Yesterday afternoon, the first session of the conference cycle was held in the Oxford Hall of the Alhóndiga. The theme was tourism in Basque, and the UEMA technician Goizane Arana Arexolabeiba and the member of the BiziLagunEkin platform of Donostia Asier Basurto Arruti participated in the interview conducted by Gorka Zabaleta. Interest emerged on the theme and the room was almost complete, maintaining distance and sanitary measures.
The two rapporteurs showed different views, although they agreed on some points. In this sense, Arana has considered that Euskera is an added value, "a plus, and it would be sacrilegious not to teach it to those who come from outside". According to Basurto, however, the situation of minority languages, such as the Basque language, as a result of the growth of tourism, not only in Donostia-San Sebastián, but also worldwide.
The member of BiziLagunEkin believes that Euskera can work at a tourist level. "Our cuisine can be as venal as our natural environment", but in his opinion "it can also create obstacles" in the rights of vasco-speakers. "In order to communicate with tourists, we will have to use a language other than the Basque language. The Basque Country can be used in a symbolic way, but otherwise not." In the words of Basurto, beyond the symbolic one must seek practicality. "People start learning this language when it's practiced."
Work motivated by concern
Concerned about the influence tourism can have on the present and future of the Basque Country, Uema has begun a elaboration, as Arana explained. "We started to see that this trend already existed in some services. In his opinion, speaking in Basque to tourists could be an obstacle, and from Uema we saw that it was necessary to do an awareness-raising work. Often these tourists think they are foreigners, but many of them are from here, and according to data from tourist offices, many of the foreigners who come here are Catalans or Valencians. In other words, territories accustomed to coexistence between languages. What are we talking about? asked Arana.
In the opinion of the UEMA member, there is a certain lack of awareness about the Basque country. "In the municipalities of Euskaldunes the Basque is heard more than in the others. But if not, how would you talk in Basque with someone coming from outside? We have a job in that empowerment, and we have to go empowering each other by sector." According to Arana, there are words that must be made in Basque to the outsiders, "even if they have come to spend a few days. Then we will go into their languages, but if we are consistent, let us speak in Basque! ".
95% of the interviewees had no problem with Euskera, and half thanked them for being in Euskera with them.
Arana also gave the results of a study that concludes that the Tusista themselves appreciate the presence of the Basque Country in Basque society. Zumaia, Leitza and Bermeo were the municipalities that performed the consultations, and according to these results, 95% of the interviewees had no problem with the Basque Country. Half expressed their gratitude for speaking in Basque with them, and explained that the fact that the labels were alone in Basque did not pose any problems to them. "45% said they knew they were approaching an Euskaldun people, so they also asked for the possibility of apps around the Basque people. That shows that speaking in Basque is not a problem."
Responsibility of the institutions
Basurto stressed that in the consolidation of the language, Uema has to be the vehicle on the road. "We must also work at the municipal level." From there, he said there may be more problems, and recalled the English words that the institutions have chosen for tourism in the last mandates: The brand San Sebastian Region, Basquetour or Basque Country, respectively. The limited work carried out in the field of tourism in favour of the Basque country has been made possible thanks to the Basque technicians or some tourist offices. "Small dictionaries have been distributed in Donostia-San Sebastián. The sample includes eight languages, including the Basque language. An estimated 80,000 copies have been distributed. This dictionary has emerged from the unbridled struggle of the Basque service. But if not, the Basque people are not in the center."
Asier Basurto: "If a Catalan goes to La Caixa, or a Madrid to the Banco Santander and sees that the one in front of him does the démarches in Basque, he will see that the Basque is not something folkloric"
Arana said that at a local level the Basque country is in the center of the city. "At the local level, work is done at the regional level." In his view, linguistic criteria should be laid down when establishing a tourist ordinance. The workers working in the sector should be Euskaldunes and the first words should be in Euskera, according to the technician, among other things.
In the opinion of BiziLagunEkin, however, we have to teach the tourists who live in Euskera, and set an example: "If a Catalan goes to La Caixa, or a Madrid to the Banco Santander, and sees that the one in front of him does the démarches in Basque, he will see that the Basque is not something folkloric," he added.
Sheep who do not want to be a herd
Basurto also underlined the danger of 'authenticity'. "Tourists are thousands of sheep who don't want to feel like a sheep herd, and they're always looking for authenticity." Within this trend of the Experiences that are lately fashionable, they remembered the project they launched a few years ago in Donostia. "Tourists began to take the gastronomic societies to live that experience. They were told that the crews were going to those sites, and so on. This may be the end of partnerships, as partners will not feel comfortable in the face of so many looks. Tourism is unbridled and leaves something unglossy. "In Iparralde they have sold everything that is Basque, and in Iparralde they have always done so. Everything is white, green and red; the names of the places are also in Basque, but in the places where tourism is taken, the Basque is barely heard. You have to be careful about that.
Goizane Arana: "It must be made clear that it is not tourism that bears the responsibility for the situation of the Basque country. Tourism will influence, but the responsibility lies with everyone."
The Donostiarra added that the right that we Basques have to live in Basque has to be shielded above other individual interests. "The dogma is that tourism brings money and we all win. But it's true that only some people win, even though they've put the myth in us."
Arana explained that this balance between tourism and Euskera "is possible", but that the focus should be "in the future". "In the strong times of tourism, we have to pay that attention, that's the situation. You can lose that authenticity and you risk losing the identity of the people." The technician favoured the installation of a thermometer, "but it must be made clear that tourism is not responsible for the situation of the Basque country. Tourism will influence, but the responsibility lies with everyone."
