19.07.2013 The Relationship of Rroma and Jenische in Switzerland

De Graffenried (2013) deals with the difficult issue of the relationship between Jenische and Rroma in Switzerland. A big wedding on a field in the Valais last summer generated a lot of media coverage, and cast a negative image on involved Rroma. The field was very dirty after the festivities. However, actual impetus for discontent was the public image that resulted from the incident. Swiss Jenische found that the coverage which often equates Jenische with Rroma, to misrepresent them. The cultural differences that are highlighted by members of the two ethnic groups are both factual and political. Certain cultural differences are decidedly emphasized to distinguish their identity from the other group. The Director of the Foundation “Future of Swiss Travellers” Urs Glaus notes in an interview with “Le Temps” that “Les gens du voyage suisses sont à 90% des Jenisch. Ils ont un mode de vie très différent des gens du voyage étrangers, surtout des Roms, comme c’était le cas en Valais.” [90% of Travellers in Swirtzerland are Jenische. They have a way of life very different from foreign travellers, and especially of the Rroma, as it was the case in Valais.]

Source: