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This report is a participatory fieldwork and social research for development. It was prepared by five students from the second batch of the course in Applied Anthropology and Development Processes which took place in Rome, from October 2009 to February 2010.
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A participatory fieldwork and social research for development on
Multicultural and Social Integration of the Senegalese
Immigrants in Rome
Research Supervisor
Dr. Vanda Altarelli
Dipartamento di Sociologia e Comunicazione
Facoltá di Scienze della Comunicazione, Universitá degli Studi di Roma ―La Sapienza‖
Research Team
Ms. Francesca Pacifico, Italy
Ms. Maya Siag, Palestine
Ms. Gloria Alvarez, Guatemala
Mr. Ecaw Tendeng, Senegal
Mr. Sébastien Tendeng, Senegal
This participatory fieldwork and social research project in part of the Second edition of
the International Course of ―Applied Anthropology and Development Processes‖
organized by Dipartamento di Sociologia e Communicazione, Universitá degli Studi di
Roma ―La Sapienza‖ and the Italian Foreign Affair Ministry (MAE)
October 2009- February 2010
2
Table of Contents
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………3
Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………4
Context ……………………………………………………………………….…………8
Main Trends…………………………………………………………………………….11
Conclusions & Recommendations ……………………………………………………25
Annex ……………………………………………………………………………...……27
1. Persons Met ………………………………………………………………….…27
2. Data Collection Instruments …………………………………………………..28
Questionnaire Format ……………………………………………………28
Focus Groups checklist with answers …………………………………...34
Interview format with answers …………………………………………..52
Life story ………………………………………………………………...55
Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………………57
3
Introduction
This report on Multicultural and Social Integration of the Senegalese Immigrants in
Rome is a participatory fieldwork and social research for development. It was prepared by
five students from the second batch of the course in Applied Anthropology and
Development Processes which took place in Rome, from October 2009 to February 2010.
This research was undertaken to provide insights in the processes of integration of the
Senegalese migrants in the Roman cosmopolitan context. Our study analyses the socio-
economic and multicultural integration of this group, based upon the importance that the
evolution of immigration from Senegal to Italy has acquired during the last decade. This
participatory fieldwork aims to answer who are the Senegalese immigrants in Rome, why
they are here, which challenges they face; and their perceptions on what is needed to be
done for fostering their integration.
The majority of the Senegalese immigrants in Rome is here mostly to improve their
economic conditions since (according to their own judgment) back home the
opportunities to achieve such success are highly limited. Social mobility in Senegal
becomes extremely difficult for the common citizens since there is lack of job
opportunities, compounded by lack of financial and natural resources necessary to build
sustainable livelihoods.
We aimed at understanding and evaluating the level of social and intercultural
relationships Senegalese migrants might establish with regards to work opportunities,
educational improvements, language acquisition, religious activities, cultural challenges
and the degree of integration they manage to establish.
Upon their arrival in Rome, these immigrants face a new environment where different
peoples with different backgrounds, behaviors and cultures, blend together to coexist in
one of the most multicultural cities in Europe.
The economic and cultural process that the Senegalese immigrants find here is constantly
challenging their minds and their cosmo vision building a new identity with new and
unknown paradigms that eventually end up becoming part of their lives in the ―cittá
eterna‖.
To achieve this research, a sampling was designed comprising Senegalese immigrants at
all levels of the social scale. Qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection have
been used ranging from questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Since integration is
closely related to immigration, one of the most important tasks of this work consisted in
understanding and analyzing the challenges described above. Consequently, our main
objective is to positively contribute to better integration and well-being of these
immigrants who have taken the challenges and the opportunities of starting a new life in
Rome.
4
Methodology
A mixture of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Questionnaire and Focus Group
instruments has been used as the methodology of appraisal, analysis, planning, action,
management and evaluation of the fieldwork for the Senegalese case, because the goal of
the PRA tools is to involve people as active creators of information and knowledge, to
raise their awareness and setting a more appropriate research agenda. (Altarelli, 2009)
To distribute the different PRA tools, we chose two forms for obtaining information:
1. A Questionnaire: distributed among 23 Senegalese immigrants at their
workplace, houses or the Senegalese embassy.
First we built our questionnaire using tools such as Income and Expenditure Matrices, to
understand the sources of income and expenditures as well as to reveal the incentives,
needs and challenges of the Senegalese immigrants in the labor aspect of the Rome
society.
We shaped the language and form of the questions using the Appreciative Inquire tool
from which we were able to make questions that were ―provocative propositions‖, which
would help us in identifying the goals of the Senegalese immigrants who come to Rome.
Questions like ―Do you feel more Senegalese or Italian?‖, ―Have you accomplished the
goals you had back home?‖, and ―How would you improve the Italian immigration
system‖, were asked for this purpose. AI was also a useful tool to identify the
participants´ strengths, recognizing them as resourceful and also to measure their capacity
of adaption.
Then, the research group went to places where we could locate Senegalese immigrants
whether it was in their work places, such as Ottaviano where most of the Senegalese bag
sellers work, or in the area of Pigneto which is a neighborhood with a high concentration
of Senegalese immigrants.
Since our research group includes two Senegalese members, they could tell by their
appearance if a person is from Senegal, thus approaching them by speaking Wolof or
French, and introducing the group and the research, asking the person if he/she could give
us some time to ask some questions for the research’s purposes.
The questionnaire was written in English, but was orally translated into Wolof, French
and sometimes into Italian. We asked the questions in the language that the respondent
found most comfortable to answer us and then we filled the questionnaire ourselves.
5
After approaching these first two places, we decided to visit the Senegalese embassy.
Thus we were able to extend our sample and our results, because in the embassy we
found immigrants with other occupations and who lived in other parts of Rome rather
than Pigneto.
The respondents’ sample varied between men, women, age, marital status and their legal
or illegal status. Some were newcomers, and others have spent more than 10 years in
Italy.
2. Four Focus Groups clustered different socio-economic sectors from the
lowest income class (bag sellers) to the upper-middle class of Senegalese immigrants
(such as the Catholic Association of Senegalese immigrants in Rome).
Aside with PRA tools, we made a Focus Group Checklist using the Sustainable
Livelihoods Approach which helped us to identify the variations among the Social
Capital of the Senegalese immigrants. Their networks and connections, their relations of
trust, formal and informal groups, neighborhood leaders, people who recommend them
for a job and their brotherhood system among others, were results obtained with this
checklist. To enhance the interaction and debate among our participants, the questions
were also structured as provocative propositions.
We were also able to identify the Human Capital among this community, with respect to
their levels of education, knowledge and skills and their capacity of adaptation.
Connected with the human and social capital, our questionnaire and our Focus Group
checklist also contained questions concerning their Financial Capital with respects to:
remittances, access to bank savings and additional forms of income.
As regards to the Physical Capital, we also asked during our focus groups whether the
transportation system of Rome was easy to use for illegal immigrants.
From the Sustainable Livelihood Approach, we found that there are three major
Vulnerability aspects affecting the Senegalese immigrants which are: the global financial
crises, the new policies of the current Italian government and the new immigration
policies of the European Union.
The literature that we reviewed thus contains information about the immigrant’s
integration in the European Union, the particularities of the Italian immigration system
and how does it affect the specific case of Senegal and also we researched literature on
the background of the Senegalese immigration in Rome, as well as writings about its
evolution and cultural challenges.
To assure the accuracy of our results (and also to confront some works with outdated and
sometimes inaccurate findings), at each step of our fieldwork, we compared our
participant’s answers with those of the authors who have previously studied and analyzed
the integration of the Senegalese in Italy.
6
During our questionnaire and Focus Group interviews, we also used Direct Observation
as a complimentary tool to write down our perceptions and interpretations, which were
then inserted in our final conclusions.
The details of our focus groups are:
Focus Group 1: Gender: Female. Religion: Catholic and Muslim. Two Senegalese
baby- sitters and two household helpers ladies. Ages range from thirty- to-fifty years old;
Interviewed in their house located in Nomentana. The contact was established from
Senegal. Duration: 3 and half hours.
Focus Group 2: Gender: Male. Religion: Muslim. A soccer player, one jewelry
salesman, one artist and one construction worker; Ages ranging from 17 to 38 years old;
interviewed in the Senegalese Embassy while waiting to be attended. Duration: 1 and half
hours.
Focus Group 3: Gender: Male. Religion: Muslim. Ten Senegalese bag sellers. Ages
ranging from 24 to 57 years old; interviewed in their house located in Pigneto after
working hours. The contact was established after meeting one of the bag-sellers in
Castello di Santangelo. Duration: 4 hours.
Focus Group 4: Gender: Female and Male. The seven members of the board of the
Senegalese Catholic association, including: one salesman, one tourist agent, one catholic
priest, one baby sitter, two university students (male and female) and one housewife.
Ages ranging from 32 to 50. The contact was established through the baby sitters that we
met previously. They were interviewed in the house of one of them, on the day of their
monthly meeting. Duration: 4 hours.
In general, the cooperation from the participants was highly satisfactory. But it was more
difficult to expand the exercise in focus group 2 and 3 where sometimes some of the
participants had to abandon the session and then return.
We then used the SPSS software to insert and organize the data from our questionnaires
and Focus Groups to systematize the data gathered.
Our main tool to analyze data and establish tendencies was Triangulation. We
crosschecked the information obtained across the different Senegalese groups and we
also contrasted individual answers obtained within the same group. We provide charts
that contrast these differences as well as qualitative conclusions.
As for our limitations, before starting our research we thought of dividing the population
according to first, second and third waves of immigration to Italy. But after analyzing the
results of the first fifteen questionnaires and the first two focus groups, we discovered
that actually the level of integration of the Senegalese immigrants does not depend on the
time spent in Rome or on the age of the participants. In fact, we found out that their level
7
of integration usually depends more on the economic and social activities they manage to
develop.
We also avoided making a Venn diagram because we found out that the interaction
among different social actors of the Senegalese community is not as strong as we
thought.
The focus group checklist that we intended to distribute among Senegalese children born
in Italy was instead adapted to make an interview with an Italian-born young woman with
Senegalese parents.
Her name is XXX and she is 24 years old and we were able to contact her because we
met her father during our fieldwork days at the embassy. After the school in Pigneto
replied saying that they do not have any Senegalese children studying there,
unfortunately we were not able to find another primary school to talk with Senegalese
children considering the time limits to complete this research.
Finally, some of the people whom we tried to contact did not reply, including a staff from
a UN agency, and an African art event.
8
Context
Since the colonial period, Senegal has experienced a long tradition of both inflow and
outflow of migrants, mainly related to economic reasons, in particular because of the
occasional downfalls of the traditional agricultural system. It produced the following
historical pattern: first, internal rural-urban migration in Senegal, then the sub-regional
migration within West Africa (especially towards Gabon, Ivory Coast, etc.), next the
international migration within Europe (from France to Italy) and finally, a change of
direction of emigration from Senegal with migrants coming directly to Italy.
Senegalese migration to Italy began in the 1980s with migrants coming initially from
France and later directly from Senegal. Most of them in the 1980s and 1990s were Wolof;
coming mainly from the north-western regions of Senegal. The year 1989 was that of the
boom of Senegalese immigration and of Senegalese internal migration within Italy. Many
Senegalese, who had previously worked in the south, began moving to the richer, more
industrialised north.
Until now there is a very important increase in the migrant presence: from 27,500 people
in the 1990 it became more than 40.000 in the 1999 and this number is continuously
increasing. Nowadays there are 67.510 Senegalese people residing legally in Italy making
this community:
-the most numerous one, among all the migrant community of the sub-Saharan countries,
followed by Nigeria and Ghana;
-the third African one, after Morocco and Tunisia;
-One of the first fifteen foreign communities in Italy.
The most important incentive for their stay is job seeking (about 85%) and further less,
familiar reasons (13%).
However, this data doesn’t include the great amount of irregular persons who according
to the Italian Embassy in Dakar, ought to be more than 200,000 units. The majority of
them are the so-called ―overstayers‖, Senegalese citizens who come with a regular
expiring visa but, who after the expiration date, they can barely achieve the sufficient
requirements to stay in the national territory for longer: these are likely to be the 70% of
all the actual clandestine migrants in Italy.
The easiness to entry into the local borders and the possibility to be employed in the huge
informal labor market (which opened up specific niches for immigrant employment), are
some of the most relevant reasons that make Italy being considered a sort of dreamland:
easy to reach and to get rich it became through time one of the most attractive gateways
to the Western world and consequently, the favorite destination for any transnational
migration.
In spite of its own migrant past, the current debate about Italian migration is one of the
most controversial ones in whole Europe, especially in what concerns to immigration
policies and the growing of a racist attitude among the local people.
9
Opinion polls indicate that Italians have mainly negative and stereotyped views of
immigrants and there is disturbing evidence of growing racism.
Further inflows of immigrants are likely, whatever policies Italy attempts to put in place.
The Bossi Fini Law
The current law concerning immigration issues is known as the ―Bossi-Fini‖ Law named
after the names of the politicians who proposed it. It came into force on the 26 August
2002, it amends the 1998 immigration law as well as the Turco-Napolitano law and it
introduces new clauses. The most significant aspects of the law are as follows:
-each year, before the 30 November, the Prime Minister will lay down the number of
non-EU workers who can be admitted into Italy in the following year.
-there are no limitations to entry into Italy for highly-skilled workers.
-other non-EU immigrants will be allowed entry into Italy only if they have a 'residence
contract' (contratto di soggiorno) - ie a contract of dependent employment signed by an
employer (a firm or a family) and the immigrant worker. The contract must provide for
accommodation and the payment of travel expenses for the workers to return to their
country of origin. When the contract expires, the immigrant worker must return to the
country of origin.
-a specific immigration office is be set up in each province of Italy to oversee the entire
recruitment procedure for immigrant workers on both open-ended and fixed-term
contracts
- when their residence permit is issued, immigrant workers must provide their
fingerprints;
-after six years of regular residence in Italy, non-EU citizens with the necessary economic
requisites to sustain themselves and their families will be able to receive a form of
permanent permit instead of a temporary residence permit;
-irregular immigrants will be deported and accompanied to Italy’s borders. Deportation
will be immediate and will not be suspended even if the immigrant appeals to the courts;
-suspected illegal immigrants stopped by the police will be taken to specific centers
controlled by the police. The authorities will try to discover their identity during the
following 60 days. If they are found to be illegal immigrants, they will be ordered to
leave the country within five days (a period they must spend in the center). If they fail to
do so, the illegal immigrants will be arrested for between six months and a year or
deported and accompanied to the borders. If illegal immigrants return to Italy, they will
be arrested and tried by the courts.
Furthermore, the last effort to regularize the immigrant situation in order to foster their
socio-economic conditions is the so called ―Accordo d’integrazione‖(Integration
10
agreement), proposed by the current government after the last harsh episode of
intolerance in the south of Italy. The law applies for all regular immigrants and it consists
in granting integration ―points‖ to acquire the residence permit.
During a period of 2 years, they must collect a total of 30 points in order to stay in the
country, passing through several compulsory steps: demonstrate that they have learnt
Italian language (in a A2 level), to know the national Constitution, to subscribe to the
Public Health System, and to have their children attending public school.
In addition to the Bossi-Fini rules, to validate their own successful level of integration,
immigrants basically should become more Italian then the Italian themselves.
Nowadays immigrant people in Italy are about 4.5 million and they represent the 9.5% of
the national GDP.
Considering these facts, it is hard to imagine a day without migrant people working here.
However, Italians will have an occasion to experience it to some degree, this next 1st of
March at Rome, when we will witness the first immigrant strike in the story of this
country.
11
Main Trends
1. For the majority of Senegalese immigrants’ integration means: Being in a
foreign and far place. Adopting the culture and the way of thinking of the
people of the new nation by relating with them (specially the language)
including learning to live by their set of rules.
It does not mean to get completely inside because as long as there is a sense of
solidarity, integration will happen. However, integration is a process that
cannot happen without the recognition and acceptance of the local people of
this far and new place.
Integration is the process through which, over time,
newcomers and hosts form an integral whole. For this to
begin to happen, newcomers must be encouraged—and
assisted—to weave themselves into the host community's
economic fabric as soon as possible after arrival. In that
regard, the first objective of integration should be to
enable newcomers to get the fairest possible returns on
their human capital investments and thus contribute as
early and as fully as possible to community life. Economic
and labor market assimilation, however, is only the
starting point of integration. While pursuing effective
economic incorporation, newcomers, hosts, and the social,
cultural, and political institutions of the receiving
community must also engage the much harder task of
shaping their now-common space. (Papademetriou, 2003).
Successful integration is not determined solely by the
actions immigrants take and the resources they possess.
The reception—supportive, neutral, or negative—they
receive from the host community plays a critical role.
12
You must behave as a pleasant person. You must not try to be smarter than an Italian or
more astute. Then they’ll like you. You must be humble and open minded.
2. The majority of the Senegalese immigrants, especially those in the lowest
socio-economic status, do not feel integrated in Rome. And the ones who feel
integrated have developed economic and social activities that go beyond their
occupation. However, most of them have acquired some behaviors that are
Italian.
The majority of the respondents (74%) say that the way they behave in public is
more Senegalese.
But this number rises. A larger majority of them (91%) say that the way they
behave at home is more Senegalese.
The majority (87%) also says that the things they do in their free time is more
Senegalese.
The large majority (91%) said that the personality of other members of their
family is more Senegalese.
Almost half of Senegalese immigrants (44%) say they dress like an Italian also
because they like dressing well.
Almost half of them (47%) say that they have an Italian attitude towards women
rights and gender equality.
More than half of them (70%) say that their way of doing business is more Italian.
The majority of bag-sellers (85%) said they don’t feel integrated.
The majority of bag-sellers said they watch TV and sleep in their free time.
The minority (35%), who said they do feel integrated, are not bag-sellers.
13
It is hard to access legal documents. If you work without papers, your bosses exploit you,
they don’t pay you as much as the law requires and you have not an assured job where you
work. That is why the majority of Senegalese illegal immigrants end up selling bags in the
streets. They cannot find anything else to do without the papers.
3. The majority of the money that Senegalese immigrants are earning in Rome goes to
remittances, bank savings and personal savings. Furthermore, they hardly invest any
money for their own education, health and leisure.
We know that all these relationships depend a lot on what we will bring back when we
return back home. If we come back empty handed, we will be doomed and rejected.
14
4. The majority of the Senegalese immigrants are in Italy to improve the living
conditions for their families back home. And in Italy they live modest lives.
The majority (70%) said they haven’t improved the quality of their house.
More than half of them (70%) said their income is higher now than when they lived in
Senegal, independently of their current occupation.
The majority of them (83%) said they have raised their social status.
A large majority of the participants said they send remittances back home (82%).
Nearly all the participants (96%) say they want to move back to Senegal some day.
The majority (91%) said they want to help Senegal to develop.
Nearly all the participants say that they want to run their own business back home
someday (87%).
A large proportion of them (70%) want to help other Senegalese to come to Europe.
Before going back home we just want something more. Buying a house of my own, a business
of my own. We are here but our hearts are back in Senegal.
When you come here to find a new life, and you go back home with nothing, the first ones in
insulting you will be those same ones to whom you were sending money all along. No one
will help you. They think that you just came here to play, to party.
5. Most Senegalese indicated that they cannot find jobs in their field of expertise.
I studied pastry in Senegal and here I cannot work in my profession, therefore I am
working as a babysitter.
I tried in 5 different job posts to get a job as a tailor which is what I worked on back
in Senegal. Since I was not recommended and I am black, the all told me “we’ll call you
back” but never did. So now I work as a cleaning lady.
In Senegal I was an athlete, here I am a bag seller.
Back home I studied international marketing at the university and I worked as a secretary.
Here I am a hairdresser.
In Senegal I used to work in transport logistics. Here I am a bag-seller.
15
6. Senegalese immigrants do learn Italian because it becomes the only language that can
be used in their jobs.
While language learning is a primary task for many
immigrants, the processes involved may differ by race and
ethnicity, gender, age, and educational level (Pavlenko
2001; Kouritzin 2000). The reason is a simple one. The
learning of a new language requires exposure to others
speaking the language, continual repetition, training in
vocabulary and the rules of syntax. Through formal and
informal mechanisms, the immigrant will, over time, shift
from telegraphic speech to the ability to fully use and
manipulate the language.
Almost half of them (49%) say they speak Italian.
More than one fourth of them say they read and write Italian, 27% and 25%
respectively
Italians usually don’t know any other language. So if you want to get a job, you must learn
theirs. That’s the major reason why we learn it.
You can speak perfect Italian and not be integrated at all. And it could also be that you don’t
speak one word of Italian but you are fully integrated. It depends on the person.
The integration process becomes slower if you don’t learn the language. And it is faster if
you care to learn the local language; especially in Italy where the majority of people only
speak Italian.
16
7. The brotherhood connections that exist back in Senegal are maintained and even
enhanced here in Rome by all of them, but in particular by the Muslims.
Almost all the studies on Senegalese migrants stress a very
strong sense of solidarity and a cohesive, group-centric
organization (e.g. Campus, Mottura and Perrone 1992,
Schmidt Friedberg 1994). Such a mode of organization is
believed to provide newcomers and job- seekers with
advice and financial help.
This communitarian lifestyle is also found within
households ruled by hierarchical and age criteria, and the
fair distribution of duties. Such trends will, of course,
hamper language learning. Similarly, both male and
female immigrants may form kinship and friendship
networks with persons from their same country of origin
(Goldstein, 2001). The Mouride movement seems to be
developing continuously in Italy
Almost half of them (48%) said they are involved in community activities
Here in Rome, the relationship among Senegalese people is stronger than back home. Here
they feel more the need of being together and helping each other because they are in a
foreign place.
Here it is easier for Senegalese people to mingle. Maybe back home they wouldn’t talk to
each other because of old disputes or different religions and regions. But here all of that is
forgotten and there is only one label: Senegalese.
17
We know 2 associations: One only of ladies regardless if they are Muslim or Catholic. We
gather on the second Sundays of each month. And we eat together, we chat, and we collect
money that is used whenever one of the girls is in need. The other association is composed
only of Catholic Senegalese members. We get together on each third Sunday of the month.
Each one of us prepares a dish that can be Italian or Senegalese food. We talk, we dance,
and we have good time. Each time can be in on of our houses or in a special place.
8. Discrimination, which has increased during the period of the current Italian
government, is pointed by the majority of Senegalese as the main obstacle to get a better
skilled job and to further integration.
For migrants to contribute fully, they need to be
effectively integrated into the labour market.
Paradoxically, at the same time that migration is
increasing in importance, there is worrying evidence that
integration results are less favorable than in the past.
Immigrants are generally more exposed to long-term
unemployment and social exclusion, as well as poorer
working conditions and temporary employment.
Before arriving in Rome, more than half of the respondents (57%) said that they did
not expect to be discriminated
18
In Senegal, whenever there is a problem between a foreigner and a Senegalese, the police
always approach first the foreigner to support him and ask him if everything is ok. But
here, the “carabinieri” come in without knowing what exactly happened, they grab you
and put on you the handcuffs. Even if the Italian guy was the guilty one, their first instinct
is to think that you are the one to blame. Why don’t they ask first?
Here, it has a lot of influence what the people see on the TV and the news. And they
always portray us as an evil menace. So everyone ends up thinking that.
If you are well dressed in an expensive way, they won’t buy your stuff because they will
think that we are rich. And also if you go well dressed to Termini, for sure the police will
stop you to ask you where you got the money to dress like that. They treat you as a
criminal whose selling drugs or something to get those clothes.
Whenever you have a job you are not safe. At any moment you can loose it just because
you are not Italian but black.
These discriminatory practices are exacerbated by the economic and financial crises
which makes even legal immigrants more vulnerable since they are the first to lose their
jobs
I was working as a security agent on a company but at a certain moment five persons
were fired and we were all Senegalese and the only immigrants working there. And we
were very competent in our work.
People from Bangladesh are lucky in having work in Italy due to their light complexion.
If you are a white girl from Eastern Europe without papers here in Rome, they surely will
take you over a black girl even if this black girl has a legal permit to be here. Italians like
people who look like them. They don’t think that much about the documents.
I knew a Senegalese guy who married an Italian girl. She got pregnant and her parents
were so afraid that the kid might be black. Because this world is cruel to black people.
That’s what they said.
I also knew a Senegalese married with an Italian guy. Their son has never met his
grandmother back in Senegal, because his Italian father says that over his dead body, his
kid will go to Africa. He does not want his son to ever go to Africa. Because he says that
in our continent there is only violence, corruption and drugs. As if in Europe this wasn’t
the case as well.
In Italy it is not like in other countries. The children of foreigners are not Italian citizens
when they are born in Italian territory. They must wait until they are 18 to acquire the
nationality. Therefore, they are not considered as an Italian child even legally.
19
If your mother is Italian, you have better chances of integration than if your father is
Italian. You have more rights and you acquire the citizenship more easily.
If you are the child of a black and white marriage, your status is better if your mother is
the white one and your father is black. The other way around, makes you more
discriminated.
And if your parents are both Senegalese with legal documents, you still don’t enjoy an
equal status as an Italian child. Is better to be the kid of a mix marriage than a kid of a
Senegalese couple with legal documents.
9. The majority of Senegalese agree that the second generation immigrants integrate
without major problems in Italians schools.
Integration is a two-way process in which newcomer and
established residents share responsibility for the well-
being of one another and of the broader community.
Yes they do integrate well at school. And they find Italian friends. The mother must always
remind them where they come from, and then they do not forget. They must integrate in
school and have Italian friends but without forgetting where they come from.
I have an aunt with two kids. She put them in school here. And now they say “What do I have
to do with Senegal?” “What do I care what goes on in Senegal?” Just as the Senegalese
people go to meet the family of their Italian partner, they should do the same because we
have nothing to be ashamed of.
10. The majority of Senegalese agree that in Rome there is no religious discrimination
whatsoever, and that in the case of the Muslims, they always felt welcome to practice
their religion freely.
Italy and Rome have a huge past of religious toleration. If I would be appointed to choose an
international religious city, I would choose Rome.
Religion is not a problem. It is more important the lack of organization between Senegalese
people because all the organizations for Senegalese here in Rome, are only religious ones.
There is no space for us to talk about other important issues: politic and economic problems
that we all have.
Being a Catholic does not give you any advantage here in Rome. It does not integrate you
easily. Because actually, Rome is a highly tolerant city; In fact it is easier for the Muslims
because their sense of unification and organization is higher than the one of the catholic
Senegalese.
20
When a catholic has a problem he doesn’t speak to anyone about it. Catholic are not
educated to think collectively back in Senegal whereas Muslim are. This is why we have this
association; to bond more among ourselves.
11. The majority of Senegalese immigrants think that mixed marriages can be a positive
attribute for integration as long as both persons respect each other’s cultures.
Mixed marriages are a good thing. And it is very important because in Africa marriages
signify a bond between two families. And they start being friends. If two families are friends
they marry their children to strengthen their bonds and if Senegalese people marry Italians,
21
your start a bond. You begin to have something in common. Your paradigms slowly go down.
It is a good thing.
My cousin was married with an Italian girl and after two years they got divorced because
they don’t have the same way of seeing life. For example, you cannot imagine a guy in
Senegal doing the cooking or changing diapers.
For me the concept is just one: love. Where there is love, the cultural barriers do not exist.
But in fact the Muslim Mourides marry more Italians than Catholic Senegalese because in
their religion your status rises when you bring someone new to the religion. But of course in
this case the clash of cultures does not exist because the Italian girl ends up adopting the
Senegalese traditions and Islam religion fully.
Mix marriage for me is not a matter of integration. It becomes very material actually. It must
go beyond that: it is all about love. But here, people marry Italians to get the legal papers. It
is all material. And that’s why there is no real integration going on because at the end, is just
a matter of convenience.
12. The majority of the Senegalese say that their integration is also difficult because the
Senegalese institutions back home and here in Rome do not support them.
The first negligence comes from the Senegalese government because they should have a view
of the importance of the immigrants. We inject a lot of money into our country’s Economy.
Both Italian and Senegalese institutions should work for us. But the initiative should come
first from our government. They should not exclude us, so this way the Italian government
would also facilitate things for us.
It is both the Italian and also the Senegalese institutions who do not want more immigrants
here. The people working for the Senegalese institutions here in Rome see us as a menace for
their own jobs and people. And the Italian institutions convince Italian people that we are a
plague who steals their jobs.
The Senegalese embassy does not function well. They just give good public image but in
reality they do not do that much. They seem to forget they are here to help us.
I know the case of a lady who left back home her husband and his son. She came to Italy to
work and she died here. And the embassy did not do anything when they claimed her body to
be buried in Senegal. They said this could not be possible. Because even if the lady was legal
here in Italy, she forgot to do the recognition procedure in the embassy, so therefore they
couldn’t do anything and she was buried here far from her country.
In the embassy here, they pay no attention to us. They do not care about their own people
who are here. If they do not help you in the embassy, how are others going to respect you?
22
13. The majority of illegal Senegalese, who said that they don’t feel integrated, have also
a low multicultural interaction. They only relate with Italians at work, and they hardly
relate with other nationalities.
23
The majority of Senegalese with legal papers, with a high skill occupation, said that they
establish a higher multicultural interaction. They relate with Italians and with other
nationalities beyond work affairs, and have a broader variety of activities.
14. The majority of Senegalese immigrants stated that the 4 main challenges to
better their integration are: facilitate the access to legal papers, eliminate
discriminatory attitudes, facilitate the access to better skilled jobs and facilitate the
access to decent housing.
Italy is very involved in stopping immigration. They are all aware that before, Italy was the
country to come and make money back home. They should look around them: countries like
Belgium for instance, who are more tolerant and cooperative with immigrants.
24
That money (Foreign Aid money) never goes to the people who need it. Ours does. The help
of all those NGOs is not felt by the people who need it. Ours does.
The governments of our country only care about having good diplomacy with Europe. They
do not care for their people. The failure of our governments is what brought all of us here to
Europe in the first place. If they are not efficient with us, the Europeans should consider this
and treat us immigrants better.
25
Conclusions and Recommendations
After, this fieldwork research, we experienced that even if a migration group comes from
one same country, the people who take the challenge of living abroad (in this case, the
Senegalese of Rome), constitute an heterogeneous group of people rather than a unitary
one, possessing distinct personal and social endowments who migrated under disparate
circumstances.
Our main findings demonstrate that there are different stages, different contexts, different
forms of organization at the beginning of the migratory chain, different backgrounds of
class, urban or rural culture, and of religious attachment. (from a low income to a
sustainable life, from Muslim to Catholic Senegalese, the brotherhood interaction of the
Mouride as well as a strong link of relationships back home and the challenges of
networking and integrating in Rome)
Moreover, since a transnational circulatory model of migration is seen to be successful, it
tends to be imitated. (such is the case of the Mouride) Finally, having an ambivalent
audience to
respond to, and a multi-polarized context to leave from, a Senegalese ―transnational
community‖ can manifest itself in many different ways.
Senegalese showed a more disaggregated configuration than the anthropological defined
―community‖ of representations (this is one of the reasons why we didn’t make a Venn
Diagram). Two apparently contradictory yet coexisting narratives inform Senegalese self-
representation: a dominant discourse of solidarity and a hidden discourse of autonomy
and individuality.
Furthermore, after perceiving the differences in needs, desires and ways of living only
within the Senegalese community, we can assure that initiatives such as the Bossi-Fini
law and the ―Accordo d’ integrazione‖ cannot pretend to legislate in a ―one size fits all‖
way, the integration of all the nationalities who coexist in Italy to achieve a sustainable
life.
The needs of the immigrants in Rome go beyond the four standards of: public schooling,
health services, and language and constitutional mastery of the Italians.
It is well known that the most of foreigners, who managed to apply and regularize their
position via flows, decree quota, were already living in Italy. They were very lucky: they
found employers that decided to apply to a long bureaucratic procedure.
More specifically, the Senegalese immigrants have expressed that what they mostly need
to be integrated is the permanent and constant recognition as a fundamental part of the
Italian social and economic system.
26
The main obstacle to achieve these needs is the evident intolerance and exclusion
perceived in Rome. As long as there is an atmosphere where the immigrant’s rights are
―legitimately‖ violated, any attempt of ending racism through laws, will be useless.
With the current lack of faith and credibility that has risen about international aid and
development, the European authorities should keep in mind more than ever, that the
principal motor of development of a country is its own people. Any attempt to hamper
and marginalize those who have left everything behind to better their family’s lives is
also a direct attempt to slow down the development of their home country.
Insisting on giving handouts to third world corrupted governments, and frustrating the
means of survival that third world immigrants have found to succeed, is a double menace
for the achievement of sustainability.
Laws that vaguely state ―what to do‖, ignoring ―how to do it‖, will hamper the process of
integration for the Senegalese in Rome, and also for all the immigrants in general.
27
Annexes
1. Persons met Our interviews have been done with the collaboration of Senegalese immigrants in the
periphery of Rome in Italy. The sample of our questionnaire shows its originality in the
different occupations held by the persons we have met in the field.
Down ― Pigneto ― with a large number of the bag sellers, that constitute the majority of
our sample, the baby sitters and house holders at Momentana, in the Senegalese embassy
with persons that have different types of occupation, the Senegalese catholic association,
and also at Tiburtina with the participation of one Senegalese student born in Italy .
This diversity allows us to have an amplified picture and opinion on the conditions of
Senegalese migrants in Rome, but also to study their socio-economic and multicultural
aspects.
The participants were very cooperative in answering the questions and we notice that in
terms of education, the bag sellers are less educated than the others and they cannot
afford to have jobs related to high level of education in Senegal and even in Italy. Most of
them migrated in Italy because of economic reasons, the majority is illegal and they live
in bad conditions. Selling is the only activity that they can work in to survive. They don’t
feel integrated in Rome. Their objective is to make money and go back home.
In contrast, the baby sitters and house holders have at least attended and sometimes
completed their high school degree. They migrated in Italy with a contract of
employment upon arrival. Nevertheless, they don’t feel integrated. But their legal status
allow them to have an acceptable living condition and a permanent job that incentives
them to always extend their stay in a legal way. The point that makes them unsatisfied is
that they cannot practice their cooking profession in Italy because of the present scarcity
of job and sometimes for racist reasons.
Their situation is quite similar with that of the member of the catholic Senegalese
association in the immigration system and conditions of living in Rome.
The picture we can have in the interview made in the Senegalese embassy is that, all the
participants feel integrated because a part from their job they have other extra activities
and the size of their income is also considerable. They are principally in contact with
Italians in their activities and during their free time but they are strongly attached to their
African identity.
The Senegalese student feels integrated first because she is born in Italy, and she has the
Italian nationality. In one world she is Italian, an Italian who feels sometimes
discriminated, and strongly attached to her Senegalese culture too. She is educated to
never forget where she is from. She considers the immigration as a positive aspect to the
host country because it constitutes the beginning of mutual cultural exchanges.
She deplores the condition of certain Senegalese immigrants who are suffering because of
the lack of legal paper, and suggest sensitizing the Africans in general for them to know
28
that coming to Europe is not the solution to get rid of poverty and to achieve well being.
For her, the best thing to do is to invest in their own country weather it is difficult or not.
2. Data Collection Instruments
Questionnaire Format
Social and Multicultural Integration of the Senegalese Immigrants in Rome.
Questionnaire
Thank you for your participation. Your information will be used only for academic
purposes of this research and your name will never be disclosed to anyone.
1. Gender: Male _____ Female _____
Occupation: ________________________
Religion: _________________________
Year of Birth: __________________
Place of Birth: _____________________________________
2. How long have you been living in Rome:
More than 20 years
15 to 20 years
10 to 15 years
5 to 10 years
1 to 5 years
3 months to 1 year
less than 3 months
3. How often do you contact family and/or friends back home?
daily _________
weekly __________
monthly _________
once a year ____________
I haven’t contacted people back home since my arrival ____________
29
4. Marriage status
Single
Married __________ or divorced _______or union _______ with:
a. Italian person
b. Senegalese person (living in Rome)
c. Senegalese person back home
d. Other nationality (living in Rome) _______ Nation ____________
5. Living conditions
Who do you live in Italy with?
Alone
with spouse
with spouse and children
with children as a single parent
with friends or colleagues___ or other families___ Nation/s: ____________
With nuclear and at least one member of extended family
6. Languages
Languages that you speak and/or read; and/or write:
Language Speak Write Read
Wolof
French
Italian
English
Other:
7. School level:
• Primary School level _____________ Completed: yes _____ no___
Studied in: Senegal _________ Italy__________ other ______________
• High School Level _____________ Completed: yes _____ no____
Studied in: Senegal _________ Italy__________ other ______________
• Vocational Colleges______________________ topic___________________
• University level: _______________ Completed: yes _____ no____
Studied in: Senegal _________ Italy__________ other ______________
Career studied and degree obtained:
___________________________________________________________
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Income:
8. How much do you earn monthly?
1. less than 300 Euros ____________
2. from 300 to 500 Euros __________
3. from 500 to 800 Euros __________
4. from 800 to 1,200 ______________
5. more than 1,200 ______________ Amount __________
9. How many hours do you work on a day?
1. less than 5 ____________
2. between 5 and 8 ____________
3. 8 to 10 hours _______________
4. more than 10 hours __________
10. Do the earnings from your job represent the totality of your monthly income?
Yes _________ No__________
11. If no, please check which other sources of income do you receive?
Salary of members of family living in Rome _________
land ownership _______________ in Senegal________ in Italy ______
Government help ______________
Secondary Job ___________ occupation: _____________
Other: _____________________________________
12. How much of your income do you use for:
Remittances _____________________
Bank savings _____________________
Personal savings __________________
Living expenses in Rome (rent, electricity, phone, food) ___________
Education for you or family members in Rome ____________
Medical expenses (of you or family members in Rome) _________
Leisure time _____
Other _________________________
13. Secondary Income Sources
Do the earnings from your job represent the totality of your monthly income?
Yes _________ No__________
If no, please check which other sources of income do you receive?
Salary of members of family living in Rome _________
land ownership ____in Senegal___in Italy __
Government help ______________
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Secondary Job _________occupation: ______
Other: _____________________________________
14. What do you do in your free time and where do you go?
15. Please check the nationalities with which you have most contact with and for which
purposes:
Regions At home At work Community
activities
Religious
activities
Free time Other
Italian
Senegalese
Bangladeshi
Latin
America
South East
Asia
Central
Asia
Arab World
Africa
East Europe
If you have contact with a nationality that you can’t identify, please ask our survey guide.
16. Please check the areas of Rome where you most frequently go to and the purpose:
Regions At home At work Community
activities
Religious
activities
Free time Other
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17. What do you think are things needed to be fully integrated in Italy?
Yes No
Knowing the Italian language
Having a university degree
Having an income of at least 1,000 Euros a month
Celebrating Christmas and/or other traditional Italian holidays and events
Eating Italian food
Dressing like an Italian
Participate in Italian politics
Having children born in Italy
Having Italian friendships
Having friendships with other nationalities
Having contacts with the first wave of Senegalese immigrants here
Living in a neighborhood lived majorly by Italians
Having my whole family living in Italy
Owning a business
Listening to Italian music
Being married to an Italian
18. According to the previous statements, do you feel you are already integrated in
Rome?
Yes _________ No ________
Why?
19. Do you act more like an Italian or more like a Senegalese in what respects to:
Italian Senegalese
The way you dress
The way you eat
The religious practices
your political opinions
your attitude towards
women rights and gender
equality
The way you behave in
public
The way you behave in
your home
The way you do business
The personality of other
members of your family
The things you do in your
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free time
20. Now that you are here, have you accomplished (or do you still think you will
accomplish) the goals you had back home, in what respects to:
yes no this wasn’t a personal goal for me
Quality of my house
Bringing all my family to Rome
The size of my income
Rising my social status
Rising my level of education
Not being discriminated
Relating with Italians
Relating with other immigrant groups
Relating with religious communities
Involving in community activities
Becoming Italian citizen
Moving back to Senegal some day
Helping my country to develop
That my children are equal to other
Italians
Run my own business in Senegal
Helping other people migrate in Europe
21. If you could better the Italian immigration system; what would be your three
priorities?
1-
2-
3-
22. Do you have a legal permit to live in Italy? Yes No
If yes, when does it expire?
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Focus Groups Checklists
Focus Group 1. Baby Sitters and Cleaning Lady.
1. Is it hard to get a Job in Rome? Why?
Yes and even more in this period. Maybe we find a ―good‖ job in the sense of the
labor you must make, but the payment is not the expected one. The crisis and the
paranoia with the crisis have made things more difficult for us. It is hard to find
the job that one would like to have. For instance, finding a job in a Hostel or a
restaurant which is what two of us would like to have becomes really hard for the
fact of the crises, added to the racism; since some people now in Italy blame the
intensity of the crisis to the immigrants who supposedly come here to ―steal‖ the
jobs of the Italians.
-I studied pastry in Senegal and here I cannot work in my profession, therefore I
am working as a babysitter.
- You also must be recommended by someone to get a job. And it is hard to find
such persons.
- I tried in 5 different job posts to get a job as a tailor which is what I worked on
back in Senegal. Since I was not recommended and I am black, the all told me
―we’ll call you back‖ but never did. So now I work as a cleaning lady.
Italians do not trust someone who doesn’t look like them. The first thing they ask
to the person who recommends you is ―What country is she from? Is she Muslim
or catholic? Is she black? Is she Brava?‖
2. Is there a difference between being a legal and illegal immigrant here in
Rome? How? Why?
-In the way we treat each other, we are all equal.
-But the difference comes in the kind of jobs you can access. If you are illegal it is
harder to find someone to recommend you and then to take you. Obviously it is
harder without documents to find success here. In the 1990´s it was not like right
now. Back then it didn’t mater that much if you had papers or not. But with the
government of Berlusconi, things have gotten harder and harder for immigrants in
general but even more for the illegal ones.
But one thing is the law and the other things are people’s perceptions. For
example if you are white girl from Eastern Europe without papers here in Rome,
they surely will take you over a black girl even if this black girl has a legal permit
to be here. Italians like people who look like them. They don’t think that much
about the documents.
3. Do most of Senegalese immigrants learn fully the Italian language? Why?
Yes they do learn it but not in schools or with courses. Most of us learn it in the
street or the job. It’s not that the courses are expensive. For example Caritas does
it for free. But at the end we don’t have the time to keep up with the routine.
- For instance in my first year here, I worked with a lady who wanted to
learn French and wanted her kids to learn French. So for my first year here
35
I didn’t learn the Italian language. And then I learned it through the TV. as
most of us do.
- Italians usually don’t know any other language. So if you want to get a
job, you must learn theirs. That’s the major reason why we learn it.
4. Do most Senegalese immigrants adopt the Italian eating habits? Why?
Yes because pasta is really easy to make. I personally love spaghetti.
- It is also very cheap. We get here one pack of pasta for one euro.
5. Is it easy to make friendships in Italy? Why?
The majority of our friends are also Senegalese. With other nationalities including
the Italians, we can say Hello! Ciao! But that’s it. The relationship does not grow
further majorly because they are not interested in getting to know us.
-I have no Italian friends. Maybe in my workplace I speak to one or two of them
but I have never found any Italian interested in meeting me.
6. What is the perception of Senegalese people on the way Italian people dress?
Is nice. With various tastes. We like it.
7. Is the transportation system of Rome easy to use for Senegalese immigrants?
Yes it is very easy to use. And it is a good advantage that you don’t have to show
your ID card at the moment when you buy your metro or bus ticket. Thus, illegal
immigrants can move freely around Rome.
8. Does it have any impact the fact that Rome is a Christian city? How?
Actually Rome doesn’t feel like a catholic city.
- My mom dreams of coming to Rome, to the ―most Christian city in the
world‖ as we all think before arriving. But even if you are a believer, once
you are here, you really don’t notice that this is a Christian city.
This is also an advantage, because in Rome there is no such thing as religious
discrimination.
9. How does marriage and family traditions are held by Senegalese immigrants
in Rome? Is it different from that of the Italians? How?
We do maintain our traditions just like in Senegal. We celebrate marriages in the
church. But we also do what we can. We can’t behave completely as we do back
home. We are not in our country. We don’t dance in the street as we do back
home when we are celebrating a marriage because Italians don’t like it.
- In fact the last August 15, when we celebrate the Virgin’s day, our Italian
neighbors called the Carabineri because we had the music too loud here in
the house. That would never happen in Senegal on this day.
10. Is there a Strong relationship of Brotherhood among the Senegalese
immigrants? How? Why?
Yes we know 2 associations. One, only of ladies regardless if they are Muslim or
catholic. We gather on the second Sundays of each month. And we eat together,
36
we chat, and we collect money that is used whenever one of the girls is in need.
For example if her housing contract ended, or if she gets married, r if a relative
back home got sick; we use this money to help each other.
The other association is composed only of catholic Senegalese members. We get
together on each third Sunday of the month. Each one of us prepares a dish that
can be Italian or Senegalese food. We talk, we dance, and we have good time.
Each time can be in on of our houses or in a special place.
11. Is it stronger here or back home?
It is stronger back home because sometimes here people just don’t have enough
free time as to get together and take care of each other. But we at least try to talk
to each other over the phone.
-Even when you are sick in the hospital you notice that you will only receive
visits on Sundays because that is the day people are freer. Then on Monday, no
one is there.
12. Do you know of many Senegalese who have married Italians? Have Italian
partners? What do you think about mixed marriages?
Yes we do know of some mixed marriages. And we think is a good thing. Of
course it all depends on the mentality of the Senegalese person and of the Italian
person in question.
- Senegalese people, I think do not have any problem with Italian culture.
They can respect it and adapt to it. But the Italians sometimes have
problems with us.
- I knew a Senegalese guy who married an Italian girl. She got pregnant and
her parents were so afraid that the kid might be black. Because this world
is cruel to black people. That’s what they said.
- I also knew a Senegalese married with an Italian guy. Their son has never
met his grandmother back in Senegal, because his Italian father says that
over his dead body, his kid will go to Africa. He does not want his son to
ever go to Africa. Because he says that in our continent there is only
violence, corruption and drugs. As if in Europe this wasn’t the case as
well.
13. What does the word Integration mean to you? Can you describe the
characteristics of a Senegalese who you think is integrated?
Frequent Italian people. These Senegalese persons, make Italians understand that
they are just like them. That there is noting to fear. But it is not good to forget
where one comes from. And many people, who integrate, then do not want to go
back to their country.
- We would return gladly and immediately if we knew that we had a chance
back in Senegal. But a lot of Senegalese forget this.
- Before going back home we just want something more. Buying a house of
my own, a business of my own. We are here but our hearts are back in
Senegal.
37
- We live with fear. We left all our family there. I just spoke with my
daughter today and she told me her teacher gave her some money. I don’t
know what for. And being here makes me unable to act immediately.
- What we are looking for is a better job. As a house keeping leady I earn
way more here than back home. And when you come here to find a new
life, and you go back home with nothing, the first ones in insulting you
will be those same ones who you were sending money all along. No one
will help you. They think that you just came here to play, to party.
14. Do Senegalese who are integrated loose their identity? How? Why?
More or less.
-I have an aunt who is in France but she has never spoken to us again. Most of the
people, who integrate themselves, end up changing. When they get what they
want they don’t go back. I am one person here in Italy, and I am another one back
in Senegal.
- The people who integrate then just go to Senegal and then return to Europe.
They just go for vacations. They don’t think of staying forever.
- I know one lady whose sons grew up here; at the end she still went back to live
in Senegal but the sons decided to live in Italy.
We must educate our children. We must tell them where they come from and the
importance of their heritage.
I have an aunt with two kids. She put them in school here. And now they say
―what do I have to do with Senegal?‖ ―What do I care what goes on in Senegal?‖
Just as the Senegalese people go to meet the family of their Italian partner, they
should do the same because we have nothing to be ashamed of.
15. Are Senegalese children living in Italy well integrated in School? How?
Yes they do integrate well at school. And they find Italian friends. The mother
must always remind them where they come from, then they don not forget. They
must integrate in school and have Italian friends but without forgetting where they
come from.
-My cousin has acted like that and her son now feels Italian and Senegalese.
16. Is it easy to maintain the friendships and family relations back home, when
living in Italy?
Yes it is. We all speak to them often. But at the same time we know that all these
relationships depend a lot on what we will be bring back when we return back
home. If we come back empty handed, we will be doomed and rejected.
17. Are there many Senegalese Associations here in Rome? Which ones? What is
their purpose?
Go to question # 10.
18. Are there many Senegalese/ Italian Associations here in Rome? Which ones?
What is their purpose?
Not that we know of.
38
19. Do most Senegalese immigrants plan to stay here permanently?
Some yes some not. Depends on the job they find here. The better the job, the
least is their will to go back home. (Refer to question # 13)
20. Which Institutions -both Senegalese and Italian- provide support to
Senegalese immigrants? How do your rate the support of each?
There aren’t really institutions which really provide support the Senegalese. The
embassy of Senegal does not do their duty.
21. In which areas do you think Senegalese immigrants need support to integrate
better in Italy?
They need help to find places to work and most of all the need of changing the
racist mentality of the people here.
If the embassy of Senegal actually helps people with their documents and papers,
I haven’t seen it.
- I know the case of a lady who left backs home her husband and his son. She
came to Italy to work and she died here. And the embassy didn’t do anything
when they claimed her body to be buried in Senegal. They said this could not
be possible. Because even if the lady was legal here in Italy, she forgot to do
the recognition procedure in the embassy, so therefore they couldn’t do
anything.
22. Who should provide this support? In which ways? Are there any cases?
The support should come first from our own embassy. But if not even our
embassy respect us, the Italian authorities of course won’t support us.
There was once a boy in the embassy who did work for the people he did care. He
helped a lot of people with their documents and papers and finding jobs for them.
He did a lot to have contact with the Italians. But now he’s gone.
People here in the embassy treat us bad. They jell at you.
They have no consideration whatsoever. If the bad treatment starts from there,
how can we expect that things will change?
Housing:
Yes it is hard because the landlords put many restrictions. And they don’t like to
rent to black people.
-In our case, is fine because now I own this house. But still there were many
restrictions on how many people could live here and so on.
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Focus Group #2. Embassy of Senegal.
Football player 17. Jewelry seller 35. Artist. Construction worker 29.
1. Is it hard to get a Job in Rome? Why?
- It is very hard because of the migrant situation
- Even it is also hard to the Italian to find a job
- It can be difficult but for me I don’t have this problem.
2. Is there a difference between being a legal and illegal immigrant here in
Rome? How? Why?
- If you want to do a worthy job in Italia you must have papers. I am working in a
supermarket because of the papers I have. Otherwise I may be selling bags in the
street. But I am regulated since January and I am still waiting to get my Italian ID.
(But whenever I have the ID I will move to another country maybe London)
- Personally it is because of my situation that I have this job. I have legal papers
and an Italian wife.
3. Do most of Senegalese immigrants learn fully the Italian language? Why?
- I learn Italian because I am still studying and I need the language to
communicate with my friends in the football team.
- In my job I have contact with all the nationalities. I learned Italian and other
languages because as a permanent job I work in a supermarket. And since I am
an artist I need English too. In my free times I read Italian and English books.
4. Do most Senegalese immigrants adopt the Italian eating habits? Why?
- For me I live with other Senegalese and we specially eat Senegalese.
- I live with Italian and I get used to their food
- Sometimes I go to other friends to eat food from Senegal but at home its mostly
Italian food.
5. Is it easy to make friendships in Italy? Why?
Yes you must behave as a pleasant person. You most not try to be smarter than
Italian or more astute. Then they’ll like you. You must be humble and open
minded.
- I am the only African in the team and all the Italians treat me nice.
- In my job I deal with all nationalities Spanish, French, German, Italian. And I
get along very well with all of them because I respect my business and I
respect them.
6. What is the perception of Senegalese people on the way Italian people dress?
-Yes I try to dress like them.
-If you come to a country you must act as they do.
7. Is the transportation system of Rome easy to use for Senegalese immigrants?
- I wouldn’t know. I go everywhere on the team’s bus.
40
- For me the transportation is better in Dakar than here. Here it takes 45 minutes
for a bus to arrive. It takes too much time.
8. Does it have any impact the fact that Rome is a Christian city? How?
We have never felt discriminated for being a Muslim. Never.
9. How does marriage and family traditions are held by Senegalese immigrants
in Rome? Is it different from that of the Italians? How?
It depends on who do you marry. If you marry a Senegalese women you will
obviously maintain more traditions than if you marry to an Italian girl. But we
always have to keep in mind no matter what that we are in another place and that
we must re adapt ourselves.
10. Is there a Strong relationship of Brotherhood among the Senegalese
immigrants? How? Why?
- Here in Rome, the relationship among Senegalese people is stronger than back
home. Here they feel more the need of being together and helping each other
because they are in a foreign place.
- But not only that. Here it is easier for Senegalese people to mingle. Maybe back
home they wouldn’t talk to each other because of old disputes or different
religions and regions. But here all of that is forgotten and there is only one label:
Senegalese.
11. Is it stronger here or back home?
It is stronger here. (Refer to question # 10)
12. Do you know of many Senegalese who have married Italians? Have Italian
partners? What do you think about mixed marriages?
- Yes I think it is a good thing because a lot of prejudgments are thrown down.
And eventually if there are family links between two cultures, then the tolerance
among them grows and they can live peacefully.
- I am dating an Italian girl. And sometimes it is embarrassing because people
look at us in the street thinking: why is she doing with that black guy?
But I don’t care. For me it is easy to be with a white girl. I like more her mentality
than the one of a girl back home.
- I am married with an Italian women and she become Muslim. My kids when I
will have them will be Muslim. And I want my kids to speak Wolof, French and
Italian. We are equals and we don’t have any culture problems.
13. What does the word Integration mean to you? Can you describe the
characteristics of a Senegalese who you think is integrated?
It is to be in a far country away from home from a long time. Becoming Italian.
Adopting their culture, their way of thinking. You just need to get to know them
to integrate with them.
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14. Do Senegalese who are integrated loose their identity? How? Why?
No. they don’t loose their identity. Because we all love Senegal and we could
never forget where we come from even if we tried to.
-I cannot forget the people of my color.
- We want to go back. My wife has visited Senegal.
- Maybe we don’t go back to live there. But to go and to return. To visit the
family and the friends is always important. We can make money here in Rome, go
back to visit and then live in Europe.
15. Are Senegalese children living in Italy well integrated in School? How?
Yes they do.
- I am going here to language school and they all treat me as an equal.
- I have given art classes to Senegalese and other immigrant children here in
Rome, and they all are happy in their school. They are treated well and
equally.
16. Is it easy to maintain the friendships and family relations back home, when
living in Italy?
Yes it is. We speak to our families back home weekly. We are always aware of
their needs and lives.
17. Are there many Senegalese Associations here in Rome? Which ones? What is
their purpose?
Not that we know of.
- I don’t contact many Senegalese here.
- I deal with Senegalese for business only.
18. Are there many Senegalese/ Italian Associations here in Rome? Which ones?
What is their purpose?
Not that we know of. But there must be some.
19. Do most Senegalese immigrants plan to stay here permanently?
No we think that most of them want to stay here but always with the mind of
going back to visit.
20. Which Institutions -both Senegalese and Italian- provide support to
Senegalese immigrants? How do your rate the support of each?
The embassy does not function well. They just give good public image but in
reality they don’t do that much. They seem to forget they are here to help us.
21. In which areas do you think Senegalese immigrants need support to integrate
better in Italy?
In the labor area. Because it is hard the access to legal documents. And without
those it is hard to get a good payment job. If you work without papers, your
bosses exploit you, they don’t pay you as much as the law requires and you have
not assured job where you work. That is why the majority of Senegalese illegal
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immigrants end up selling bags in their streets. They cannot find anything else to
do without the papers.
It is both the Italian and also the Senegalese institutions who do not want more
immigrants here. The Senegalese institutions see us as competition for their own
jobs and people. And the Italian institutions convince Italian people that we are a
plague who steals their jobs.
22. Who should provide this support? In which ways? Are there any cases?
Both Italian and Senegalese institutions should work for us. But the initiative
should come first from our government. They shouldn’t exclude us, so this way
the Italian government would also facilitate things for us.
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Focus Group # 3. Senegalese Bag-Sellers. Pigneto.
1. Is it hard to get a Job in Rome? Why?
- It depends on the person. Because there are people who can give you a job but
there are others who exclude you, even if you have a god economic status.
- It is hard in the sense that whenever you have it you are not safe. At any moment
you can loose it just because you are not Italian.
-I was working like a security agent in on company but at a certain moment five
persons were fired and we were all Senegalese and the only immigrants working
there. And we were very competent in our work.
-It is because of the international crises and the European system in general which
has adopted a new strategy; that is, to invest in Africa to avoid the high rates of
taxes. And of course there will be a scarcity in jobs.
2. Is there a difference between being a legal and illegal immigrant here in
Rome? How? Why?
- For the white people it is essential to have an Italian ID. If you give your
Senegalese ID they respond that this not a paper
- There is no difference between being legal or illegal because only by your
immigrant situation you cannot pretend to have a job like that of an Italian person.
- People from Bangladesh are lucky in having work in Italy due to their light
complexion.
3. Do most of Senegalese immigrants learn fully the Italian language? Why?
God help them in this sense because I speak Italian better than French. Most of us
learned French and Arabic courses but Italian is very easy.
- Knowing the Italian language is essential it is the beginning of integration for
communication.
- If we don’t learn that language we cannot be in this country
- I suffered in my job because my Italian is not so good. I was obliged to stop the
Italian courses because of the lack of time
- We are all obliged to learn it very well for our job of bag sellers.
4. Do most Senegalese immigrants adopt the Italian eating habits? Why?
It depends on the environment in which you live. If you live with them you will
have the tendency to eat their food. But it’s better for the Senegalese to keep their
traditional food
5. Is it easy to make friendships in Italy? Why?
- The persons here are not treated equal. If I find a person who behaves kindly
with me, I reply in the same way. Here in Italy, if the person is intelligent and
open minded, he will make friendship with you. If he doesn’t want to because he
rejects you, then there is nothing much you can do.
- In Senegal, whenever there is a problem between a foreigner and a Senegalese,
the police always approach first to the foreigner to support him and ask him if
everything is ok. But here, the carabineri come in without knowing what exactly
44
happened, they grab you and put you the handcuffs. Even if the Italian guy was
the guilty one, their first instinct is to think that you are the one to blame. Why
don’t they ask first?
- And then is the same in the airport. There can be a 100 white people coming off
an airplane, and no one stops them. But if there are two back persons, for sure
they will get stopped and their bags will be checked
-I found a job in McDonald’s just because I was lucky enough to find friends who
helped me.
-Here, it has a lot of influence what the people see on the TV and the news. And
they always portray us as an evil menace. So everyone ends up thinking that.
-Some times it is not possible because there are some parts in Italy where colored
people are not accepted to live.
6. What is the perception of Senegalese people on the way Italian people dress?
The Italians have a culture of dressing well. This is one level that you must
control if you want to get integrated. There are Senegalese who are only here to
make money and leave. They don’t care about integrating or making relations.
But there are also those who come here to integrate even in that sense. And there
are others who go to another extreme, copying Italians in everything.
-But if you are well dressed in an expensive way, they won’t buy your stuff
because they will think that we are rich. And also if you go well dressed to
Termini, for sure the police will stop you to ask you where you got the money to
dress like that. They treat you as a criminal whose selling drugs or something to
get those clothes.
-Maybe this is because the Italians think that we live under a bridge, or that
back in Senegal we don’t have any of the kind of things they have here.
7. Is the transportation system of Rome easy to use for Senegalese immigrants?
8. Does it have any impact the fact that Rome is a Christian city? How?
There is no struggle or clash between religions here in Rome. We can all practice
our religion freely.
- Italy and Rome have a huge past of religious toleration. If would be appointed to
choose an international religious city, I would choose Rome.
- None of religious discrimination was felt until three years ago with Berlusconi’s
government because before, I even had friends who were carabineri.
Religion is not a problem. It is more important the lack of organization between
Senegalese people because all the organizations for Senegalese here in Rome, are
only religious ones. There is no space for us to talk about other important issues:
politics and economic problems that we all have.
- On the last 5 of October 2009, there was an incident here. And a Senegalese
person got arrested unfairly. None of the other Senegalese got involved to help
him. Not even the embassy. But the Italians, who live here, went to the police and
denounce this as unfair.
45
9. How does marriage and family traditions are held by Senegalese immigrants
in Rome? Is it different from that of the Italians? How?
10. Is there a Strong relationship of Brotherhood among the Senegalese
immigrants? How? Why?
Go to question # 8
11. Is it stronger here or back home?
Go to question # 8
12. Do you know of many Senegalese who have married Italians? Have Italian
partners? What do you think about mixed marriages?
- Mix marriages are a good thing. And it is very important because in Africa
marriages signify a bond between two families. And they start being friends. If
two families are friends they marry their children to strengthen their bonds and if
Senegalese people marry Italians, your start a bond. You begin to have something
in common. Your paradigms slowly go down. It is a good thing.
-Mix marriage for me is not a matter of integration. It becomes very material
actually. It must go beyond that: it is all about love. But here, people marry
Italians to get the legal papers. It is all material. And that’s why there is no real
integration going on because at the end, is just a matter of convenience.
-To be married to another culture, depends on the specific people who are getting
married. It can be difficult for someone like us who always have the dream to go
back home. If you get married here, this dream may be forgotten. And your kid
doesn’t know if he’s white or black or what. Here there are two interests that
confront each other.
- Lot of Senegalese marries Italian girls. I would say that 90% of those marriages
split due to a clash of cultures. My brother married a Senegalese girl back home
and an Italian girl here. But in Senegal, the man controls the women. Here in Italy
is the woman the one who ―pulls your ear to her will‖
And also, the sons product of such marriages, are never treated equally as a 100%
Italian blood boy. The children from this marriage are never considering Italian. Is
better not to mix things.
13. What does the word Integration mean to you? Can you describe the
characteristics of a Senegalese who you think is integrated?
To be integrated in Italy, you don’t need to be completely inside the whole
system. You just need to adopt certain things. Like for instance, the Italian
language.
There should be a sense of solidarity for our efforts. Italians should stop and think
that we are not like them. Two people in one house. We are living in houses with
other 20 people. We are to work to help our families, no to steal. We are doing
everything we can.
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What do you think of the contradictions of the European Union, with all the
international organizations and the money for aid that goes to help Africa,
and the discrimination they have against the Africans who come here to
work?
- That money never goes to the people who need it. Ours does. The help of all
those NGOs is not felt by the people who need it. Ours does. The governments of
our country only care about having good diplomacy with Europe. They don’t care
for their people. The failure of our governments is what brought all of us here to
Europe in the first place. If they aren’t efficient with us, the Europeans should
consider this and treat us immigrants better.
-Italy is very involved in stopping immigration. They are all aware that before,
Italy was the country to come and make money back home. They should look
around them: countries like Belgium for instance, who are more tolerant and
cooperative with immigrants.
–Here when the people are in the train and they see you, they grab their bags
closer to them because they feel we are going to steal them.
14. Do Senegalese who are integrated loose their identity? How? Why?
Go to question 13.
15. Are Senegalese children living in Italy well integrated in School? How?
Go to question 12.
16. Is it easy to maintain the friendships and family relations back home, when
living in Italy?
Yes it is. They are the main reason why we are here.
17. Are there many Senegalese Associations here in Rome? Which ones? What is
their purpose?
Go to question # 8.
18. Are there many Senegalese/ Italian Associations here in Rome? Which ones?
What is their purpose?
Not that we know of.
19. Do most Senegalese immigrants plan to stay here permanently?
Yes they do in the beginning but it all depends on the quality of life they get to
have in Rome. The richer you get, the easier you forget about going back.
20. Which Institutions -both Senegalese and Italian- provide support to
Senegalese immigrants? How do your rate the support of each?
Go to question 22.
21. In which areas do you think Senegalese immigrants need support to integrate
better in Italy?
Go to the question about international aid and governments.
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22. Who should provide this support? In which ways? Are there any cases?
The first negligence comes from the Senegalese government because they should
have a view of the importance of us, the immigrants. We represent a lot of money
for our country.
In the embassy here, they pay no attention to us. They don’t care about their own
people who are here. If they don’t help you in the embassy, how are others going
to respect you?
Is like in the embassy, they just forget that they are here to help us.
-It is not the lack of men. The problem is they just care of themselves. On that
incident of the 5 of October, no one form the embassy or the consulate showed up
to help. They didn’t talk to the carabineri.
-We advise people from Senegal not to come here without a plan like we did.
Come here if you want…but to study, or with a job offer upon arrival.
Immigration from Senegal should stop. We come here from Africa to work
because back home there is nothing to do. But I don’t feel better since I got here: I
work a lot, I feel tired, and I am aging faster. If there would be just a little chance
of making progress back I would definitely go back without a doubt.
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Focus Group # 4. The Catholic Senegalese Association of Rome.
La Associazione di Senegalese Cattolici di Roma, (The Catholic Senegalese association
of Rome), consist of a diverse group of immigrants of this country, who get together one
Sunday a month To talk about topics of common interest, eat Senegalese dishes, share
time together. It includes many families, adults, children, members of the Catholic
Church and even people from the embassy.
We spoke with the committee of the association; each one of them with a different task
among the group. They are organized nationally (Italy) and regionally (Rome). We spoke
with the National, President, General Secretary, the cashier and the secretary’s assistant;
as well as two members of the association: one Senegalese priest and a baby-sitter.
They organize parties, dinners and lunches. Their objective is to enhance the networking
of the Senegalese people here in Rome by having a good time altogether. They also try to
help the Senegalese immigrants who are here illegally by acquiring their legal status.
The members include people who have been here as long as 17 years to people who just
arrived in Rome. They include people from all economic status who amount to almost
100 members.
Why did you choose Italy?
- I came here to study.
- I came here because I had a job opportunity before my arrival in Rome.
- I first was in France working, and then I came to Italy because I had friends living
here.
- I came here because my husband was working for the United Nations. Back in
Senegal I had a job but I decided to drop it to help my husband in his job.
Because there things that are not for men. Like the kitchen.
What kind of Job do you have?
I work in a tourism office.
I am studying here in Rome. (Priest and Sebastien)
1. Is it hard to get a Job in Rome? Why?
2. Is there a difference between being a legal and an illegal immigrant here in
Rome? How? Why?
In this association we cannot differentiate between legal and illegal Senegalese. For us,
we all are brothers and we must help each other.
- Besides here in Italy, with or without papers, you are always treated as an
immigrant.
- But obviously the person who does not have a high intellectual level, will feel
more excluded because he cannot integrate himself if he has difficulties in learning the
Italian language.
Between an illegal person who has studied and an analphabet with legal status, the first
one will rapidly integrate because his mind allows him so.
- A person with high intellect without documents does many things and finds his own
path to integration. But the immigrants with low education who come to Rome, are
firstly, people who back in Senegal were already excluded from education and the
49
economic system back home. They were already marginalized. And when they arrive
here, they continue to be marginalized. If you are not integrated in your country, it is
even harder for you to integrate in another country. And this is the case for the common
citizens in Senegal.
- It is also a matter of culture. For example, catholic Senegalese send their children to
school. But Muslim Senegalese prefer to put their children to work. And when they send
them to the Koranik schools, these children are commanded to collect money for the
Marabout.
- Also a Christian cannot live with ten people in a same room; is not part of our
traditions. But Muslim people can. This is why it is also hard to find Catholic Senegalese
selling bags in the street, the majority of bag sellers are Muslim.
3. Do most Senegalese immigrants learn the Italian language? Why?
Knowing Italian is not enough to be integrated but it is definitely the most basic point to
start integration.
- You can speak perfect Italian and not be integrated at all. And it could also be that you
don’t speak one word of Italian but you are fully integrated. It depends on the person.
- But it also true that an integration process becomes slower if you don’t learn the
language. And it is faster if you care to learn the local language; especially in Italy where
the majority of people only speak Italian.
- We need to make efforts to understand Italian language but if the Italians do not make
the efforts to recognize us, reciprocity cannot exist.
4. Do most Senegalese immigrants adopt the Italian eating habits? Why?
The 90% of what we cook in Italy is Italian. Publicity and accessibility makes it easier for
us to adapt ourselves to the Italian cuisine. Now we eat more pasta than rice.
5.Is it easy to make friendships in Italy? Why?
6.What is the perception of Senegalese people on the way Italian people dress?
7.Is the transportation system of Rome easy to use for Senegalese immigrants
8. Does it have any impact on Senegalese immigrants the Fact that Rome is a
Christian city? How?
Actually, the perception that we had of Rome as the Christian city before coming here,
was very different as from the reality.
Here the people have no respect for the catholic churches. They talk on the phone inside
the church, they swear and they dress improperly. In Senegal, you must be quiet and
calm.
- I thought I was going to find more participation and practice of the faith. But in
my parish people do attend and respect. I have confessed more Christians here in
2 years than 5 years that I was in Senegal.
- Being a catholic does not give you any advantage here in Rome. It does not
integrate you easily. Because Rome actually is a highly tolerant city. In fact it is
50
easier for the Muslims because their sense of unification and organization is
higher than the one of the catholic Senegalese.
9. How does marriage and family traditions are held by Senegalese immigrants in
Rome? Is it different from that of the Italians? How?
10. Is there a strong relationship of “brotherhood” among the Senegalese
immigrants? How? Why?
For Muslim Senegalese the bond is stronger because their sense of unification and
organization is higher than the one of the catholic Senegalese. They help each other
when they have a problem, the collect money and they are very aware of each other
problems. Whereas the catholic, when he has a problem he doesn’t speak to anyone about
it. Catholic are not educated to think collectively back in Senegal whereas Muslim are.
This is why we have this association; to bond more among ourselves.
11. Is it stronger here or back home?
12. Do you know who have married Italians/ have Italian partners? What do you
think about mixed marriages?
- I prefer having a Senegalese immigrant to avoid culture clashes and racism.
- My cousin was married with an Italian girl and after two years they got divorced
because they don’t have the same way of seeing life. For example, you cannot imagine a
guy in Senegal doing the cooking or changing diapers.
- For me the concept is just one: love. Where there is love, the cultural barriers do not
exist.
- But in fact the Muslim Murit marries more Italians than catholic Senegalese because in
their religion your status rises when you bring someone new to the clan. But of course in
this case the clash of cultures does not exist because the Italian girl ends up adopting the
Senegalese traditions and religion fully.
13. What does the word integration means to you? Can you describe the
characteristics of a Senegalese who you think is integrated?
The most important thing is the acceptance and recognition of the Italians. It is very
important that you have an open mind. But is not enough; It is also important that the
people around you are open minded enough as to accept you and recognize you as a
positive aspect in their realities.
- A person, who really wants to be integrated, cares enough as to get to know
everything that has to do with Italy: its history, geography, politics, regions, social
aspects and of course the culinary aspects.
14. Do Senegalese who are integrated lose their Senegalese identity? How? Why?
- I cannot loose it. It is an advantage for me to discover the other in his culture (In the
kitchen, the touristic places which show their past history) it helps me to become
stronger.
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15. Are Senegalese children living in Italy well integrated in school? How?
In Italy is not like in other countries. The children of foreigners are not Italian citizens
when they are born in Italian territory. They must wait until they are 18 to acquire the
nationality. Therefore, they are not considered as an Italian child even legally.
- If your mother is Italian, you have better chances of integration than if your father is
Italian. You have more rights and you acquire the citizenship more easily.
- If you are the child of a black and white marriage, your status is better if your
mother is the white one and your father is black. The other way around, makes you
more discriminated.
- And if your parents are both Senegalese with legal documents, you still don’t enjoy
an equal status as an Italian child. Is better to be the kid of a mix marriage than a kid
of a Senegalese couple with legal documents.
16. Is it easy to maintain the friendships and family relations back home, when
living in Italy?
- It is easy with those Italians who never forget that Italians were once immigrants too.
Economically they need immigrants because they would never accept to do the jobs that
the immigrants do.
- The Italians who accept this are more open-minded and they are interested in being our
friends. It all depends on them. Because we, as Senegalese immigrants are always open to
make friends with the Italians. But they must want it too.
17. Are there many Senegalese associations here in Rome? Which ones? What is
their purpose?
18. Are there Senegalese/Italian associations? Which ones? What is their purpose?
19. Do most Senegalese immigrants plan to stay in Italy permanently?
20. Which Institutions -both Senegalese and Italian- provide support to Senegalese
immigrants? How do your rate the support of each?
21. In which areas do Senegalese immigrants need more support?
22. Who should provide this support?
As it respects to the Senegalese embassy, we don’t think they make a good job in helping
us. Only when there really grave problems, and then the embassy gets involved. They
speak more than what they do. In paper, their performance seems perfect. In reality, they
don’t care about the people they are here to serve. If a Senegalese immigrant has a
problem, it is better for him not to rely or to wait for the embassy to help him because
they just won’t.
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Housing Problems:
You can see all around the ads of rent which say‖ I am renting my place. But not to
foreigners‖. Rome is not ready to welcome immigrants just yet. Berlusconi has made
things even harder for us than it was before. Wherever you go to search a house they ask
you: where are you from? And how many people will live in the house.
Interview Format
Interview with Ms. XXX
Student in Political Sciences. Second Generation of Senegalese immigrants in Rome
1- FOR YOU WHAT IS THE MEANING OF INTEGRATION?
- For me it is the capability and ability, of other people coming from another
country, of trying to accept and live according to the culture, the rules, and the
political opinions of the country of immigration.
2- DO YOU FEEL YOURSELF INTEGRATED IN ITALY? WHY?
- Personally yes. Because if feel myself like all the Italians in the sense of
having papers, and a dignity of life. I mean by that a normal and acceptable
house because there are Senegalese here that live with ten persons in a single
room and this is a lack of hygiene. Of course there is some prejudice with the
colored people but I feel integrated
3- AS A PERSON WHO IS BORN IN ITALY HOW DO YOU FEEL
YOURSELF? LIKE AN ITALIAN OR A SENEGALESE?
- I feel myself as a Senegalese first because I am black. But my parents give me
that identity to understand where they came from. For sure I am not totally
integrated.
4- WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER?
- I want to be a cultural mediatory.
5- IN WHICH COUNTRY IWOULD YOU MAKE YOUR PROFESSION?
WHY?
- In Italy. Because this country needs a long way to better understand the
different cultures that exist in other parts of the world. Many Italians are
ignorant of the outside.
For example wearing the VAIL is part of Arabic culture and it is not
appreciate it here. Italian must be open- minded and this is part of my mission.
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6- YOUR FRIENDS ARE MOSTLY ITALIAN OR SENEGALESE?
- They are mostly Senegalese I cannot explain it but I am more close to
Africans than Italians.
7- DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF YOUR PARENT’S COUNTRY AND
CULTURE?
- Yes I know about Senegal and its geographical position and even the culture
of my parents that’s the reason why I am so close to Africans in general.
8- WOULD YOU LIKE TO MARRY A SENEGALESE OR AN ITALIAN?
WHY?
- Culturally I want to marry a Senegalese. But if I find someone who shares my
opinion even he is an Italian, Japanese, etc…I can marry him.
- In my dreams my husband is a Senegalese.
9- IN WHICH LANGUAGE DO YOU SPEAK AT HOME WITH YOUR
PARENTS?
- Most of the time we speak Italian. It happened that we speak Jola but I always
answer in Italian even if I understand the Jola languages
10- IN WHICH LANGUAGE DO YOU WATCH T.V AND USE INTERNET?
- I watch TV and use internet in Italian. But I always have information on what
is happening in Senegal through internet.
11- WHAT KIND OF FOOD DO YOU EAT AT HOME?
- Italian food since it is very easy to prepare
12- DO YOU LIKE GOING AT SCHOOL HERE?
- Yes. But I don’t know the realities in others countries concerning the
education system
13- WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL?
- Nothing special
14- WHAT DO YOU THING ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION IN ITALY?
- Immigration is always a good advantage to the host country because they gain
in term of cultural exchange and that is positive.
- In Italy it is growing very fast. But it is a natural aspect because since the
beginning of the world people always migrated. But our politicians do not see
it like a fact that can make you strong.
15- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CLANDESTINE IMMIGRATION?
- If Africa were more developed than Europe, as far as I am concerned I could
not accept all the Europeans coming to Africa. People migrate to better their
condition of living and help their parents who live in extreme poverty.
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- Africans must become aware and conscious to understand that Europe is not
the paradise. People risk their lives to come here and after they see that things
are not easy like they thought they would be.
- Europe is not the solution of their problems. Several interviews should be
made to show those who are back home and the conditions which people are
suffering here.
- To avoid these situations, European countries must open their frontiers to
facilitate legal immigration.
16- DO YOU EVER FEEL DISCRIMINATED IN ITALY?
- Yes. I keep in mind the days I wanted to apply for a job in one agency.
- First the interview was by phone and it was successful and they told me that
the place was available. When I went to do the formalities, they informed me
that the job was no longer available. I went back home and called again the
women who told me about the job in the first place and she said that I could
pass to the office because the position was still available. What to say about
that? It’s because I am black that they did not want to take me and this it’s not
fair
- People use to ask me: why you’re Italian is so perfect? Italian people must
know that the nationality is not a problem of color.
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Life Story
My name is Mr XXXX, I was born in 1970. I am here since 2000 and I live in Pigneto.
Before migrating in Italy I had a good job that could help me to support my family and
my wife. In fact I was walking in logistic and transports, and I loved my work. I hesitated
a long time before coming in Italy .It was not my ambition as far as my life condition was
not so bad. I can say that my coming here depended of the pressings I received from my
friend who is an immigrant and my father who judged that I am selfish and did not want
anything in my life in the sense that when migrating I could better the condition of the
family. Let me explain you in detail.
When my friend arrived in Senegal he proposes me if I wanted to come in Italy to work
and ameliorate my situation? Of course I answer that I am not interesting in going to
another country to make my life, I have my job in Senegal and I am happy of it. He
insisted for nothing. To be honest with you I did not even go to the embassy to apply for
a visa. One day he came with my passport and told me that everything is ready, and that
when he will go back in Italy I will follow him. He used the familial pressing to convince
me to change my mind. I finally decided to come one week before the end of the visa.
The first days I arrived here they explain me the job and I realized that, that job he was
talking about back Senegal is selling bags in the street. I was disappointed and for me
there is no way to do it. If I flash back to see how was my job and I was convinced that
this kind of job is not for me. A job in which you are always looking around if the
―finanza‖ are coming to arrest you or not because of the selling bags in the street is illegal
here it’s not like in Senegal.
A week after I faced the situation. I left my job in Senegal to come here and I found a
situation that is out of my expectation, what to do now? Nothing just to abide by the rules
set by unaware immigration, which consists to face all the situations that appear as there
is no way to change the reality. So I decide selling bags like all of them. One month later
I felt myself in it. I started to earn more money that I could not imagine in my first days.
It’s not that I am lucky but because in the years 2000 up to 2005 I could make at least 500
euro a day, and this amount is when the day was not so good. I stayed for year without
papers because my visa expired after one week of my entrance in Italy. I travelled a lot
around Europe to always found the better place for an immigrant. My first experience in
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Swiss I did not know anybody living there I was sleeping out on the pavements and one
day one kind person took me in his house at least to give me a roof. I went also to Iran,
Iraq in turkey Argentina, Belgium and Portugal.
In 2004 I have papers from Portugal you cannot know the feeling I had that day it’s a
kind of rebirth for me. Now the immigration is very difficult it is not like the years 2000
the situation is becoming harder and harder you cannot pretend to earn as much money as
in the past. You can work all the week without selling on bag this is very hard. And the
situation now is difficult with the relation with the ―finanza‖ now they are running after
us to prevent us to do our occupation. This is the law of the country but it is the only
solution for us to earn money. Immigration is now very hard, for us we taste the rest of
the good moment as we arrive by the end of selling fake marks of Louis Vuitton, Dolce
Gabanna the copy of C.D etc… In the past we put those label that we made by ourselves
on the bags. And we made the tourists believe that the bags are original and they bought
it expensively. That was our deal. Its consisted to fix the prices lower than in the shops
where you can find the original.
For me I can say that I am a little bit lucky because I introduced my documents to have
the Portuguese nationality and normally by the end of February I will receive it god
willing
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Web pages visited
http://gcir.org/publications/toolkit
http://www.cespi.it/AFRICA-4FON/WP10%20Mezzetti.pdf
http://www.cespi.it/coopi-cespi/6-senegal.pdf
www.persee.fr/.../assr_0335-5985_1996_num_96_1_1049_t1_0128_0000_2
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