"Utopia has united us," says one of the rapporteurs at the reception ceremony. We're at the House of Forest Defenders. The Basoa project is the refuge for entrepreneurs who have had to flee their land after their militancy, and a space to rethink activism. The large three-storey building is surrounded by a meadow and a forest of several hectares. At 17:00 on Wednesday, and even though the preparations for the Small Revolutions Camp (ITA) began some time ago, the camp has officially begun. Before, five days of enjoyment and struggle, and solid bases to squeeze each moment: a wide program – more than 50 activities with contributions from dozens of agents and artists –, a wide infrastructure – Casa Basoa, several tents, txosnas, camping space, swimming pool! and the river, all in the middle of nature; excellent time announced; about 300 people per day inscribed in advance.

Conferences and debates as axes

At the end of the act, and without wasting time, people have been distributed in three spaces to participate in the first debates and reflections of the camp. After dinner, singers Ane and Maddi have enjoyed the night in front of about 150 people.

The earliest breakfasts have started at 8:00 on Thursday morning, while about thirty people make stretches and breaths under the trees at the back of the house. Every day an assembly is convened for after breakfast, with the objective of reviewing the needs of the day and the program and advancing the camp among all. At 9:00 hours, most people are getting lazy with coffee in their hand and roasted bread in their mouths, and they are the few who have formed the circle. The trend will intensify in the coming days as tiredness accumulates and the atmosphere of the night is encouraged. “Living well is also waking up without a hurry,” I thought more than one these days.

The talks and debates are the backbone of the program (30 in total), and the public has come in their search. During the sessions there is always someone taking a bath, chatting with friends on the txosna or on the grass, or taking a restorative nap. But most people have made speeches, often about the shame of getting lost by going to one. We will restrict ourselves to collecting short video recordings by our colleague Eneritz Arzallus.

In the debate on the ecological crisis, EH Parliamentarian Bildu Mikel Otero stressed that energy is crossing with many other crises and that "we are beginning to suffer the first tremors of this earthquake". After providing some data, he summarized the situation with a quote from Emilio Santiago Muiño: “In a society where resources diminish, or we learn to share them like never before, or we will kill ourselves like never before.” In his view, the challenge is to agree on a liberating project for the whole of society. Isa Álvarez, of Ekologistak Martxan, defended the need to break the division of labour based on employment through, among other measures, the introduction of universal income. In line with the feminist economy, he has proposed reversing the priorities of the capitalist economy: Community of Nature-State-Market Custody. Hodei Rodríguez, from the Sukar Horia movement, spoke about the political aspect of the crisis. Since the referendum on the Climate Change Act in Switzerland, it has analysed the main trends on the left and right in Europe and has proposed extreme measures such as rationing for a future it has drawn in the shadow.

Meeting point of the militants

The ITT has especially invited its militants to become a meeting point of popular movements of all kinds to reflect, fight and build together. And most of the people who have approached Basoa are militants. It is present in the hugs and in the “old”, in an environment of complicity and trust, in the ways of doing and being. Militants from different areas and fighting movements. Coming from all over the Basque Country, although the presence of people from Navarre and Iparralde is smaller – surely the distance has to do with it. “There are many young people,” I heard some not so young, with joy. The diversity of ages is great. We are in Arratia, and a neighbor says that there are few people who have approached the region; the one who heard the quote disagrees.

Garbiñe Larrea shared the secrets of medicinal plants with the public this Thursday afternoon. Demonstrating amazing knowledge and fluidity, he has unearthed the properties of eleven of the twelve medicinal plants that can be found in the “margins of the paths”: nettles, fox tail, grass template, chicory, pasmo, verbena... What are appropriate (or dangerous), how, how long, and at what dose. How to experiment with herbs and learn in a self-managed way to free oneself from the dependence of the pharmaceutical industry through popular knowledge. Although the herb pasmo is “extremely toxic”, it offers protection against contagious diseases – “I’m hinting” – that are transmitted by air with the “minimalist” infusion. Because the insole is ideal for ligaments and sprains, as well as to improve breathing: “Of the 20 syrups they offer in pharmacies, 15 have a grass template, and some have grass only.”

Kids aren't many, but they stand out with their games, their screams and their careers. “Lur is very happy, the people who run the activities of boys and girls are excellent,” explains Esther, from Vitoria-Gasteiz. Happy for her daughter and glad to be able to enjoy the talks or make a turn. This is not the only case. In addition to the programmed activities, children play together without the need for adults.

Euskera and corruption

ITT has given priority to Euskera, also when looking for rapporteurs, but the decision to record sessions in full in Euskera has reduced our chances to less than half. Look, the situation of our language. In particular, Gartzen Garaioa of Activities Aiaraldea, Peru Aranburu de Errigora and Oneka Arteaga, of the student movement of Ipar Euskal Herria, and Aitzol Gil de San Vicente, have analyzed the projects and struggles in Euskera on Friday morning.

At the afternoon’s session on corruption, former Chairman of the Gipuzkoa Waste Consortium, Ainhoa Intxaurrandieta, uncovered the two main cases she investigated and reported. An incredible story: illegal contracts, officials forced to carry out projects of millions of euros from private companies – after billing from private companies –, theft of documents, false allegations of kidnapping and torture of the thief denounced the theft against Intxaurrandieta and much more. What happened in the Basque Country and what happened today, with the help of the PNV, businessmen and banks. Zelaieta explained that prosecutors, police officers or Basque parliaments are interested in the lack of means to fight corruption, which we see only the tip of the iceberg. Attention to corruption! For Unai Mendizabal of the Association, the problem is not only the PNV, it is the problem that power and the general public is used in our society: to channel citizenship money into private hands. The incinerator, Bidegi, De Miguel, Epsilon, Alonsotegi... and the story of Euskal Oasia has not cracked. An impossible goal? No, according to Zelaieta. In Lemoa, a few kilometers from where we are, in the “historic feud of the Jeltzales”, citizens denounced corruption “harshly”, and the PNV has lost its mayor in the last two legislatures.

Body and informal spaces

Concerts, folkaraoke, bertso saioa, theater... In the shows of the table and the table, a spectacular atmosphere has been created around the stage of the pediment. At the end of the programming, dozens of people have met every night with baffles, eager to dance, at the rhythm of improvised interpreters. They enjoy, even those around enjoy watching them. The famine is so great that on Friday and Saturday clandestine processions have come out to the adjacent polygon in a few hours to give continuity to the party.

This Saturday morning, in the Basque literature and conflict programme, Laura Mintegi spoke about the historical relationship between Basque literature, writers and armed struggle. It has drawn a process of distancing. In the 1970s, to manage the guilt of not joining ETA, many writers linked their work to struggle, “inevitably.” For the writers of the year 2000, however, it was a possibility that not a single mention of the conflict was made. He recalled past debates: the ethical function of art vs. aesthetics; literature at the service of the struggle for the Basque Country – Txillardegi – or as an autonomous activity – Atxaga. Interestingly, the debates and the conceptions that have been revived lately.

Ekhi Eizagirre and Mikel Antza have addressed the issue from a personal point of view. Both have stated that literature has saved their lives in the most painful or most vulnerable moments of life, and especially in jail. Eizagirre wrote mainly poetry in the cell, to vent, to heal, to not get sick, to breathe. Intimacy as a basis. He initially thought of publishing it later and the publication suggested that he do so and that he make a decision: “Politicize intimacy.” Privacy “intervened”, in any case, as the wording would be read by judges, prison officials or by the police.

In the debate, Antza has stated that Txillardegi-Atxaga "is an atxagist", and that he experiences the conflict and the literature separately. On the one hand, in practice, because you have not written it during the years that you have been fit. On the other hand, in understanding: “In the conflict I have hurt myself and I have hurt myself, I want to enjoy it in literature and make it enjoy.” He has acknowledged the contradiction: everything he has written since he was admitted to prison is directly related to the conflict, concerned, among others, with transmission and reporting. However, it has shown its desire to close this cycle.

Marta has been in the woods since Wednesday, content with what she is living. If he gets “But” he says that they have said among their friends that you have to put a little more attention to the body. “Stretching and breathing sessions have been only two days and very early, the participative methodology of the debate sessions yes, but it has given little opportunity for mixing and knowledge.” PILI replied that the travelling story of the Saturday morning fighting in Arratia was very appropriate for this last match, and that many people are getting to know it in the batches. In the kitchen, in the children's area, in the cleaning, in the reception area, dozens of people have made turns every day, have had talks, have known militancies of the next, have laughed. A treasure as intangible as it is important to weave and make community.

Mobilisation

Organizers have received some complaints about the “excessive” price of food, indicating that the most economically vulnerable have had difficulty paying for it. Three meals a day 20 euros; three of the 50s; 60 for every day of camping. Most food is purchased from small local producers. The other side of the coin is that the prices are indicative: it has been pointed out that the amounts have been set up in an attempt not to make the hole, but each can pay more, less, or nothing according to his power and will. However, it is still easier for us to pay above what has been proposed than the opposite. Interesting forward knot in times of precariousness and impoverishment.

In the second ITA, there has also been a mobilization linked to a local struggle: In 2018, a disobedient march was made to the incinerator in Zubieta, in which some neighbours have organized a march against eucalyptus and in favor of oak. Like the first pine, eucalyptus is invading the region, impoverishing the land and enriching a few pockets. About a hundred people have left Arantzazu Square at 10 a.m. to get to know the problem firsthand and plant oak outbreaks. Along the way they have received a good surprise – read the chronicle of direct action. Meanwhile, in the forest several hands, especially those of the children, have painted a mural at the back of the fronton wall: “We are alive.” Other hands have begun to anticipate the dismantling of the camp, which will begin early in the morning. The farewell environment was starting to invade.

Unite, strengthen, disperse

The majority of the rapporteurs, with arguments, unfortunately, have spoken these days about the situation we are living in and about what is coming to us. But not for despair, but for struggle. Political, ecological and community measures have been proposed to deal with the different collapses; ways have been proposed of not punitively managing conflicts from feminism and the penitentiary movement; organizational and militant models and tools for disobedience have been offered; liberating projects in progress in Basque, food sovereignty or transformative social economy have been explained; the most precarious have placed on the table their experiences of self-organization and privilege. All this has taken place in a space built and managed in a communal way, in a cozy atmosphere and soaked with joy of life. “The nice thing about the Giro” has been the most repeated answer when asking people about the sensation of camping.

Utopia has united hundreds of militants and movements for five days. The Small Revolutions Camp has become a meeting place where to meet, enjoy and feed each other. With the renewed forces, it is time to return to their people and their struggles, to extend utopia to the last corner.

(Click here to read the PDF report)