On October 30, 2005, several young people from the town entered the building of the former company Textil Gipuzkoana. The village then had no young people, and the fabric factory was occupied according to the needs of the young. As soon as the door opened, the owner of the action building was informed to avoid catches of surprises and put the cards on the table. The answer was as fast as the one played: on the one hand, it demanded the caller directly and, on the other, it threatened everyone. One of them is Jorge Nieto Abuelo. By then they had already made two attempts to obtain gaztetxe, the first of two weeks, the second of three months: “The police pulled us out of the two, and we hoped that we would come here in part, but that was not the case.” Despite the fact that the municipal government did not express its favourable disposition, it was in favour of keeping the waters calm in view of the large number of people meeting in the former Salberdin factory. Also, Marimin Aizpurua was part of those first assemblies, and says that not sending to the Ertzaintza was the most “understandable” attitude, as there were more people than was believed to be dedicated to materializing the project around the new gaztetxe. Abuelo says that in the first contacts with the City Hall after the occupation they were told what their intentions were with these soils, but they did not tell them specific dates: “We were told that they would start two or three years with Salberdin’s urban plan. From the beginning we’ve had the ghost over the neck, but in the end it’s been 15 years.”

The third was very different from the two attempts made in the early and late 1990s to get gaztetxe. Between the former Gaztetxe Manuela and Putzuzulo there was a gap of three years, at a time when the Young Assembly functioned as such, neither an alternative space nor a force for its fulfilment. So the new generations proposed a new attempt, but it had to be a move with other forms. The communication campaign, which lasted for a year, served not only to involve young people, but also to protect the people. “We were clear that Zarautz needed a gaztetxe, but we were also aware that hot occupying was a nonsense attitude. Then we came up with a communication campaign that represented gaztetxe as a necessity for the people,” says Abuelo. Activities under the name of “Badator” began, whether painted, street theatres or open calls for information. “We tested a lot of sites. We wanted to be close to the center from the point of view of location, but in Zarautz it is not easy to find these places.” They took as an excuse the bolatoki in the neighborhood to carry out the occupation action: “We organized a bowling tournament in which 200 people participated. We came from the bowling bowl to Putzuzulo in pasacalles. Then began the trajectory of gaztetxe.” The identification elements were the tadpole and the green color, and as a metamorphosis of the animal, they ended their journey with the name Putzulo.

The moment when Xakela, a member of the assembly, woke up the alarm of Leire Makazaga's knock down is well remembered: “The youngest of Belaundi also knew they wanted to throw it away. In the spring of 2019, the buildings surrounding gaztetxe began to collapse, and we thought we had to put piles, we saw that it was a serious matter.” Taking advantage of the fact that politicians were in the middle of the election campaign, each candidate was asked what they wanted to do with the kid. PNV spokesman Xabier Txurruka won the votes, and with him began the negotiating process that has been extended to the present day: “As soon as we started the talks with the Mayor, the City Hall authorized the demolition of Putzuzulo. They demolished almost everything, the entire adjoining building. That summer we saw ourselves in the street, but we continued with our intentions.”

Since then they have held “quite a few” meetings, both in the City Hall and in the Gaztetxe. Klara Lazkano is a member of the Danda Youth Assembly, and Makazaga maintains her speech, insisting that they will not go from it if they do not receive proposals of the same status from the City Hall. Gaztetxe is at the heart of youth dynamics as a supportive space for debate and political organization, and says it should continue to be so in the future, as they are “a fundamental place” to bring together an increasingly “depoliticized” youth.

Another model was the search for an Own
Space for young people like Marimin Aizpurua, Abuelo and others who 16 years ago joined the current Well. Well, what for? Both have emphasized the creation and construction of an alternative, with emphasis on culture and politics as the main factors: “In Zarautz there was neither Modelo (local theatre) nor too much space to organize cultural initiatives. It brought us the need to create an alternative culture,” says Aizpurua, and that is why people looked at them with suspicion. Subsequently, it considers that the gaztetxe has achieved a broader vision, as thousands of initiatives have been carried out on the table, both for boys and girls, as well as for young people and adults, which have served to seek the support of the people: “We found grandparents in the gaztetxe visiting the concerts of their grandchildren.” Arraio radio has also been an important part of the process. This year is 15 years old and they have prepared a comprehensive programme to celebrate their anniversary. Aizpurua says that, like the nomads, they will continue to broadcast at their new headquarters, as the assembly and free radio go hand in hand.

In addition to the culture square, Putzuzulo is a place to address new ways. “It is a project that we, without asking anyone anything, in our own way, with our mistakes and with our good things. This has also been very important,” Abuelo stressed. Putzuzulo has been the refuge of several projects. As a curiosity they have pointed out that the building adjacent to the gaztetxe, which was demolished last summer, was one of the largest skate parks in the Basque Country for a long time, and that the skaters of any corner were circulating up and down: “It wasn’t the most politicized people in the world, but they were also part of it and brought a huge movement.” However, it was hard for the youth who came after the years to feel Putzuzulo. “We wondered where the young people were. Each group has its own place, which limits its activity to individualism. In addition, you have to pay the premises!”, adds Aizpurua. Makazaga defines it as a “descent” and Danda is a young woman who with the creation of it began to enter the gaztetxe. “We too feel part of the Amets Factory and will continue to fight for future generations to have that space as well.”

Dreams can change
place at the press conference held on April 17, Putzuzulo members announced the mayor's last news: That the City Hall has acquired the former GLK Furniture pavilion, with the intention of relocating the gaztetxe in it. The people around the table consider encouraging news, but stress that the agreement between Putzulo and the City Hall is still closed, because they do not agree, among other things, to make use and management available to the Putzulo Cultural Association, and to ensure that in the future there will also be a gaztetxe in Zarautz. “You’ve seen that you can’t leave us without space. It has been a sign that things have been done well and, as it was already done in 2006, we hope that the city council will commit,” Makazaga explained.

Abuelo says that they are moving further and further away from the urban core, which they are aware of. As if this were not enough, before the members of the assembly come in, they know that this building will also be torn down in the future and they do not want that ghost to be felt again on the neck. “The Urbanization Plan contemplates the construction of housing there, so they will leave us out again, we demand a firm commitment of permanence of the Sustainable Gaztetxe in Zarautz”. Aizpurua says that the small letter has to be read to the City Hall’s play, because it is no coincidence that the flag has been purchased. “For the moment they have stayed very well in front of the town, and there will be someone who thinks, “Joe the kids, the city council has bought them local!” The thing is that some years will be able to raise a huge amount of money thanks to this pavilion,” says Aizpurua.

As going through the well is an imposed decision, and as Makazaga says, “if there is no agreement under the same conditions” will not move for him, they continue to form a prosperous agenda every week. COVID-19 has undoubtedly influenced gaztetxe, as its source of income is self-financing, and due to a lack of people, the hucha cannot be filled. However, in the last year they have participated enthusiastically and forcefully in the organization of concerts, conferences and other initiatives, prepared to recreate the Factory of Dreams. They hope that the new building will attract young people and face the challenge with great enthusiasm. “If from the beginning they are there, I hope that young generations will feel closer to gaztetxe,” Abuelo said. And the key is put by Aizpurua: “The place is not the most important thing but the people who make space the place.”