Euskera’s Revival: A Community’s Fight to Keep a Language Alive

Jaione Diaz Mazquiaran, Monash University

I've always been proud of my Basque roots, though bringing them up often leads to the same reaction: Basque? Where is that from?

I was born in a small mountainous town in the Basque Country, a bilingual region in northern Spain. This unique area is home to Euskera (the Basque language), a minority language undergoing revitalization, coexisting with Spanish, the national language. Both have official status, but Euskera—indigenous to the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre—remains deeply tied to Basque identity.

Euskera plays a vital role in the Basque education system, serving as a cornerstone of cultural preservation. With approximately 800,000 speakers across various territories, it stands as the only surviving non-Indo-European language in Western Europe. This means that, unlike languages such as Spanish or French, which share common linguistic roots, Basque belong to an entirely different language family.

Basque also boasts some of the most poetic compound words I have ever come across. Take ilargi (moon), a mystical blend of hil (dead) and argi (light), meaning “light of the dead.” Or maitemindu (to fall in love), which captures both the beauty and pain of love, combining maite (beloved) and min (pain). And hodeiertz (horizon) evokes a stunning image of the boundary between sky and earth, merging hodei (cloud) and ertz (edge).

Historically, Euskera was widely spoken across the Basque Country and neighbouring regions. However, contact with Spanish and French gradually eroded its reach. Unlike languages with strong written traditions, Basque suffered significant decline over the centuries, particularly during the 20th century.

Following the Republican defeat in the Spanish Civil War, Euskera was repressed under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship (1939–1975). His regime enforced a "Spanish only" policy, seeking to erase linguistic and cultural diversity. Public use of Basque was discouraged and even criminalized, viewed as a separatist act. Basque speakers lost their political and economic rights, and many were persecuted or imprisoned simply for speaking their native language.

Yet, the 1960s brought a turning point, as a wave of cultural and linguistic revival surged. This was driven by grassroots efforts and government initiatives. Such a resurgence extended to music and cultural activities, which took on new political and social significance. Basque music festivals, once limited to folklore, became a form of resistance against Franco’s regime, offering people a way to express their identity beyond traditional customs.

A major milestone in this movement was the rebirth of Ikastolas—Basque-language schools. Initially banned, these schools operated in secret, with lessons held in churches, garages, and private homes. Families, determined to pass on their language, funded the schools themselves, defying the government’s restrictions. By the late 20th century, Ikastolas became a pillar of Basque language education.

The revitalization of Euskera continues today through initiatives like Euskaltegiak (Basque language centers for adults) and the biannual Korrika race. The latter raises funds for Esukaltegiak and stands as one of the world's largest demonstrations of support for a minority language. Meanwhile, the Etxepare Basque Institute promotes Basque culture worldwide by collaborating with different educational institutions.

People running the Korrika Race in support of Basque

In the Basque Country today, education keeps playing a crucial role in revitalizing the Basque language, ensuring that future generations continue to engage with their linguistic and cultural heritage. Schools follow three main models, each catering to different linguistic backgrounds and preferences. Model A primarily serves native Spanish speakers who prefer instruction in Spanish, with Basque taught as a second language for a few hours each week. Model B offers a bilingual approach, splitting instruction equally between Basque and Spanish, allowing students to develop proficiency in both languages. Model D, originally designed for native Basque speakers, immerses students in Basque as the main language of instruction while Spanish is taught as a subject. Regardless of the model, English is also incorporated into the curriculum for a few hours per week. In regards to the preservation of Basque, schools are trying to promote the D model as much as possible among autochthonous and immigrant students, motivating them to use the Basque language inside and outside the classroom.

Having lived in different countries over the past decade, I’ve become more aware than ever of the importance of speaking, writing, and reading in so-called "mystery languages" like Basque. Language is more than just a means of communication—it carries history, identity, and a way of seeing the world that would be lost if it faded away. In a world that often pushes for uniformity, preserving these unique languages is an act of resilience, connection, and cultural pride. Every word spoken, every story written, and every effort to pass it on keeps Basque, and languages like it, alive.