitimate, after the Sinti and yenish have achieved this recognition. The political split in three ethnic groups I find to be inaccurate on the political level, painful for the Roma, and actually illogical, even absurd. Events such as the Festival of the World can help to put in the presence of positive characters and confusion between the members of the various societies to reduce. And it still needs more positive actions, more international solidarity. Khanchi Amendar Bi Amengo – Nothing about us without us.”
Mustafa Asan (age) artist and activist in the Roma-Jam-Session-Art-collective
“the rejection of The Roma as a minority in Switzerland, the yenish and the Sinti were recognised as a European scandal. I’m trying to make it as a musician and activist on the concerns of the Roma to the attention of. Art can combat Stereotypes. I am convinced of that. I would hope that it is as in Berlin and Vienna, also in a Swiss town is a Roma-Parade to 8. April.”
Daniel Huber (52) President Radgenossenschaft the road image: courtesy
“in the past, you gave us other names, including “Gypsy”. Today, we can just say: We are jenisch. That makes us very proud to be able to say, and means a lot to us. For me it means to be jenisch, to be a free man. I, as a Swiss Jenischer, jenischer Swiss, living here in my culture, and I’m a piece of Swiss history. To live my culture, is for me to go to axis, to be with friends, to sitting by the fire. Right now, in the spring, offers all, to go travelling again. The mood is very good. It pulls you in, easy to go! Also, I would like to travel more. But as the President of the Radgenossenschaft I’m heavily involved, take the car rather between politicians and the authorities. But, my children are already on the way. Unfortunately, the Situation for transit pitches in the summer and stands for the Winter is still precarious. We hope that we can get with the recognition of yenish as a Swiss minority, finally, more habitat that is not only temporary, but also permanent. On the International day of the Roma, I wish that we be recognised yenish in Europe as a minority. Because even in neighbouring countries, Switzerland and the yenish life. Currently, we are working to connect us internationally.”
Isabella Huser (60) author and Translator image: Daniela Huser
“as a child, I knew that We are different. I come from the father’s side from a yenish family. It was a mixture of Pride, and the unclear Knowledge of a devastating history of the persecution. My father had as a child with his siblings in front of the access of the Pro Juventute flee. My grandparents, the end of the 1920s in Lachen on lake Zurich were low, emerged with their six children in the Canton of Ticino. As a musicians family, they found in Lugano employment. At the Hotel, played by the English tourists for afternoon tea. My yenish people wore the costume and played the Swiss Folklore. I have experienced no discrimination as a yenish. The jenisch be you can not see a. I see, from my mother, rather Italian, and was titled – in the time of the so-called foreign infiltration initiatives – as a “Tschinggeli”. At the time, most of the local adult knew which family could be the name jenisch. As Huser. Today, many have no idea what that means: jenisch. When I say that I yenish Swiss family origin, I always get asked: Yes, but where did the come from originally? Not only in Switzerland, there is yenish. My yenish ancestors come, as I know today, from the Central part of Switzerland. On the International day of the Roma, I wish I could have a differentiated view. I hope that people are interested in the people that you perceive the individual, faces and life stories questions. You raise so yourself for the cliché images that will always be fetched again. In the case of the Roma, but also for other groups of people. As soon as we take people to a group, we also have been stereotypes and judgments. Also of the journalists and the media, I hope this nuanced view, and the interest of the people instead of the Story. And here in Switzerland, I hope that research on the yenish. Since the programmatic pursuit of the yenish by the is flew, Pro Juventute, in the 1970s, is Outstanding, but overall very little. The history of modern Switzerland and the history of the yenish have to do in this country a lot. I explore this in the context of my family of origin and work on my novel. The topic should be explored, far beyond my family and beyond, scientific. The history of the yenish, their culture, the yenish language must be on the topic at the universities. History and language Sciences, anthropology, law, music, Sciences are called for here. There is money needs to be spoken, so that many researchers can researchers get to work. The action the child took in the 20th century. Century has destroyed a lot of culture and Knowledge. It is late but not too late.”
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 04.04.2019, 13:44 PM
