Basque ethnography at a glance

Drinks and a good old chat. Zeanuri (Bizkaia), c. 1920. Felipe Manterola Collection. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

“A big question is whether we could live outside of society”, said the author of an autobiographical novel I have recently read and very much enjoyed. “The esteem of others is ultimately the only testimony of our existence”, he added. The thought set me thinking and brought to mind an extensive interview to Koldo Mitxelena, where he admitted attending high mass in Errenteria, his hometown, because he loved talking to friends and acquaintances before and especially after the religious celebration. I remember my father using the same reasoning to justify his preference for the Sunday solemn mass at St Mary’s Parish Church in Gernika.

There is a reason why I am telling you all of this. Indeed, I believe social life, which so favoured community cohesion and mutual assistance, is lacking its previous significance and purpose, and current lifestyles have much to do with it.

First among them is the incorporation of women into the labour market. Children are thus taken to nursery or school at a very young age, and we find strictly nuclear family units more frequently than traditional multigenerational households with grandparents, parents and grandchildren living under one roof.

Supermarkets and large shopping centres have replaced groceries and bakeries. In the past though most foodstuffs were bought from local stores where customers would greet each other and show concern about the hassles of everyday life: work-related news, health and illness issues, ordinary and extraordinary family stories…

Game of cards. Plentzia (Bizkaia), c. 1950. Courtesy of Iñaki Bengoetxea. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

The same could be said of other businesses in the street. There shoppers chatted amicably while they waited for their turn. A whole lot of talking went on at the hairdresser’s or the barber’s. And time was always made for a chat or a game of cards at the cafe. More recently, however, habits changed and people would just stop in for a quick drink at the bar.

The lack of a lift in most housing blocks ensured closer and regular contact with neighbours up and down the stairs. Besides, there were very few cars on the roads in those days, so life took place within shorter distances.

Parish churches deserve a separate chapter to themselves: from catechesis for children and catholic action groups to mountaineer associations that emerged under their umbrella along with many other initiatives maintained social cohesion.

The way we socialize and communicate today is radically different from how it was done before, the trend being towards introspection and individualism. In Michel Tournier’s words, “the western contemporary society is perniciously plagued with increasing loneliness”.

Segundo Oar-Arteta – Etniker Bizkaia – Etniker Euskalerria Groups

Translated by Jaione Bilbao – Ethnography Department – Labayru Fundazioa