Representatives of the Ikaztegieta Parents' Association have expressed their concern about the decreasing use of the Basque language among children in the town, especially in younger age groups. To counter this situation, they intend to promote the Eusfera dynamic as a tool to reinforce the presence of the language.
“"We have always given importance to projects in favor of Basque; therefore, we immediately thought of moving forward. Furthermore, we all are aware of the same problem that exists in many towns: Spanish is gaining ground alongside Basque, especially among children."
According to association members, the Eusfera dynamic proposes various challenges for children to complete at home. They are disseminating information to families, encouraging them to participate. Initially, they will not organize special activities or create an Euspazio, arguing that their reality is different.
Parents have pointed out that the environment of current Basque-speaking children is increasingly becoming more Spanish-speaking. They have mentioned several factors, such as the presence of Spanish-speaking children, the influence of screens, and social media. This trend towards Hispanization is particularly noticeable among younger children, where the presence of even a single Spanish-speaking child can lead the Basque-speaking children in their environment to speak in Spanish.
“"Basque speakers have a strong tendency to speak in Spanish when there is someone in a group who does not know how to speak Basque. It is in our hands to prevent this from happening, and we must become aware that we have to speak in Basque."
Although in Ikaztegieta children in 5th and 6th grade speak almost exclusively in Basque, as age decreases, more Spanish is heard. One of the reasons is that some of the parents of the youngest children in the school have Spanish as their mother tongue. Basque-speaking parents also, at times, speak Spanish to these children, which has a negative impact on the linguistic habits of the entire group of children.
Parents have emphasized the importance of all parents contributing and setting an example. Initiatives like Eusfera should not entail great effort and, in addition to promoting Basque, should be an excuse to enjoy leisure time with children.
