Research results in this field were presented by UPV/EHU researcher Ainara Santamaria Barinagarrementeria. The study was carried out by analysing the social movements and initiatives being carried out in Gipuzkoa. Making a direct observation of the initiatives and interviewing the members of the movements, especially. In the study, the agents of the Basque cultural activity have emphasized the variability of the context. The language map has changed in recent years: we have moved from two-color pallets (Basque/Spanish/French) to a multicolor palette. In Donostia-San Sebastián or Orereta, for example, the generational rupture that exists between the different generations in the knowledge of the Basque Country stood out. The polarization over Euskera, which lasted long after the Franco regime, has also been deactivated, according to the Euskaltzales, in relation to the evolution of the national conflict. However, the work in favor of the Basque Country is still related to the conflict, as it often lives as a limiting factor, and the contradictions are sometimes asphyxiating. As far as the institutions are concerned, the new linguistic context has not led to significant changes in language policies: the lack of commitment remains the main feature. The strategy that Euskera puts at the center and the need for a new cycle that addresses plurality, the need to live with anguish, is generalized.

Regarding sociodemographic changes, Santamaría has pointed out that Euskera lives as a great challenge for many migrants that lingua franca is Spanish. Learning Euskera is not a necessity to live among us, so they prioritize the satisfaction of other more pressing needs. Sometimes the lack of sensitivity is criticized, but there are also many who recognize “respect and importance” to the Basque country. In addition, many of the migrated people are minority language speakers, which makes it possible to build empathy and complicity. However, looking at new migrants is looking at the social minority. Because it is not taken into account that among those who know Euskera use has not increased, or that there are still many people who have not euskaldunized it.

What is Euskera in practice? Santamaría asked the question. Trying to place Euskera as a means of inclusion. To develop techniques to guarantee the symbolic priority of the Basque Country in multilingual spaces and relations. For example, that greetings be made in Basque. In addition, techniques and ways are worked to ensure that the Basque Country does not continue to lose out constantly in the public space, such as whispering, abstracts or translation service.

In the end, Santamaría highlighted the issue that generates many very different debates and opinions in the popular movements of Basque cultural activity: Does the Basque Country have to be a condition or not?

View from Arrasate

The technique of the association Arrasate Euskaldundu Dezagun (AED) Itxaro Artola was in Lizarralde to discuss the challenges facing the Basque country. Artola spoke from the watchtower of Arrasate, and began his speech explaining the linguistic map of the locality. It focused on the evolution of the population in the period 2015-2019. In this regard, he recalled that, as the general population grows and decreases per year, the number of migrants has experienced sustained growth. Currently, 7 per cent of the population is migrant.

Artola said the map depicted entails risks and opportunities. Among the risks, the decrease in knowledge seems to be insufficient in Arrasate, as model D is the only one in the educational system. He was more concerned with increasing the number of citizens who consider Spanish as a lingua franca. Among the most significant weaknesses, some resistance to Euskera stood out, the diglossal situation and the maintenance of the Spanish-Basque relationship in dichotomous keys. Among the options is to find new allies, especially among speakers with fewer languages, and to keep the Basque country on the agenda of popular movements.

Artola recalled what was once said by a well-known foreign linguist who loved the Basque and the Basque: Euskalgintza felt like a “bird head-headed elephant.” With great mobilizing capacity, but with little capacity for thought. Faced with this, the AED member defended that we are at an opportunity to renew the strategies and, to do so, launched several knots in question format to unlink. Baga: What is that about the Basque Country? Biga: agent, facilitator... What should public institutions be? (“When I first heard the ‘institutional Euskalgintza’, I was caught up in a shiver”). Fig. Where should the target groups focus? Objectives, one or more? Assignment: Is it time to take a new step as a herrigintza?