The Basque Country (pdf, 4,3Mb) - Kultura Saila - Euskadi.net

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Monastery of Yuso, La Rioja.
The monastery houses the first
written documents in Euskara and
Spanish.
Coexistence between Euskara and
Spanish has been described as
ʻdiglossiaʼ, whereby the majority
language, in this case Spanish,
predominates over the weaker one.
6. BASQUE CULTURE-
EUSKAL KULTURA
As explained in the Basque Plan for Culture 3 ,culture is the result
of three contributions. First and foremost, the basic culture
inherited by the Basque people; secondly, cultures that have been
adopted and embraced; and thirdly, the culture of todayʼs Basque
citizens as a whole.
The first of the three brought us history, language, symbols,
institutions, art, and evolving lifestyles; the second enriched our
culture and brought new languages; and the third has provided
us with diversity, the mixing of races and the need to adapt to the
dramatic changes taking place both here and around the world.
Basque culture is unique, despite the influence of two very
powerful cultures, the Spanish and the French, as a result of
historical and political developments.
Although the situation has improved considerably, the risks that
threaten the survival of Euskara (the Basque language) have yet
to disappear. In fact, depending on where they live, all Basques
speak either Spanish or French, but not necessarily Euskara.
Therefore, while all Basques speak erdara (the Basque word for
Spanish or French), only euskaldunes (Euskara speakers) are
necessarily bilingual. Due to the different levels of familiarity
with the language, there is an Euskara-speaking Basque culture
(euskal kultura), an erdara Basque culture (Spanish or Frenchspeaking),
and a Basque culture not based on language. All of
these make up Basque culture today (euskal herriaren kultura).
Although there are many approaches and attempts at defining
the meaning of Basque identity and its role in society, such
wide cultural diversity makes it difficult for the Basque people
themselves to agree. Politics also tend to get in the way.
The powerful bond between the Basque language and culture
makes the future of Basque culture dependent on Euskara and
on the overall development of culture in all of its facets (creation,
production and dissemination).
3
The Basque Plan for Culture is a strategic plan for cultural development,
accepted by people working in the area of culture, society and Public
Administration.
6.1. Euskara, the language
of the Basques
Euskara is a pre-Indo-European language and has thus existed
for several thousands of years. Over the centuries, the territory of
the Basque-speaking community has gradually changed.
In classical times and the Middle Ages, the Basque ethnicity
covered a broader area than Euskal Herria today. (It included part
of Aquitaine, part of the Aragonese Pyrenees and part of La Rioja
and Burgos).
Euskara is the language of the Basques, a valuable part of Basque
heritage and the singularly most unique part of Basque identity.
The admirable continuity of Euskara over the centuries remains
unexplained by historians.
Preserved from generation to generation, it is now experiencing
a significant recovery thanks to a general collective will. The
language was persecuted at many different times in history, and
always held a disadvantaged position. Until recently, Spanish and
French were the only languages used in the education system.
Today Euskara has been given an important shot in the arm through
the schools. Education in Euskadi in the public school system (euskal
eskola publikoa) is now carried out primarily in Euskara. In addition,
there is a network of ikastolas, privately-run schools managed by
parents, in which teaching takes place in Euskara. These schools
were the result of a popular movement which sprung up during the
Franco dictatorship when Euskara was banned.
In any event, the use of Euskara has yet to become universal, as
it shares the same space with languages spoken by the general
public which do not require any special assistance.
Interaction between bilinguals and monolinguals takes place
in Spanish, meaning that people use Spanish a lot more than
Euskara, even though they may be fluent in the language.
The phenomenon, well-known by linguists, is called diglossia and
always works in favour of the dominant or majority language.
For this reason it is generally accepted that a compensatory policy
of affirmative action must be used in education, in a variety of
spheres (documents, signs, institutions, promotion…), in places
where the public is served (government offices, public services
and increasingly also in private services aimed at the public) and
that the right of Euskara speakers to be attended to in the specific
language of the country must be guaranteed.