In 2005, Manuel Fraga was president of the Xunta de Galicia. You sang committed songs and in Galician.
Like any expression that was then promoted by Galician, we too suffered a great deal from the journalism that the popular party has practised from the institutions. For us there was little room. That same year came Fraga’s electoral defeat. The Galician nationalist movement first acceded to the Spanish Government following the agreement reached with the PSG (Socialist Party of Galicia). This change contributed to the visibility of the Galician, whether in music, literature or in the attitude of the media towards the language. The model imposed by pp for years began to crack.
You mentioned the change of attitude of the media.
The change in the media was stimulating for the creators of the Galician. To some extent, the new political scenarios began to invade the radios of groups like us. The conditions are beginning to be created for cultural production in Galician to be consumed normally. For us, it was a way out of the closet. Although in the upcoming elections the arrival of Feijóo [of PP Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the Xunta since 2009] significantly slowed the process, the gap generated by the political change of 2005 must be highlighted. It's been fundamental to those of us who believe in Galician.
In 2014 you won the Martín Códax da Musica Prize. You have taken the opportunity to denounce the precarious situation of Galician culture.
The prize was a recognition of our trajectory. Climbing to the stage to collect the prize is always nice. We took the time to say clear things to the government representatives who attended the awards. It cannot be accepted that the Martín Códax Prize should become an instrument for the facial clean-up of Galician entities. In order to improve the situation in our culture, daring is needed, and the Galician Government is not on these parameters; on the contrary, the Galician Government has become a trench in the face of the homogenization that the institutions drive. The cries have to be there, we cannot fall into cheap friendships.
Beyond rock, in recent years in Galicia hip-hop has gained a lot of strength.
It is a joy to live what is happening in Galicia. We are in a very rich time, as demonstrated by the groups Rebelom do Inframundo, Ezetaerre, SonDaRúa and God Ke Te Crew. Many, singing in Galician, have achieved a great deal outside the country. These groups have moved the conflict of language to the foreground. We don't lack rhyme.
On the other hand, they are times and times. Today, young people are closer to the most electronic melodies. If we look at rock, there are still referents, we're still the poster head at many festivals. Therefore, if there is attachment, it may be missing the rap that becomes the cartel head to achieve the real referentiality.
"Today, by the mandate of the Feijóo Government, it is impossible to give mathematics or physics in Galician in Secondary"
Back to Euskal Herria, you played the last concert in Usurbil. They say it's special for you to play in Basque Country.
Basque music has been a clear influence for us. Negu gorriak, Kortatu and Berri Txarrak, for example, we have followed them very closely. The fact that he recorded at Garate Studios was an opportunity to play here. We have often come to Euskal Herria. We've known some self-managed spaces. Playing around with friends during the Usurbil holidays has been very special.
Apart from the music, you are a professor and in the last municipal elections you have been on the BNG's lists. You can barely learn Galician in the education system. What is the struggle for language?
The struggle arises from the need, the Galician still has very little in the schools. Today, under the mandate of the Feijóo Government, it is impossible to give mathematics or physics in Galician secondary education. Our system in Early Childhood Education makes the presence of Galician even weaker, especially in cities. Children with a Galician mother tongue are in a very difficult situation. If they are denied Galician since childhood, it is very difficult to create a connection with the language in them.
Like ikastolas, the Semente popular initiative centres are multiplying to ensure Galician education. How do you value experience?
It must be understood that the struggle for the public school in Galicia is at the base of the social movement. Like other colleagues, I understand public school as a more effective tool to promote Galician. Without forgetting that there are the aforementioned barriers, the solution must be dual. We must continue to promote the Semente classes, understanding that the public school is capital in the recovery of language. Public schools cannot be ignored in this struggle. Above all the difficulties, Galician nationalism needs to develop a dual educational strategy to continue to influence both. This dual strategy must necessarily have a feminist, secular and plural approach.
What future does he create in Galician have?
We have never been pessimistic. As far as music is concerned, Galician is recovering rhyme and spaces in Euskera. From the recovery that is taking place from culture, we lack education and the street. If there are some conditions, the others must be created by fighting.
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