ON IDENTITY AND BASQUENESS

Jon Azkoaga

27-10-2023, BERRIA.

Abstract:

Humans  are social beings, who are organized in communities. In doing so, we acquire a collective identity, as a consequence of the interactions we maintain. These interactions build a sense of belonging to the same group, and reinforce the collective “we”.

Language, symbols, common traditions …. strengthen the collective personality. If they disappear, cultural substitution and assimilation of the community by another occurs.

The feeling of belonging to the Basque community is weakening, and is being replaced with others. Human beings need to feel part of a community, and that is why cultural substitution is taking place: if we do not have a certain collective identity, we will have another one.

it is urgent to strengthen our basqueness in order to avoid cultural substitution