We have very often lamented in Naziogintza Taldea that the process of assimilation of our nation in Spain and France has accelerated considerably in recent years. This process of assimilation has many aspects: political, linguistic, cultural, sociological… In the Southern Basque Country, in particular, Spanish cultural references are also spreading to the most Basque-speaking and nationalist areas, which until now were impervious to them. There, most things related to Spain had a very bad and negative connotation in the past, whereas today many Basques are fascinated by the Spain brand, a brand often reinforced by the nationalist media themselves: one only has to look at the Goya Awards, the great celebration of Spanish cinema, and its unusual media coverage in our country (Basque TV, Basque press, social networks…). It is disappointing to see year after year more Basque actors and film directors at this Spanish film gala.
A well-known Basque writer recently told us an anecdote that corresponds to the content of this article. In 2004, he himself was nominated for the national literature awards (Spanish, of course). For a moment he was faced with the dilemma of whether or not to accept his nomination. He quickly solved it by declining the request: ‘I am not Spanish, and I would feel very uncomfortable at a Spanish ceremony organised to award Spanish writers’. Like him, other Basque writers have in the past turned down nominations for Spanish literature prizes. ‘It bothers me a lot to see so many Basque performers and film directors at the Spanish film gala’, he confessed.
And it is not only in the literary or cinematographic sphere that many Basques demonstrate their Spanishness. They also do so in sporting matters. There are many professionals who proudly display the colours of the ‘national’ Spanish team, forgetting that these Spanish (or French) sports federations are the ones that forbid us Basques to have our own national sports teams.
We are told that when we deplore the presence of our sportsmen and women, performers or writers at Spanish events, we politicise everything. In other words, we are accused of politicising sport, cinema or literature. But when the Spanish or French prohibit us, with their veto in international federations, from having our own national sports teams, it seems that they are not politicising sport. Similarly, when a Basque film director accepts an award at the Spanish film gala, he or she is also making a political choice, whether consciously or not: the political choice that integrates the Basques into Spain. As patriots, our opinion is clear: just as a Basque does not consider himself Portuguese (and would never represent Portugal at a literary or film event), we do not recognise ourselves as Spanish or French. This fundamental premise, which any Basque patriot (abertzale) should be clear about, is often forgotten. And in doing so, we are reinforcing and legitimising the oppression and colonisation by the French and Spanish of the Basque Country.
Of course, the Basque nationalist parties say nothing about this, nor do most nationalist institutions. At events and ceremonies of a markedly Spanish character, the presence of Basques is recognised (and taken for granted) and, what is worse, when a Basque wins an award, his or her figure is extolled at these events. Nobody calls for a boycott of these events, as a gesture of national self-affirmation. And so it goes, getting worse and worse, sliding at full speed down the slope of French and Spanish assimilation.
Oleguer Presas, a former top Catalan footballer who resigned from the Spanish national team in 2006, once made it clear: ‘The Spanish national team does not represent me. On the contrary, it causes me rejection and aversion’. Something similar was done much earlier, in 1977, by the Basque footballer Inaxio Kortabarria. Will we ever see something similar at the Goya Awards?
