A few years ago I spent a weekend in Pamplona. It was October 12.
I was surprised to see dozens of Latin Americans celebrating ephemerides, with concerts, txosnas and everything. Had I celebrated the conquest of my ancestors? ! I thought that the cultural assimilation of the conquered had already been realized. Aside from the nature, culture (values, standards, beliefs, language…) of the Americans, the Spaniards endorse the established ones.
This process is called genocide: destruction of a people, of a culture, of a nature.
I do not think that the day when the Basque people in Spain will also celebrate on 12 October, with a totally lost memory, is a long time away. Forgetting that our ancestors were conquered
Our two champions, France and Spain, have competed in the Euro Cup. In the latter will play eight players from Athletic Club and Real Sociedad. The t-shirts of the Spanish team have begun to parade through the streets of the Basque capital. Great screen to see the end, on the fronton of Pamplona/Iruña. Indicators of the measure of assimilation. Unlike us, the new generation celebrates the victories of Spain: “Come on!” Football arouses emotions that prevail over reason. There are some reasoning: “If our companies compete with Spain, I also compete with Spain.” Even if you know (?) That Spain and France have robbed us of a state that guaranteed our well-being. They left us without protection. They practice genocide with us. Or don't we know? Do we live in the belief that conquests and genocides only occur at a distance?
There is resistance: mountain corridors, pelotaris… but our genocide is still going on.
Some football players have refused to participate in the Basque selection, preferring to play in foreign but official selections. What messages do you convey to your followers? That ours has no value. That our people have no value. They help genocide.
I do not think that the day when the Basque people in Spain will also celebrate on 12 October, with a totally lost memory, is a long time away. Forgetting that our ancestors had been subjected.
Or, if the mathematics is accurate, will what Deulofeu foresees in “Mathematics of History” be fulfilled? Be that as it may.
In the meantime, I thank all of you who are against the current trend, especially all of you who believe in Basque. It's a respite for us, in an environment of suffocation.
Iñaki Idigoras Igartua