The men's team of Orio Arraunketa Elkartea will compete today in the Spanish Rowing Championship, in Galician waters. Before the regatta begins, a group of citizens has conveyed their concern to the club, stating that last year's celebrations "hurt" them.
This group makes it clear that celebrating the performance and excellent results of the rowers is positive, but that placing the Spanish flag at the center of celebrations does not generate pride for them. "For many of us who feel Euskal Herria as a nation, that flag does not represent victory or pride. It does not and cannot represent it, because it is a symbol of historical oppression," they have claimed.
According to the group, flying the Spanish flag "so calmly and comfortably" is "another step forward in the path of assimilation," and they are concerned that "the symbols of a state that for years has marginalized or denied our language, culture, and identity are integrated with complete normality into our collective celebrations."
Therefore, they have requested "with all respect" that Orio Arraun Elkartea, if they win the championship, not fly the Spanish flag from the town hall balcony. They have emphasized that there are symbols that "we can all share" to celebrate victory, such as the colors of Orio, the town's flag, and the "collective pride" built around rowing.
