Il y a plusieurs mois, des éducateurs de rue m’ont demandé de travailler dans un bidonville que les Roms se sont construit au Nord de Marseille. Refuge précaire dont on les chassera, qu’ils reconstruiront, sans poubelles, sans eau. Règne de l’ultra éphémère, où l’expulsion rôde, où quelques familles fragiles font face à la violence, la leur propre et celle de leurs voisins, j’ai partagé avec eux l’existence d’un camp. Repas, travail, ennui, scolarisation des enfants, fête. Dernière image : après l’évacuation, un garçon reste seul sur une bande de terre au-dessus de la mer. Il n’a pas pu tracter sa caravane. La désossait pour en tirer 15 euros à la casse.
Roms : Marseille the half-open city.
Several months ago, some street educators asked me to work in a shantytown that Roms had built to the North of Marseille. A precarious refuge that they were evicted from, that they rebuilt, without rubbish bins or water. The reign of the ultra-ephemeral, where eviction prowls, where a few fragile families cope with violence, their own, and their neighbours, I shared this shantytown existence with them. Meals, work, boredom, children’s schooling, parties. The last image : after the eviction, a boy remains alone on a strip of land above the sea. He hadn’t been able to tow his caravan ; he had to strip it to get 15 euros for it at the scrapyard.
Roms : Marseille the half-open city.
Several months ago, some street educators asked me to work in a shantytown that Roms had built to the North of Marseille. A precarious refuge that they were evicted from, that they rebuilt, without rubbish bins or water. The reign of the ultra-ephemeral, where eviction prowls, where a few fragile families cope with violence, their own, and their neighbours, I shared this shantytown existence with them. Meals, work, boredom, children’s schooling, parties. The last image : after the eviction, a boy remains alone on a strip of land above the sea. He hadn’t been able to tow his caravan ; he had to strip it to get 15 euros for it at the scrapyard.