The Jakingura Festival has organized three sessions for June with the aim of sparking curiosity and challenging perspectives. The first event will take place in Beasain, at the Igartza Monumental Complex, on June 5th at 6:30 PM. There, Joxepa Madariaga, a technician at Gerriko Elkartea and cultural facilitator, will moderate the roundtable discussion titled 'Jakingura eta eraldaketa' (Curiosity and Transformation).
Madariaga will be joined by stylist and communicator Iñigo Aranburu, Biziola Kooperatiba member Nerea Elias, and designer Maialen Olano. Following the discussion, Lazkao-based singer Eider Saez will perform. Ahead of the festival, Madariaga spoke about the evolution of culture, the significance of curiosity, and current transformations.
According to Madariaga, curiosity is "the desire to know, the desire to learn, the wish to see and understand things," and "one of the great stimuli to continue in life with enthusiasm." The festival's proposal seemed "interesting" to the members of Gerriko Elkartea, and learning about the participants' profiles generated "even more interest." "We will be four people, each coming from their own world. This will bring great richness to the session," she stated.
With her extensive experience in the cultural field, Madariaga emphasizes that the way culture is experienced "is changing a lot." "Significant changes have occurred in Basque cultural production," she noted, and there is currently "an incredible offering" in many towns. However, she sometimes feels that "everyone is working in their own sphere," and considers it "interesting" to strengthen "collaboration between towns."
Regarding new technologies and social media, Madariaga believes they "have brought both": opportunities and risks. "They have become an essential tool to reach young people," but "we seem to have lost face-to-face interaction." She acknowledges that technology is "helpful," but "we must control it, not the other way around."
Concerning the uniqueness of creating and promoting culture in small towns, Madariaga highlights "closeness" as the main strength. "We know each other, relationships are direct, and that is a great treasure," she said, despite limited financial resources. "Care, proximity, and personal treatment" are the values of small towns.
What keeps Joxepa Madariaga with "curiosity and enthusiasm" today is "Basque culture, without a doubt." "I live from culture and I consume a lot of culture," she added, also emphasizing that cycling is "a tool for clearing the mind."
