Remember, Speak Basque

This is a quite interesting note regarding the defense of Euskara:

3,000 voices backing Basque

Masses of people gathered in the streets of Baiona for a demo organised by the Seaska, Biga Bai and Euskal Haziak associations under the auspices of the Hiru Sareta pressure group to call for the development of education in Basque and the official recognition of the language

Eneko Bidegain – BAIONA (Bayonne)

Joaldunak were supposed to frighten away evil spirits. That is what an Ikastola parent told his or her son. Joaldunak led the Hiru Sareta pressure group march, which set off at 15.40 hours. 3,000 people gathered in Baiona (Bayonne) yesterday afternoon in support of education in the Basque language. t remains to be seen whether or not the joaldunak have performed their function. Along the route there was something only rarely seen in demonstrations in favour of the Basque language and education in Basque: police, masses of CRS police officers and vans protected by nets, as if it were a dangerous protest.

Members of the Seaska, Biga Bai and Euskal Haziak education networks are unhappy with the attitude shown by Dominique de Villepin, the French Interior Minister, during his visit. During the speech to mark the end of the march they complained: “You have shown us that speaking the same language is not enough to enable us to understand each other, we need to speak on the same wavelength. And we in the Basque Country and you haven’t reached that point yet.” They went on to criticise the justification for limiting the number of posts in Basque language education, and less funding than originally announced for the IPE body.

The organisers were also unhappy that an announcement was made during the Minister’s visit to measure the demand for education in Basque. “We mustn’t waste time measuring the demand for Basque for the umpteenth time. The social demand has already been measured. We know it exists. We know that the offer creates demand. In our daily lives we realise that Basque is declining, so there’s no point in measuring the demand yet again,” they stressed. In this context it is clear that France is sticking to the same tune when it sends in so many police officers.

But little attention was paid to the officers in black uniforms. The music and friendly atmosphere took over. Eight pipers and four drum players raised the spirits of the marchers, or at least of those who were close by. On one side the sounds of the Otsagi dances, on the other of the Larrain dances helped one forget the grey sky and the cold. The sound of Basque accordion music could also be heard.

Slogans were shouted from other parts of the march supporting the Basque language, and calling for unity, for example. The first part of the slogan came out of loudspeakers on a van while children carrying red, white and green Basque flags or ikurriñak enthusiastically responded by shouting out the second part. Another time songs came from the loudspeakers. People sang Euskara jalgi hadi plazara (Basque, go out into the square), followed by Guk euskaraz, zuk zergatik ez? (We speak in Basque, so why don’t you?).

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