My multicolored Paris

The life of any European country is unthinkable without aliens from other, exotic points of the planet. Even the spectacle of some two-headed, green or transparent aliens, walking through the streets of New York, London or Paris, would not have become incredible sensation. But while you are satisfied with Africans, Khmers, Ethiopia or Andascy Indians.

To non-European in Europe is already more or less accustomed. People who are able to a wide view of reality understand that without mixing and mutually enrichment of cultures, Europe is doomed to the chain and sclerosis. It is clear to everyone that the presence of exotic emigrants is necessary for economic reasons. But even if Europeans themselves, united by a centuries-old total culture, are not always able to resist mutual incidence, the fact that we talk about their attitude to strangers.

One of the most multicolored and multi-colored cities on the planet – Paris, the capital of France, the country, anchorage of united multiple relations with the whole world, but also giving birth to the word "chauvinism".

Representatives "FN", "National Front", Leading a friend of Wolfovich, le foam, love to write on the walls of arral letters: "La France AUX FRANCAIS!" ("France for the French!"). Fighters with nationalism from below sign: "Bourgogne AUX ESCARGOTS!" ("Burgundy for snails!"). Let’s hope that the Irony will save the world.

The biggest "National minority" France (after the Portuguese) – Arabs, mostly from Maghreb (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco), countries, for a long time under the authority of the French. According to quite understandable economic reasons, it has long been, and especially after the acquisition of their independence countries, the Arabs sought the masses in "Metropoline".

In a popular popular consciousness, Arab is, first of all, a shopkeeper from the shop on the corner, which trades after the closure of ordinary stores, at prices, naturally, higher, and alarming, in addition, to deceive you to Frank-other. Or man trading in the eatery "Couscous", fried chickens, sausages "Mergraz" And Potato "FRI". As well as petty crook, a drug dealer and pimp. Cruise name – "Sale Arabe", "Dirty Arabic", or "Basane" (Something like our "black. J"). Arabs themselves, especially youth, call themselves "Beure" (in women’s birth "Beurette"). This is a french youth jargon – "Verlan", in which the words are pronounced on the contrary, and even changes vowel.

Arab laurels, in fact, set. They trade and quite ordinary French singing, and the works of Maghreb, and all sorts of trifles like "all for ten francs!", and leather products, often dubious, like a false "Louis Vitton", and a variety of low-quality jewelery. As well as – Arab meat, where meat is prepared on the Islamic rules. Now, due to control over these shops of various Muslim organizations and simply mafia, there is a real war. Almost every tenth resident of the country – Arab. Part of the Arabs adheres to the prescriptions of Islam.

Accordingly, the Arab revolution is enormous meat trade. In Paris, a huge number of Arab Hospitality, from dirty eating houses to luxurious, entirely in gilt and mirrors, in the spirit "Thousand and One Nights" institutions, and for the French Maghreb food it has long been his.

In addition, Arabic specialty is the content of auto repair shops and small garages. And, of course, from the Arab media are recruited factory workers. Without them "Citroen" or "Reno" I would long ago have stopped their belts.

Nearly all the Arabs, we drive over the decades to the ground "hexagon", We had no professional qualifications, roots dating. A French society could hardly admit an alien. As a result, the lucky ones able to open their own business, while others became laborers or get up to a conveyor. Or settled in the poorest, rotten urban areas or in the suburbs of workers. In Paris, it is north of the city – Barbès, near Montmartre, a quarter of East Railway Station, Belleville, from the beginning of the nineteenth century known as hotbeds of theft and banditry. Now these areas are rapidly rebuilt, but still very gloomy and colorful backyard like "Folies-Merricour", "rue de la Goutte dHOr" (Street Golden Drops, where a few years ago it was hard to buy a bottle of wine, but with hashish and heroin, as well as Islamic fundamentalist publications was great), the end of the Rue de la Roquette. This is – the kingdom of little shops, dark shady cafe with prostitutes, laundry hanging from the windows, baths, hammams, mosques and madrassas, yutyaschihsya in the former furniture workshops, shops, packed with all sorts of editions of the Koran or, conversely, video and audio cassettes, no-true Muslim. If you get here in Byram, or on the day of the end of Ramadan, it can be questioned – whether you’re in a half an hour walk from the Grands Boulevards?

If these blocks of old Paris (as well as the adjacent historic suburbs like Clichy, Aubervilliers, Bagnolet and Montreuil) have their charm, the new "satellite towns", such as Preg Sen-Denis, the Mesons-Alphor or Arcay, it is devoid of completely. With minor national and economic differences, they are quite similar to our Lyubers or Mytisms. except "hypermarkets", Multiple cafes, "Cultural Center", Cinema and many auto repair shops there except blocks "Economic housing" (HLM), in general, there is nothing.

Houses – Tosca. Paphana either humpback in the factory or dragged on the bureau of social assistance, extending unemployment benefit and knocking new "Allocations Familiales" – "Payments for family". The elder brother is engaged in the same, or he sat down in prison, or close to this. Or already became "Caidom", that is "Pachanom". If not to know that the faces of this property are not the fabrication of the authors of the French comedies from the life of the police, then believe in their reality is not easier than to recognize the real existence of Moscow "New our" with fingers iron fan.

Alexey Zapodenko, the famous poet and singer, who has long lived in Gutt Dhor, swore that he had seen his own eyes like a local "Caid" drove to inspect the street: first of the dark gray "Jaguara" with gilded handles jumped up black dog with gold teeth; behind him on the light of God crawled the owner in a suit from "Ketone", said respectfully bowed to the flock: "Inchallah!" – and went to negotiate about something in a stale cafe at the corner.

For Musulmanina "Inshallah", that is "God willing", is a key word. For rational and pragmatic French, such fatalism is unbearable. "Sale Arabe" It turns out to be a parasite, doomed, at best, to be regularly broken corrupt police officers. Outdoor "Ment" – "Flick", on "Verlane" it turns out "KEF", a "corrupt", "Pourri" – "Ripoux". And in ruthless reality does not pass the year so that such "KEF RIPU" did not shoot a black teenager who did not beat somewhere in time.

Next – nothing to do with the leading proceedings in the press and the National Assembly, demonstration "SOS Rasisme" And even more graffiti about "France for the French".

Vicious circle. And our "Lyubertsy option" compared to this still enough soft.

Great Islamic Expression "Inshallah" For Arabs in France, for some reason life on the sidelines is turned around. It lives almost every tenth – and the number of doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers, philosophers of this proportion does not correspond to. Every tenth – and Arab teenagers at the best can be able to talk to a street Arabic "Language Kasba" and imitate Los Angeles rapera, for which the explanatory dictionary of French is styled "Le Robert": "There are many words". To remember the Cami.

It is still worth adding that the smoothing curling mass is completely inhomogeneous. There are soft, affectionate and satisfied with the life of Tunisians: still, Tunisia – the only calm and quite democratic country of Maghreb. There are gloomy Algerians: still, this country, the most Europeanized in the region, is incremented deeper into the fanatic religious and political disassembly. There are Moroccans who are honorable king and with contempt of looking at the sobbant neighbors. In addition, there are "Harca", Arabs who fought in Algeria on the side of the French, hated by compatriots and still needless to be unrelated by French citizenship. Finally, there are immigrants from Lebanon, supporting Maghreb People. Basically, these are members of good and secured families from the fertile Valley of Bekaa, who threw their villas, olive groves and vineyards. For these sophisticated cardiologists and big agencies "Public Relations", adhere to, besides, mainly Nestorian Christianity or Catholicism, minor hooligans from the wrapper and the shopkeepers from Barbes are not compatriots with compatriots.

There are still umah and illiterate "Haji" in burbuses and white hat-"Shesha", convincing relatives that women should close the face, and men avoid communicating with "Invalid". There are red-haired and blue-eyed Berbers, the Kotrakh Arab world does not recognize for a separate nation. There are young ragling, with their Arabic flavor cultivating Yesenin "Chernukhu": Contrary to prohibitions of drinking alcohol, respecting (in its own way) Female sex and composing semi-graded, semi-rock and roll songs in style "RAI", Something like a mix of music group "Dune" and honest Chicago blues mixed on oriental suffering.

Ten years ago, Jacques Nuvel, the modeling and famous architect of France, built a giant building "Institute of Arab Mira", sponsored by all oil-emirs. What does this institution do, it’s hard to say. Signed in the program "The desire to integrate different cultures", In addition to the device of pompous exhibitions and valet conferences, it does not appear in any way. And Yves Lakost, a very famous political scientist, stated with the basis: "The future of the French society depends on who married "Beurettes". If for the French – there is a chance to integrate Arabs. If for its own tribesmen – the country is doomed to life with an aggressive and closed organism within himself".

Without a certain experience, it is not always easy to distinguish from Araba Maghreb Jew. Once in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria had huge communities of local Jews-Sephardov. They lived side by side with the Arabs and the French-"Colonami", spoke in Arabic and in French, a little bit in Hebrew. In the 50s – 60s, almost all of them left – who is in Israel, who in "Metropoline". By the time of their appearance, European Ashkenazi Jews in the overwhelming majority have already completely differentiated – with the exception of a small and closed group of Hasidov-Lubavichi, engaged in jewelry trading. Maghreb Sefardi repaired a vacant group in a small portno and leather business, where Jews from Eastern Europe worked before. Quarter "SENTIPR" – The heart of the France’s clothing industry, a place where fantastic careers were made for the year, where immigrants-illegal immigrants work in underground workshops and where textiles often serves only the cover for drug trafficking, prostitution and gambling business, became their kingdom. Magribsky "joupin" (the faded name of the Jew), who managed to quickly extrude the state, – the character is very colorful. He loves to show that he has succeed that he – "Quelqhun". Here he will quite give odds to our Caucasians. Due to this, he is a favorite hero of such jokes: "Simon asks his wife: "You saw new "Porsche" Nathana?" – "Yes, our, in my opinion, is better". A year later, he says:"Have you seen a new home Nathana in neo?" – "Yes, cute, our new home is better". Six months he says: "You saw a new mistress Nathan?" – "Yes, simon, but our clearly better".

Of course, not all Maghreb Jews can be prompted. Many continue to work at factories or in the construction industry. They are very familiar, support related ties and love to settle together. One of these islets – Gorodishko Sarsel, not far from Paris. It was built in the 70s and externally looks very browning on our new buildings, only cleaner and tone. For some reason, the half of his population was the immigrants from Tunisia. From the windows here smells like oriental spices, carpets are ventilated on the balconies, exotic music is played in the cafe. At the same time, it is difficult to call the ghetto, in its air does not feel the melancholy and the doomes of Arab settlements.

Anti-Semitism in France is not very aggressive. But hear usual "they all captured. " You can quite often. And indeed – the community of Maghreb Jews gives examples of cohesion and rapid quarry. Such famous textile empires like "Naf-Naf", "Chevignon", "Bensimon", were created in a couple of years by boys who started with small-pool trade with leather jackets and sweaters on "flea market". Nervive "The FRENCH Connection", One of the most powerful drug addicts of the world was to a large extent controlled by Maghribers. But this community gives an example and rapid integration: without rumming up with traditions, parents seek to give children an excellent education, put the path in life. Children of small traders and tailors become famous lawyers, doctors, journalists, musicians.

We have a saying "There is no Jewish janitor". The French are talking "No Armenian Concierge". Armenians in Paris are smaller than in Los Angeles and Yerevan. But not to notice them is impossible. Armenian benches with spicy sugant, basturma and leaves for dollars. Armenian antique shops. Armenians Writers and musicians – Artyur Adamov, Henri True, Henri Right, Charles Aznavour. Most of the French Armenians are from Turkey and fled to France after Armenian pogroms. I had to be very solempt. If our emigrants were known as taxi drivers, then Armenians became famous as construction workers – they were famous in this matter. Well, then, all life has developed in different ways. Usually, the grandson of the Armenian refugee is no longer talking in the language, but retains belonging to the Armenian-Gregorian Church (even if he is unbelieving), dreams of going to look at Ararat and loves to list the famous Armenians of France. From him you will learn that the writer Edmond Rostan was the grandson of Napoleonic "Mamluka" Rustama is not at all Turk, and Armenian, and Murat, Marshal of France and the King of Neapolitansky, and himself was the Karabakh Armenian.

Often you can hear: "Paris completely twisted". Well, true, 50 years ago, probably, the Africans were still rare here and either served in the Zuvian shelves, or danced in Music Hall. Now they are everywhere. There are streets in Paris – Again, not far from Barbes – where in vegetable shops trade with completely unknown fruits, in clothing stores – the brightest dresses and "boo Boo", and in hairdressers are engaged in the fact that they straighten the hair twisted with small spiral or on the contrary, they twist them in hundreds of intricate braids. People here speak with a singery breast pronunciation, eat their special foods and adhere to customs and cults, often completely incomprehensible for Europeans.

Africans differ from the French much more than Arabs. And attract even more attention to xenophobes. With Arab, it is still clear: a rogue, a slacker. And the African is generally unclear what he has in his head. He and french says barely barely. One word – "Tronc" – "chock".

But "Africans in general" can not be. These are immigrants from different countries belonging to different peoples and tribes speaking hundreds of languages, confessing Islam, Christianity in different types, pagans. These are people who are superbly educated, and those who cannot write their name. Once I saw in the mail, as an elderly African, dressed in the working overalls, sent a money transfer to his homeland – in a graph for signature, he long and diligently removed some intricate heraldic sign. The most remarkable thing is that the postal service quietly accepted this document. Another time I saw in the subway of a person, just that, apparently, who arrived in Paris: In his hand, he had a fiber suitcase with iron corners, he was closed in a cristed suit with the widest lake and culled trousers, a luxurious leopard skin was added on the shoulders. This was clearly some important African priest or king – only persons of this meaning have the right to wear a leopard skin.

For the French authorities, Africans often become a source of difficult problems. How to figure out the degrees of kinship in people for whom all members of the clan – relatives, and, accordingly, claim to enter France "For family reunification"? What to do if for Africans belonging to a specific tribe, the highest authority is not at all a state official or a police officer, but an elder, a leader who can be a garrist? What to do with polygamy? How, finally, to relate to the usual fee of some nations (cutting the clitoris from girls)? Why they can not do this if the Arabs and Jews make circumcision is allowed?

Unlike American black, French Africans – especially in the first generation – feel visiting. Black racism almost does not exist. But it is not recommended to call an African "NPGRE" – This is a bluff word. And the young man born on the earth of France and who lived here most of his life, may well be able to spoil physiognomy for it. It is necessary to quit "Noir", "black". Youth prefers to call ourselves "Black" – or at "Verlane", "Kebi".

Despite the notorious rationalism, the French are very prone to all sorts of witchcraft and superstitions. "Black" successfully satisfy their requests. For many of them, traditional rites and beliefs are sacred. But for the money, they gladly cast the head of the head by indigenous French. Thousands of African sorcerers and prisoners live in Paris, in newspapers, in the categories of advertising ads "GRI-GRI" compete on abundance with advertising more material and ordinary services. "Marabuti", Afro-Muslim magicians advise on which horse to put in the tote, they are brought out of the wrong spouses, treat from AIDS. The sorcerers from tropical Africa twitch nails in ritual dolls and chemicals with drugs in which dried toads and hair suicides.

No matter how French nationalists hide "Chureok", The country will not cost without garbagers, construction workers and chauffeurs from the Black Continent. Like without Africans, occupied in the field of fashion, show business and music. Wherever she is without black beauties advertising masterpieces Haute Couture? Would you manage to sell millions of plates without musicians like Yusuf Nudura or the second of the tour (this magnificent singer is, besides, hereby "Grill", That is, the priest of a teacher, revered by its compartes from Mali as the highest authority and sage)?

Separate Category – Black with Antille Islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Them, in essence, and cannot be attributed to non-French; Moreover, they often feel big French than residents of Paris in the fifth generation. Islands enjoy status "overseas departments", That is, the flip of the Atlantic in the official sense is the same thing that cross "Peripheral Boulevard" (Paris MKAD) and find yourself, for example, in the Department "Seine – Saint-Denis". In the elections, the antiltsi often vote for right politicians. It is among them sometimes " "Black racism": It happens that the antillese girl relatives condemn for what she meets with a white guy. Regarding African black antilts, it happens, they say: "They are dicaries, they never become real French". At the same time, among themselves, they communicate in Creole, almost incomprehensible to the French. They have their own, very specific (and delicious) kitchen and their music, "zuk".

And now we turn to the consecration from the Far East, the most exotic and mysterious "Nacmen" France. Two Parisian "Chain Tauna", Of course, it is impossible to compare with New York "China-cities". Nevertheless, it is a completely special world.

One fragment "Intended" Located in the Place DiTalie area and, not knowing about it, you can easily not notice. It is hidden in the rear courtyards and huge underground quarters, built-up with high-rise buildings in the late 70s – early 80s. These are hundreds of bench, supermarkets, restaurants, shops, Confucian and Buddhist prayer. The second, smaller in volume, but more noticeable, sheltered on the slopes of Bütt de Schomon, in the Belville area, where the Far East coexists with Magreb. In addition to them, in the suburb of Paris Marne-La Valle has a huge trade and public center "Chinagora", And in the center, not far from Bobur, in the narrow streets of Mare (swamps), which were previously populated by the Paris Spach (it was here that the sadly famous "Street virtue"), then small Arabic and Jewish merchants, hid the microscopic chin-taown, populated by representatives of the South-China nationality "Way". They for some reason keep very closed and do not communicate with other Chinese. Chinese restaurants and shops scattered throughout Paris.

It is known that for the Chinese all "Long-axis" Europeans on one person. The French is hard to distinguish one chinese from another. And from Vietnamese, Korean, Laos, Khmer. No one in France can definitely say how many Chinese live in the country. Today, the police are trying to recruit the French of Asian origin – they are still easier to figure out whether MBA is Lao for whom he gives out.

Several years ago, in Paris, a monstrous rumor: it is impossible to go to Chinese restaurants, they may feed there "Chop Xay" From human meat. This rumor dismissed one earliest journalist, expressing the following assumption. Civil status acts show that the Chinese living in France are practically no mortality. All other nations have, and the Chinese live forever. It was natural, naturally, it is clear that the Chinese die, like all other things, just for documents "dropped out" In the best world of Chinese comes another illegal immigrant. Q: Where are the corpses? Journalist suggested a simple answer.

In general, everything that is connected with the Chinese and other Asians is covered with the mystery and layering of ridiculous rumors. Go stories about the exploits "triad", About underground gambling houses with millions of rates, about fantastic amounts circulating in the shadow economy controlled by the Chinese. Known "kings" Chinese mafia, but there is no evidence against them. The Chinese on the questions of journalists about the mafia are radiant smiling: "We are not Italians!"

The Chinese have an almost religious cult of success and wealth. Their working capacity has entered the saying. Textile and clothing industry – one of the foundations of the French economy. And she slowly goes into the hands of the Chinese. Already mentioned "San" ceases to be behavior of the Jews who put the weapons before "Muravses". On legal, semi-legal and simply underground sewing factories, Chinese workers work for 12 – 14 hours a day. They try to drink as much water as possible to rapid from the car. They limit themselves in everything, just to scat capital. But if they arrange a holiday – the skies go to the chance. Once I was lucky: I watched the Chinese wedding in the famous Belville Restaurant "Numeivil". Guests danced on the tables, sang, threw a pack of money to the bridal tray, fought and put up.

To the Asians, the French are apparent. Still affects the unabiliated "Indochinese syndrome". But with admiration, they observe how fast Asians who have decided to get out of the shadows are integrated into French society. How, without losing the roots, acquire qualities, kinds of gallic heart – style, ability to live, subtlety. The last wife of the last French national hero of Serzh Ginzburg, bumbo, semi-flip flops, semi-German (on both sides of blue blood) in popularity among the readers of the boulevard newspapers is not inferior to Stefania Monaco and Catherine Denev.

And without Chinese cuisine, the Frenchman cannot do anymore. Despite the danger to eat the Chinese grandfather. Most French have already learned to handle chopsticks, and many understand the difference between the canton kitchen, "Mandarin", Peking cuisine and culinary traditions indochy.

In Paris, there is a small, but noticeable Japanese community, which consists mainly of bank employees and employees of insurance companies, occupied by the buying of all French good, which manages to buy. As well as a small number of students and artistic bohemians. And such religious figures of the French civilization as Kenzo, Isla Miyak and the founders of the company "Comme Les Garsons".

To the Japanese the French feed almost superstitious horror: they are afraid that "Zip" they will buy all Paris, and what will be done with it – unknown. But rejoice when these "Strange insects", As the Prime Minister of France, Edith Camson, vigorously spends their unmeasured yen on the works of French genius, like scarves "Ermen".

The Japanese themselves, except for the philistous permanent residents of the country, are usually expressing in French, products are bought in a few expensive Japanese stores, dine in expensive Japanese restaurants on Saint Ann Street, near Opera, where most of the Japanese companies are located.