Interview

I am interviewing a native Basque citizen online, his name is Beñat Apaolaza

Interview:

1- where are you from in the Basque Country?

I am from Oiartzun, a small town in Gipuzkoa, near San Sebastian.

2- what is your opinion about the ETA Euskadi Ta Askatasuna)?

In my opinion, Its period is gone, With its violent activity get the Basque goals (the language and the independence) are impossible to get (and nonsense this way), because nowadays the violent activity is nonsense, because we are not living under Franco’s system, but it's true that still there is a repression to any national political activity.

3- what is the opinion of the general Basque people about the ETA Euskadi Ta Askatasuna)?

ETA is a response of the huge repression that Franco did, it began this way, but there were a lot of processes that led to the violence of the ETA, but most of the public believes that today the ETA'S violence is unacceptable, it might have been during Franco's days.

4- What are some interesting aspects about that Basque culture that not everybody might know about?

The Basque language is a huge treasure, it's not that the origin is unknown, the mysterious is that it lasts alive for so many years. It's the language of a really old civilization. Another interesting thing is that the Basque dances gave some steps to "Vallet" (there is the Basque step). We also have another Basque singers "Bertsolari", and they song in the main square with some certain rythms (Almost all of the singers are graduated in the university). We also have our own sports (Eskupilota, aizkolaritza, txingak, sokatira, harrijasotzaile....).

5- What actions are the Basque taking to preserve their native Basque language (Euskara)?

We have our own schools (ikastola), but there is also some Basque public schools (in the beginning they were just in Spanish). We also have schools for grown people that they want to learn and speak. (40 000 students). There are also some groups, supporting the movement and the normalization of the Basque in their own region. We also have man or woman Basque writers, the literal movement is big. And we also have Basque radios and TV. By the way, i made my degree in Basque (not all the subjects, but the most important).

6- are there any internal conflicts between the Spanish Basque and the French Basque?

I don't think so, i don't know at least about it.

7- What historical or natural sights may a person visiting Basque should go see?

Gernika, because there is the only tree that stand after the bombing of condor legion. Bilbo and Donosti, because they are the main cities of Basque country, and they are so nice. Arantzazu, because it's a cultural and religious place. Any place of the coastline, even the "Spanish side" or the "France side" both are amazing and a there are a lot of mountains anywhere. In Navarra is Iruña/pamplona, because historically it was the capital of the Navarra kingdom.

8- Are the Basque people still affected by their harsh history, especially what Dictator Francisco Franco put the Basque people through for many years?

Yes there are, there are a lot of disappeared people that still are unknown where they are. There were a lot of executed people by shooting (fusilamiento). A lot of people that were in prison for so many years, and tortured. They stole the house and steal Basque books and some valuable stuffs. Steal their children, raped people....There are many books just with the victims