Basque irakurri: Xamar: “Baldintza hauetan zaila da herri kultura garatzea, likelyki ezinezkoa luzeran”

The writer Juan Carlos Etxegoien Juanarena Xamar (Garralda, 1956) once again focuses his gaze on the Basques, that community that he calls Basque Jendeain his new work, Biziaroak. Herri Kultura (Pamiela, 2024); In it, he details, explains and in many cases discovers different commemorations, rites and customs that have helped the community to look at the world, find its place in it and understand it – or convince itself that it has understood it.

Biziaroak It exudes delightful prose and a deep informative vocation, just like his previous works. Orhipean. The Country of Euskara; Basques. Your language through history and Back home (2019 Euskadi Literature Award, in the Basque Essay section), and bases the compilation of codes and representations of our ancestors on extensive documentation work.

We have spoken with the Navarrese writer.

If there exists somewhere a list of words twisted to the core, surely town and culture They are in it. What meaning have you given to these two words in your work? Biziaroak. Herri Kultura?

In this book I have followed one of the meanings of culture in the Encyclopedia: social structure and knowledge of a people or civilization, as well as the set of its scientific, artistic and religious phenomena.

Legal documents, oral testimonies, texts from each of the periods referred to… Behind this work there is a profuse work of documentation, it is obvious. How has the work of preparing, organizing and writing been?

As complicated as ever. Biziaroak It follows the same structure that I used in Basques and in Etxea.

I collect texts that revolve around the axis of a main theme and classify them into chapters: testimonies of the people involved, ancient legislation, testimonies of visitors, statements and reflections of writers, men and women researchers…

Who is it written for? Biziaroak. Herri Kultura?

This is an informative work, open, therefore, to anyone who shows interest in the subject, to anyone who wants to know Euskal Herria better.

There is some research and generic compilations, but the dissemination, transmission and dissemination of that knowledge is very scarce, not to mention insignificant.

After forty years, there is still no true Basque curriculum in schools; It is, therefore, necessary.

You have organized all the rituals, customs and other elements in the following stages of life: birth, childhood, youth, dances, house, community, beliefs, bad actions against the community, celebrations, leisure activities and death. Why have you chosen those?

I think that, in general, they are the most important stages of life, and that they are best explained chronologically.

In that list there are changes in the personal situation (birth, childhood, youth, marriage…), as well as annual events (solstices, new year, carnivals…).

All the changes of era were full of rituals and customs; some of them very well known and others, on the contrary, not so much. Through all of them, I wanted to offer “photographs” of different times so that our past is better understood.

‘Biziaroak. Herri Kultura’

In the section on dance, you say, for example, that for Voltaire and other thinkers the ability and love for dance was one of the main traits of the Basques. What is the reason for such a close relationship with dance? The way how it has evolved?

I don’t know why it is, what is clear is that it is like that. To know its evolution, we would have to turn to the experts, in this case to the work of Juan Antonio Urbeltz.

In summary, I would say that community dances (sokadantza, karrika-dantza…) gave way to more individual dances (arin-arin, fandango, jotas…).

On the other hand, it is clear that many dances were lost because of the Church; for example, the Etxekoandre dance and the Neska dance of which Iztueta spoke in the 19th century.

There has been a temptation, given the attacks they have received and the challenges that Basque language and culture have faced, to idealize them with the myth of euskaldun immaculate or a Basque language in which curse words do not even exist, as if that were good. What do you think it is due to?

This is a response to attacks against our culture. After historically suffering continuous rejection and scorn, the reaction that was generated was to claim “ours is better”, “it has no insults, it is the cleanest and the oldest”… Pure defense.

In any case, in your book you avoid such whitewashing, and, for example, in the chapter “Bidegabekeriak” (griefs, injustices) you collect wars, crimes, unscientific legends, relations with slavery, rapes, insults in Basque…

At times like this, it can be very easy to idealize the past, which is why it seemed essential to dedicate a chapter to the crimes.

Here, as everywhere, there has been everything, unfortunately, and from time to time we had to suffer injustices of all kinds.

How does this round trip between the community and its customs work? What forces participate in the transit to strengthen, guide or transform the life of society and its individuals?

It’s not just any question! He would summarize it by pointing out that almost all of today’s services, those that in principle are provided by governments and individuals (paying, of course), did not exist in previous times.

Everything was based on solidarity. Especially in some difficult and hurried events in life, the help of neighbors and the solidarity of fellow citizens was essential, and that, inevitably, consolidated and strengthened the community, in addition to feeding it.

Nowadays, with an increasingly individualistic society, the concept of community is becoming diluted… especially if it does not have power over yourself to defend yourself, as is the case here.

In this time when we are pushed towards individualism, the object of analysis in the book is the community. How does the blurring of the community you refer to influence the process of transforming popular culture?

Absolutely, as I have already told you. The current system makes personal problems that concern the entire community; hence the success of self-help books. Are not you happy? It’s your fault, analyze what you’re doing wrong, without noticing that it is the system itself that regulates the living conditions that directly affect you: work, cultural, those related to health services…

And the results are reflected in the community demonstrations.

The power structures, the Church at the time and the tentacles of capitalism and the state from the 20th century onwards, seek to regulate all areas, public and intimate, of social and individual life. What resources have they used in pursuit of that hegemony? Seduction, promises, punishments, appropriation of popular elements to empty them of meaning and deactivate them…

I think all of them. The one that corresponded to each time: if possible, torture and burning (Inquisition), changing direction (Saint John, Saint Agatha, the life of Jesus…), all pagan celebrations (Christmas, June…), sacralizing ancient places probably sacred (San Miguel de Aralar, San Miguel Arretxinaga in Xemein, San Antonio de Urkiola…)…

For example, during Franco’s time the Civil Guard fined the man of the house in our neighborhood because they had seen him working on Sunday, which was a sin for the Church…

Everything changes, and it is impossible, as you say, to try to offer a still snapshot of our culture. But, with your permission, I am going to ask you another impossible question. Where are we going? What strengths and what difficulties or weaknesses do our people have in order to develop their own culture?

It is a pertinent and interesting question to answer in a normalized town, but, unfortunately, we are not in that situation.

What is in serious danger here is the People of Euskera itself. The law requires and protects the knowledge and use of Spanish and French, it is official for all purposes. On the contrary, knowledge of Basque is easily avoidable, as the judges have shown; basically, it’s not official anywhere.

In this situation of domination, enough work is to maintain what we have. Under these conditions it is difficult to develop a popular culture, probably impossible in the long run.

Despite this, surprisingly, we have lasted until today. Therefore, we will see.

Source: Eitb

Bruce

Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.