Euskaraldia has been held at a time when thousands of languages of the world (including Euskera) are in danger of collapse. We are in the sixth mass disappearance of biological life (including human life) in the history of Earth. And at the same time, on the threshold of the first mass disappearance of human languages and cultures. We are in a critical situation.
We are in a viral pandemic and a cultural linguistic pandemic that is growing over the centuries. George Floyd was killed saying “I can’t breathe.” Most languages in the world are breathless, and it is the same system that drowns George Floyd and languages.
It is said that COVID-19 has made it difficult for the Basque Country that was about to do, and that it was decided to move forward by overcoming doubts. And it's been a success in those bad conditions. Bad conditions? No. Different conditions. An opportunity to discover the seriousness of the linguistic situation, the universal dimension, the poisoning of the lie that spreads in the languages of use of power, to banish the languages that it does not use, to prohibit and recognize as something minor to the void, to reflect on it and to make reflection an action. There are languages that with this pandemic are almost without speakers (recognized by Leonard Boff in Quito). There are languages (including Euskera) that have been reduced by publishers, artistic literary creation or the new living initiatives of schools due to the pandemic, and that have remained in an asphyxiating situation. It is no coincidence: we are suffering glottophatic linguistic policies. Political structures and laws at the service of the market and of mercantilized and digitised culture (the Spanish and French Constitution and the European Union’s linguistic rules and practices), supported by the linguistic monopoly of the main communication networks, are driving the linguistic pandemic.
We are in a viral pandemic and a cultural linguistic pandemic that is growing over the centuries. George Floyd was killed with a "I can't breathe." Most of the world's languages are breathless and the system suffocates George Floyd and the languages.
Euskaraldia has been thought about and organized as if the last Pandemic did not exist. And as if there was no capitalist system that, besides being genocidal, eco-cide and patriarchal, is glotophical.
A success? For whom? And why criteria? I assume that it has been a success for the Basque Government (organiser of Euskaraldia, together with Topagunea). In Euskaraldia, no criticism has been made of its linguistic policy. He has put money, in return he has been given the high level txapela of the Basque language. In addition, it has carried out an advanced electoral campaign, in which it has actively participated. But the government is the faithful supporter of the global glottophatic system. But it is not possible to reconcile the centrality of the glottophatic global system with the centrality of life.
My questions are: Has knowledge been clarified? Has the motivation been deepened? What motivations and knowledge have emerged in the use? Has an attempt been made to clarify the gravity of the situation we live in Euskaraldia, the connection of the Basque Country with life (the life of other languages and human and biological life) has been clarified? Has Euskaraldia deepened its vigilance, the need for a stimulating exchange and the joy it entails to deal with the linguistic pandemic and all kinds of pandemics?
In Basque “more, more, more, more”… and my question is: What to say? Everyone wants what they want, but ... Give life to Euskera, working the language of life? Or what to do in Basque? Even if it is in Basque, it is not anything vivible. Instead of saying “black slut or moro” we can say “black or disgusting moro”; instead of saying “dirty slut”, “dirty slut”… Or to say “Long live the Spanish or French Constitution”, “long live those constitutions”. All right. Legitimate. However, this does not remove an important problem: that using the Basque language it is possible to strengthen the basic socio-mental structure that rises to the Basque country. Because it is possible that in Euskera action is taken against the life of Euskera. It is possible to breathe out life (also the life of the Basque Country) in Euskera.
In the name of collaboration, the discourse has weakened, adapted to the paradigms of power and power can only be governed below the vital need of the Basque Country. The Basque country has not become the centre of politics today. Euskera, among other things, has served today’s systemic policy.
What Euskaraldia proposes is to change language habits. “It’s hard, but still...” the song says. However, if we do not highlight the obstacles (the discourse of non-responsibility: personal, collective and institutional), we fall into pure voluntarism and feed the feeling of guilt, a very poisonous feeling for the will of life. But if you take structural linguistic violence out of the picture, what's left is sterile voluntarism. And if Euskaraldia is far from the experiences of the moment in which he has lived, he will recognize himself as independent of life.
“Haika boy, get up, see there’s fire.” Life burns and burns. Using a suggestive metaphor invented by Jon Sarasua: “The fire of the Mother (of Life) and the house of the Father (of the Mind) we have to wait.” We need to care for Life and Enthusiasm. No fireworks. The mind feeds on thinking about the questions of life and building the shelters it needs. But the house of mind cannot be confused with the palaces of the glottophagic lords.