Manouche
The Manouche (/məˈnuːʃ/ mə-NOOSH) are a Romani subgroup who have lived in France and Switzerland since at least the 18th century. The term Manouche is the self-ascribed name of the French Sinti.
Etymology
The word manouche (or manuś [maˈnuʃ]) means 'human being' in the Romani language, and is derived from Sanskrit मनुष्य (manuṣya); close cognates are found in several modern Indian languages. Their Romani dialect, cognate to the one used by German Sinti, exhibits strong German influence. They are now primarily French-speaking, though the dialect of French they use exhibits many linguistic peculiarities compared to standard French.
Persecution in Switzerland
From 1926 to 1973, Swiss children's charity Pro Juventute—with the support of Swiss authorities—forcibly removed Manouche, Sinti, and Yenish children from their families and placed them in foster homes, adoptive families and correctional institutions through the Kinder der Landstrasse ('Children of the Open Road') project. This was part of a wider effort to forcibly assimilate these traditionally nomadic communities into the sedentary Swiss society.
In February 2025, the Swiss government formally acknowledged that the forced removals and assimilation efforts constitute a crime against humanity under international law.
Notable Manouches
See also
References
- ↑ Lie, Siv B. (2021). Django Generations. University of Chicago Press. doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226810959.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-226-81100-0. S2CID 242616072.
- ↑ Scheffel, David Z. (2015). "Bunescu, Ioana: Roma in Europe. The Politics of Collective Identity Formation". Anthropos. 110 (2): 606–607. doi:10.5771/0257-9774-2015-2-606. ISSN 0257-9774.
- ↑ Bakker, Peter; Ki︠u︡chukov, Khristo (2000). What is the Romani Language?. University of Hertfortshire Press. p. 58. ISBN 9781902806068.
- ↑ Nahon, Peter (2024), "The French linguistic varieties of Gypsies and Travellers: an original diastratic variation perspective", Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie, 140 (1): 30–76, doi:10.1515/zrp-2024-0002
- ↑ "Le Conseil fédéral reconnaît un crime contre l'humanité à l'encontre des Yéniches et des Manouches/Sintés et réitère ses excuses" [The Federal Council recognizes a crime against humanity committed against the Yenish and Roma/Sinti people and repeats its apologies]. www.admin.ch. 20 February 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
Further reading
- Bonnemason, Bénédicte; Cavaillé, Jean-Pierre (2019). "«Džijás dur i mérepén»: «Il y a eu un meurtre». Présentation d'une version manouche du conte‑type La Bête à sept têtes (T. 300) recueillie en 2018 en Creuse". Cahiers de Littérature Orale (in French). 85: Éclats de parole: 163–182. doi:10.4000/clo.5984. ⟨hal-02880414⟩
- Bonnemason, Bénédicte. Analyse comparatiste et typologique des récits (contes et récits légendaires) recueillis par Joseph Valet auprès de groupes familiaux manouches installés en Auvergne dans le premier tiers du XXe siècle. 2023. ⟨hal-04012068⟩
- Calvet, Georges; Delroye, Françoise; Labalette, Michele (March 1970). "Abrege grammatical de manuš". Etudes Tsiganes. 16 (1): 69–79.
- Jean, Daniel. “Glossaire de Gadskeno manus.” Etudes Tsiganes 16:1 (March 1970), 4-68.
- Lie, Siv B. (2016). "The Politics of 'Understanding': Secrecy, Language, and Manouche Song". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 40 (1): 96–113. doi:10.1080/01419870.2016.1213404.
- Rao, Apama. “Some Manus Conceptions and Attitudes.” In: Rehfisch, Famham, ed. Gypsies, Tinkers and other Travellers. London: Academic Press, 1975. pp. 139-167.
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