Footsteps in the clay
Towards a new awareness for the Bildts language
Gerard Marcel de Jong December 2017, Pasaia San Juan/Donostia/St.-Anne
1
Preface
In1984,mygrandfatherGerrytDirks–themanwhoembodieddeBildtsePostallhislife,
andgavehislifefortheBildtscause–hadthecamerasofDutchtelevisionshow‘Van
GewesttotGewest’asguestsinhisoffice,onthenewsfloorofthepaperInowrun.They
weredoinganitemaboutthefutureofandthreatstotheBildtslanguage–evenbackthen,
overthirtyyearsago.
Thepresenteraskshim:
‘Howmuchtimedoyougive'tBildtsbeforeit’sextinct?’
Hesmilesbriefly.
‘That’sagoodquestion…”
Mygrandfatherstrokeshisletteropener,looksup,pondersforabit,anddecides:
‘Igive'tBildtsaslongasIlive.’
SinceJanuary1st2018,themunicipality’tBildthasceasedtoexist.After513years,Bildts
autonomyhascometoanend,dissolvingintothenewWaadhoekemunicipality.Withthe
disappearanceofautonomy,thelanguageandculturewillcomeundermorepressuretoo.
Notthatthisisanythingnew:Bildtshasbeenunderpressuremywholelife.Throughthe
OareWurden/OtherWordsproject,I,aBilkert,wasallowedtostayintheSpanishBasque
CountrylastMayandJune.There,attheBayofBiscay,intheproximityofSanSebastián
(DonostiainBasque),Ihadthefreedomtoliveandworkin‘Hugoenea’,andIwitnessedhow
proudtheBasquesareoftheiridentity,languageandculture.Mystayturnedintoaquest
aboutidentity,theuniversalnatureof‘ownness’,theuniqueofminoritylanguages,and
whatonecandotoprotectandexpandasmalllanguageasBildts.
2
1.Threatscomewithopportunities
TheBasqueWritersAssociationletsoutHugoeneathroughoutthewholeyeartowriters
whoworkinaminoritylanguage.‘Hugo’sHouse’isnamedafterVictorHugo,theFrench
writerwhowasinspiredbynatureinthissmallfisherman’svillage,theviewsacrossthesea,
andtheintrinsicallygoodpeopleoftheBasqueCountry.
Theapartmentislocatedatthephotogenicvillagesquare.Buoyanthouses,littlebars,
strikingfacesthatcolorthelocallife.Inthebeginning,thelookswereturnedinward,but
oncetheicebrokeandweopeneduptoeachother,aspecialbondcametolife–acultural
exchange,oneofgivingandreceivingstoriesaboutourownlanguagesandcultures.Icame
totheBasqueCountryreasonablyprepared:Ireadbooks,learnedabouttheirhistory,
languageandculture.Butit’sthepeoplewhomakealanguage,acultureandevenahistory,
whocarryitandpassiton.Ileftthebooksandsteppedintotheirworld.Anditwasamutual
adventure:theBasquepeoplewereeagertodiveinandlearnaboutBildts.Awholeslewof
Basques–bothyoungandold,fromthe‘commonman’totheculturalelite–knowsmore
aboutBildtsnowthanmanyaDutchman.
MystayintheBasqueCountrymademerealizewhytheBasquesaresoproudoftheir
idiosyncrasy,languageandculture.I’veseenhowtirelesslytheycarryitoutandcherishit,
evenwhenthereareobstaclesintheway.
Donibane,thevillagewhereIstayed,isasmall,tight-knitcommunitythatkeepsits
traditionsalive,andraisesafistinunisonwhencalledupon.AvillagewheretheIkurriña,the
Basqueflag,danglesfromthebalconies,andwheregraffitionthewalls(‘Etxerra!’:bring
themhome)begstheSpanishgovernmenttoallowthesonsanddaughtersoftheregion–
whowerearrestedeitherjustlyorunjustly,usuallyaccusedoftieswithETA–tobebrought
backtoGipúzcoa,themostBasqueprovince.Tobebroughthome.
Europeseemstobewhirlingintoaneraofpost-globalization.Brusselsflewtooclosetothe
sun;itwenttoofastformanypeople.‘Unitythroughdiversity’iswhatitshouldhavebeen,
butperhapsthedesireforunitypusheddiversitytotheemergencyexit.Post-globalization,
thestareisaimedmostlyinwardsagain.Grievously,thisseemstogohandinhandwith
(extreme)nationalism,xenophobia,andaseverelackofempathyandsolidarity.
3
TheUnitedKingdomchoseBrexit,Italianregionswantmoreautonomy,andofcoursewe
nowseethefightfortheindependenceoftheCatalans:examplesthatareinthemselves
incomparable–theoriginsforeachdifferprofusely–buthaveincommontheadvocationof
(regional)identityandtheprotectionofculture.
‘tBildtwasimposedacontraryfatebythepowersthatbe:mymunicipalityhasceasedto
existasperJanuary1st2018.After513yearsBildtsautonomyhascometoanend.Dictated
byTheHague,andembracedbytheprovinceandtheBildtscouncil,themunicipality
dissolvedintothenewWaadhoekemunicipality.Reasonsof‘efficiency’,‘battingpower’,
‘beingabletofacechallenges’havebeenoffered:claptrapdisguisedascommonsenseto
getridofsmallmunicipalities.
Now,theBasquesandtheBilkertsareincomparableinnearlyeveryway.TheBasqueshave
beenthroughanunimaginableamountofsuffering.Bloodwasshedandliveswerelostto
keepalivethepulseoftheirlanguageandculture.Bilkertshavehaditsomucheasier.We’ve
notlostlivesdefendingtherighttospeakourlanguage;we’venotbeentortured,arrested
andsilenced.TheBasqueshave.Andtheystillare,justliketheCatalans.I’vemetthem.I’ve
spokentothem.I’veseentheimpactofthisoppression.Youbarelyhearit,butit’sstill
happening,in2018.
WeBilkertscancountourselvesluckythatweneverhadtogothroughthatordeal.Butwe
dofightforthesamecause.Atadifferentscale,inadifferentcountry,underadifferent
politicalconstellation.Butourgoalisshared:thepreservationofBildtsandBasque.
AsaBilkert,entwinedwiththefateoftheBildtslanguage–theBildtslanguagehasshaped
myidentity,shapedwhoIam–I’vebeengrantedalookbehindthecurtainsofapeoplewho
dotheirutmosttopreservetheirlanguageandguardovertheirownculture.Nexttowriting
myBildtsnovella‘Blaufandagen,griisfanônrust’(Blueofdays,greyofunrest),akey
objectiveofmystaywastoresearchthequestion:whatisidentity?Howcanoneguardand
preserveaminoritylanguage?Canonefightforone’sownsmalllanguageandcultureand
alsokeepanopenmind–withoutitbecomingaquestofnationalism?Imyselfloatheflag-
wavingnationalism.Especiallywhenwhatitboilsdowntoisshuttingoutotherpeople.I’m
whollyindifferenttowardstheDutchflagandnationalanthem.
4
Butaflag,I’velearnedintheBasqueCountry,canmeanthingsotherthannationalismor
‘pride’alone,aslongasthecontextisunderstood,and,especially,thedesirebehindit.
DespiteallthedifferencesbetweenBasquesandBilkerts,it’scrystalclearthat‘identity’and
minoritylanguagesshareauniversalcharacter.Attheheartareaspectswebothdealwith
andfightfor–becausethat’swhatwehavetodo.Half-jokinglyI’vebeenreferredtoasan
‘ambassadorofBildts’becauseofmyparticipationinthisproject.Butit’showIsincerelyfelt
it,whenIdisseminatedtheBildtslanguageandcultureintheBasqueCountry,knowinghow
manyBilkertstrustedmewiththattask.
I’vecometoembracethatrolebestoweduponme:todofortheBildtslanguagewhateverI
cando,inallmodesty.Withmynewspaper,withpoetry,withthisproject.Soonwith
literature,nowalreadywiththisessay.That’swhatthisisallinaidof:contributingtoa
futureforthelanguage.Therejectionoftheofficiallanguagestatusandtheredivisionof
municipalitiesareathreattoBildts,thatmuchisclear.Butthatthreatcomeswith
opportunities,andmaybeevenanewawareness:I'veseenthishappeningtoalotofBilkerts
overthepastyear.Andthereisfertilegroundforthisbeautiful,stubborn,rugged,raw,
romanticlanguage.Bildtsdeservesanewconsciousness,anewwaveofemancipation,a
statusinatimeaheadthat’sfullofchallenges.
Today,thereare6,000peoplewhospeakthisuniquelanguage.Deathistheultimatefateof
asmalllanguage,butIcan’tpredictwhenthelastBildtsspeakingpersonwilldie.Itbegins
andendswithus,thespeakers.Anditsfatedoesn’tmeanthatalanguageorculturecan’tbe
supportedbyagovernment,thatyoucan’tdoanythingaboutitbecause“itwilldisappear
anyway”.Therearealotofoptions–aslongasthere’stherealizationofhowspecialthe
Bildtslanguageis–firstandforemostbytheBilkertsthemselves.
5
2.Bermeo
We’redrivingalongthepointy,rockycoastoftheBasqueCountry,fromDonostia(San
Sebastián,intheBasqueprovinceofGipúzcoa)toBermeo(intheBasqueViscaya).Thewind
andseahaveshapedthiscoastlineoverthousandsofyears.Theelementshavechosena
remarkable‘design’:therearenostraightlines.Notenmetresarealike.
Atcertainpointsthewaterstreamsjustaboutfarenoughinland,asifitwasnature’sdivine
plan,that,thousandsofyearslater,intheMiddleAges,smallvillagescouldarise,sheltered
fromthemightysea.Villageswherefishermencouldsafelycreateahavenandabasefrom
whichtosetoutontotheunpredictableGulfofBiscay,toreturnhomewithfish.Theperfect
home,madepossiblebynature.ItbroughttheBasqueswealth:theysailedthebiggestseas
aroundtheglobe,longbeforethegreatseafarersoftheRenaissance.FromBilbao,Donostia
andallthesmallplacesinbetween,theBasqueswerethefirsttoreachGreenlandand
Canada.Theywerethefirstwhalers,thefirstsavvyenoughtobuildshipsthatwouldbeable
tosurvivesuchjourneys,thefirstwhounderstoodthatyouneedtosaltyourfoodsoitlasts
longer.Acleverpeople,theBasques.
Buttheirlandtheydidnotcarveoutforthemselves.Theyhavenaturetothankforthat.
Theymakedowithwhathasbeengiventothem.TheBasquesareasmuchamountain
peopleastheyareacoastalpeople.Theyliveinbig,impressivecities,butjustaswellinhabit
manyruralvillageswith400orfewerpeoplelivingthere.They’reinventiveandencompass
thebestofbothextremes.
Throughtheages,thecapriciousseahasforceditselfthroughstoneandearth,whichhasled
toamosaiccoast:coves,protrusions,bays,‘pasajes’.Asmallbeachhere,amolochof
massivestonethere.TheversatilityoftheBasquelandscapeismirroredinthepeople:make
dowithwhatyou’regiven,beflexibleandabletochangegears,butdoitallinorderto
unite,tobecomeone.
It’sashinydayinMay.Nevertoohot,here,likeitcanbeintheinlandsofSpain,butsultry,
witharefreshingsaltyair.“Don’tyouthinkit’sbeautiful?,”I’maskedseveraltimeswhile
we’redrivingalongthecoast.I’mstrugglingforwords.
6
“Yes,beautiful,”iswhatIkeepreplying.It’scracklingandsizzlinginthecar:we’relikekids
onaschooltrip,delirious,talkingaboutliteratureandlifeandlove.Partnersincrime.Each
withhisownEnglishaccent,withadifferentbackground,butwiththesameambition.
I’mfromreclaimed,flatpolder-soil.Nomountains,nocoves.Nature–moreorless–hadthe
sameinmindforFrieslandasfortheBasqueCountry.TheoldMiddelseedugdeepintothe
Frisianlandwiththecurveofabanana.Leeuwardenwasatsea.‘tBildtwasbutadream.But
theMiddelseeslowlysludgedup,andonFebruary22nd,1505,itwasdecidedthislandwould
bedammedandpolderedin–itwasdecidedtocreateit.In261daystheOudebildtdijkwas
raised,includingtwosluices,bysome700to1500men,mostlyfromtheSouthofHolland.
Theoriginofmybirthground,andthereforeofme,comesfroma15thcenturydrawing
table.TheMondriaan-esquestraightlineswereetchedintoparchmentwellbeforethey
becamereal.Thefertilesoilwasalogicaleffectoftheprocessofreclaiminglandfromthe
sea.Apeople,theBildtslanguage,aculture:thoseweren’tinvented.Theywereyettocome.
Evenonathought-up,stolenpieceofland,acommunitywithitsownlanguageorganically
arose.Araw,unruly,romanticlanguage;asoilinFrieslandalwaysmostwelcomingtoany
socialrevolution,anduntilwellintothelastcentury,alsoknownasthe‘Sodomand
Gomorrah’ofFriesland.
Inmanyrespects,thisistheexactoppositeofthehistoryoftheBasqueCountry.Andyet,
thisBilkertsitsinthecartogetherwithacoupleofyoungBasquewriters,drivingalongthe
coastfromDonostiatoBermeo,apicturesquefishermen’svillage.We'regoingthere
becauseit’sthehometownofayoungBasquewriter.
OnthewaywepassGernika(Guernica),theplacethatin1936,duringtheCivilWar,through
apactbetweenFrancoandHitler,wasruthlesslybombedintooblivionbytheLuftwaffe.
FromthemassgraveofGernika,generationsofBasquessprungandflourished,embracing
theirlanguageandcultureevenmore,becausethevulnerabilityofithadbeenlaidbare
throughouttheirhistory.Because,somanytimes,othershadtriedtodestroyit.
Eventheyoungwriterswithmeinthecarfeelitdeeplywithinthem.Itwasinheritedfrom
thegenerationsabovethem,butin2017theystillembraceitpassionately,eachintheirown
way.We‘stop’atGernikaandtalkaboutit,butwedon’tendthere.Wedriveon.
7
Onthisday,weallaresteepedinfreedom,intheexcitementofbeingwithourequals–
whichisasortofhomecoming.Thatstrongfeelingthatwe’reallworkingonthesame
dream,andbeingabletosharethat.
Ithadbeenanoldwatchtower.Asquareposttolookoutfrom,builtonthehighestrockof
fishingvillageBermeo.'Picturesque'mightseemlikeahollowconceptbynow,buttrustme,
Bermeoispicturesque.Colourfullypaintedhousesalongtheseaside,theBasquecoastthat
disappearsintothemistwhileyoureyeslookforthehorizon,boatsbobbingintheharbour.
Thebuildinghadoperatedasaseasidewatchtowerforages–tobeabletoseestranded
whales,tocatchsmugglers,ortosigntootherwatchtowersthattheenemy–theSpaniards,
ortheGuardiaCivilonwater–wasonitsway.
Now,in2017,it’satinybutohsocozycafé,thereonthehighestrockwiththeprettiest
view.Ekaitzhadboughtitwithtwofriends.Thisway,hecanaffordtobeawriter,bysharing
barshiftswiththem.HesayshechosethispathtopursuehisdreamofbecomingaBasque
writer.It’swhatallwriterssaythere–withgreatcertainty,yetalsoakindofnonchalance,as
ifit’snobigdeal.ThenewestgenerationofBasquewriters–peopleintheirtwenties,early
thirties–doesn’tseemtoperceiveitasmakingachoicetobecomeawriter,butratherthe
otherwayaround:Basquewritingchosethem.
Themostimportantbuildingblockofidentityislanguage.Iwon’tshyawayfromthat
disposition.LiketroubadourJandeVriessings–‘Ikhew‘taltydweten,‘tisdetaal,dat
maakt‘tferskil’(I’vealwaysknown,it’sthelanguage,that’swhatmakesthedifference)–
everythingbeginsandendswiththelanguagewespeak,withwhichwerelatetotheother
person.Weconnectwitheachotherthroughlanguage.Therearenoothermeans.Identity
islanguage.
TheBasquesknowthis.Theyknowthisbecauseofthehardestlessontaught:suppression.
DuringtheFrancoregime,Basquesuntil1975weren’tallowedtospeakBasqueinpublic.I’ve
metmanyaBasquewhospokeemphaticallyabouttherepercussions.Ifanunawarefive
yearoldatschoolwouldsay‘eskerrikasko’–‘thankyou’inBasque–insteadoftheSpanish
‘gracias’,they’dbehitonthefingerswitharuler,bemadetostandinthecorner,punished.
8
Achildwould‘knowbetter’nexttime,butadultscouldbearrestediftheyspokeBasquein
public,andtortured,iftheywereunlucky.Alotofpeoplewereunlucky.TheFrancoregime
sawlanguagediversityasaformofresistance,asundercuttingauthority.Itwascrudely
suppressed.
“For‘tBildts,itwouldbebestiftheFrisianswouldsaytomorrow:fromnowonBildtsis
forbidden.Thenyou’llseecounteraction.Thenyourlanguagewillflourish.”Atleasttwo
differentpeopletoldmethissamethingintheBasqueCountry.Oppression,acrackdown,
leadstoastrongcountermovement.TheBasquesthemselvesarethefirsttoadmitit’sthis
oppressionthatpartlyledtoBasquethriving.
Becausethat’swhatitdoes.AllchildrenintheBasqueCountryreceiveSpanishandBasque
education.YoucanfindeveryutteranceinBasque:literature,children’sbooks,film,the
media.Childrenhear‘elderly’speakBasqueintheirvillageoftown,likemumanddad,and
incorporatethat.Itdoesn’tstopwhentheyclosethefrontdoorbehindthemandstepinto
thewideworld.BecausethatworldisBasque,too,oratleastbilingual.School’sBasque.
Media.Museums.Placesigns.KidsarefedbothBasqueandSpanish,intrulyeverywalk
oflife.
Letmebecrystalclear:weasBilkertsshouldbegratefultonothavesuchaterrible,violent
historyastheBasques.Bilkertshaveneverbeensuppressed–notbytheDutch,notby
Frisians–forthelanguagewespeak.Towishforoppressionbecauseitwillleadtoa
meaningfulreactionwouldbesilly.
SothisisnotacomparisonbetweenBasquesandBilkerts.ButIhaveseenwhatwecanlearn
fromtheBasques.Itispreciselythiscontrastinwhichouropportunitieslie.TheBasques
havesetupeducationintheirownlanguage,inspiredbythethought:'Neveragain.We
won’tbesuppressed.Wespeakwhatwespeak,andwefeelthat’simportant.Let’spassthis
ontoanewgeneration'.
“ToteachBildtsinschoolsisamoralobligationtoourchildren,”saidteacherandactivistfor
BildtsineducationHenkKasin1979,myyearofbirth.Andwecan,withthegreatadvantage
thatwecanmakethishappenfromapeacefulstartingposition,aslongasthere’senough
supportforit;aslongasweBilkertsreallywantit.Bildtsshouldbecomeacourseinall
primaryschoolsonBildtssoil.
9
Intheoryitshouldalreadybethatway,butrealityprovestobeobstinate.Inprimaryschool
‘tFonnemintinSt.-Anna,forexample,kidsreceiveexcellentBildtseducation.Butthat’s
solelybecausethey’veaBildtsteacherwhoknowsthelanguageandisagoodeducator.
OtherschoolsintheBildtsareaaren’taslucky.There,childrendon’thaveBildtslessons,
becausethere’sno-onewhocanorwantstoteachit.It’stheAchillesheelofanextremely
smalllanguageasBildts:fewpeople,littleexpertise.It’scapricious.
Onthedoorofthewatchtowerthatnowfunctionsasacafé,they’vepaintedtheword‘hoi’,
asagreetingforme.They’dlookedupifitwascorrectBildt!Ekaitzhasmadepintxosthat
aredisplayedonthebar.Thewindthatblowsaroundtheplaceisgentlyapproving,with
somefiercegustsofoptimism.
Yosebastoppedshorthiscareerattheuniversity–tiredoftheivorytowersoftheacademic
world–andwentbacktoteachingatasecondaryschool,tofreemoretimeforwriting.
Ekaitzboughtthiscafétobeabletowriteinhissparetime.TheBenjaminofmycompany,
Beatriz,isarestlesssoul,who'slivedabroad(England,China,Italy,Indonesia)sinceshewas
17.Sherealizesthatday:“EachtimewhenIleave,itmakesthereturningmorespecial,
makesmemoreappreciativeofBasque”.AndItakeuponmyselftherunningofdeBildtse
Post,carryingthetorchofmygrandfather.There,inthecartoBermeo,IdaretosaythatI
takethattaskuponmyself,thatitismygoal,fightingfor‘tBildt.Forthefirsttimeit
convergesperfectlywithwhoIam.
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3.OurWords
GurehitzakGurehitzak,EsanberrizesanEzdaitezelaahaztuEzdaitezelagal,ElurgaineanTxorihankaarinekUtzitakoarrastosailederrabezalaxe
OurwordsOurwords,SayitagainandagainTheycan’tbeforgottenTheywon’tbelost,LikethegracefulTraces,thefootstepsThatslender-leggedbirdsLeavebehindinthesnow.
OnswordenOnswoorden,Sêg‘topnijenopnijKinnenietfergetenworreSillenietferlorengaan,AsdegrasjeuzeSporen,defoetstappenDie’tdunnefeugelpoatsysachterlateindesnee.
‘GureHitzak’,asongbyMikelLaboa,basedonthewordsofwriterBernardoAtxaga.(translations:GerardMarceldeJong)
“Basqueisabrokeninstrument.”ThesewerethewordsofwriterEiderRodriguezlastJunein
ErnstLluch,aculturalcenterinthecatacombsoftheAnoetastadium,hometoReal
Sociedad.Inlightofmystaythere,apublicdebatewasorganizedaboutliteratureand
minoritylanguages,withseveralprominentBasquewriters.
Abrokeninstrument,that’swhatBildtsfeelsliketooattimes.Atoolofwhichyou’renot
quitesurewhattheuseis,whatitdoes.There’snothingyoucan’texpressinBildts–it’smy
mothertongue,myentireemotionalrangeisembeddedinthatlanguage–butitsscopeisso
verytiny.ThisalreadygoesforBasquesandFrisianswhowriteintheirownlanguage,let
aloneBildts.
I’dtoldthepresenter,journalistIñigoAstiz,aboutmyhopesofbywritinganovella–‘Blau
fandagen,griisfanônrust’:‘Blueofdays,greyofunrest’–tostartaBildtsliterarytradition.
Ortopresentafirstbuildingblockontowhichotherscanbuildfurther.
11
“Ihopeyouknowwhatyou’regettingyourselfinto,”hesaid.“Yourfirstbookcould
effectivelymurderthetraditionyouwanttostart.”Hewasobviouslyjoking,butitalsorang
true.Howdoyouwritealiteraryworkinyourownlanguagethatlacksaliterarytradition?
Canyouescapethespectrethatforeverhauntsanendangeredlanguage:thatwritingin
Bildtsis,insomeway,inherentlyabouttheexistenceordisappearanceofBildts?CanBildts
beanhonest,expressivewrittenlanguage,withoutitimplicitlyalwaysbeingaboutBildts
itself?Canlanguageexistoutsideitself?
Bigquestions.QuestionsIstrugglewith,butquestionsthat–andthisisreassuringforme–
arestillverymuchaliveintheBasqueCountry(and,closertohome,arealsorelevantfor
Frisianwriters).Theveryfactthatthesequestionsarebeingaskedisahealthysign.Asa
writeryouwanttogobeyondtheliteralityoflanguage.Youwanttotakeittoahigherlevel.
Beyondtheliteral,tothemetaphorical,theabstract,toameta-useofit.Notforalanguage
tobejustthat,butthatitcanbethat,too.
Thevulnerabilityofasmalllanguagealwaysseemstolookoveryourshoulder,alwayslets
youknowit’sthere.I’mhighlyawareofthiswhenIwriteBildtsprose.It’sapitfalldifficultto
escape–thatwhenIwriteinBildts,alotofthetimesitturnsoutI’malsowritingaboutthe
vulnerabilityofthelanguage.It’sverydifficultnottogiveintothat.ButIdobelieveitcan
bedone.
TheBasquewriterandbestsellingauthorBernardoAtxaga–hisstorycollectionObabakoak
(aboutafictitiousBasquevillagecalledObaba)soldtensofthousands,andwastranslated
intomorethan20languages–cameupwithastrikingmetaphorforsmalllanguages.“The
vulnerabilityofaminoritylanguageislikefootstepsofaslender-leggedbirdinthesnow.”
Thosetinysticksinfresh-fallensnow.Thebird,usingallhismight,toleaveafootprint.Butit
onlytakesaminuteanditstracesareerasedbynewersnowflakes.Thesnowcoverisvirgin
whiteagain,asifthebirdneverwalkedthere.
Everyonewhospeaksorwritesinaminoritylanguagewillsurelyrecognizethatfeelingof
goingagainstthegrain.Weleaveourfootprintsbehind,buthavetokeepwalkingoverthe
samepackofsnowtokeepthemvisible.Andsome,likeme,arecrazyenoughtokeepdoing
it.Becausewedon’tknowhownotto.
12
TheBasquewriterRamonSaizarbitoriaseesitdifferently.Accordingtohim,thesmallsizeof
alanguageisablessing,notacurse.Itssmallscaleisliberating,becausethelanguageextorts
itselffromthemarketlawsof‘majorityliterature’.Minoritylanguagewritersshouldn’tbe
afraidofthatghost–thatghostoftheimpendingdisappearanceofourlanguage,always
lurkingaroundthecorner.Instead,openthedoorforthepossibilities,theprospectsit
brings.Writeinyourownlanguage.Readittoyourchildren.Speakit.Thinkanddreamit.
No-onecanstopyoufromdoingit.Butuseit.Ourlanguageisouridentity.Sodon’tlet
thoughtsofpragmatismorinferioritydivertusfromthat.Ifyouwanttobecomerich,Bildts
probablyisn’tthelanguageyoushouldwritein.ButforaBilkertit’snotaboutbecoming
rich,it’saboutspeakingandwritinginhisorherlanguage.Therichesarealreadypresent:
it’sourownlanguage.Whatremainsisafreedomthatresemblesanarchy.Embracethat.
4.Notthebiggest?Thencertainlythesmallest!
“Ifyoucan’tbethebiggest,perhapsyoushouldaimtobethesmallest.That’squite
somethinginitself,”saidBildtshistorianAldertCuperusverysuccinctlyin‘MyBildt,youare
akingdom’,arecentdocumentaryabouthetBildt,madebyAlbertJensmaandbroadcaston
nationaltelevision.Jensmaapproachedmelastspring:hewantedtomakeafilmabouthet
BildtandtheBilkerts,thatspecialenclaveontheWaddencoastthatceasestoexistthis
year.IimmediatelytoldhimI’dtryandhelphimout,notleastbecausehehadaveryloving
approachtothesubject.
ThefactthatBildtsissoverysmall,thatitjustnearlyhas6,000speakers,isagreatpartof
whyit’ssoattractivetopeoplefromoutsidehetBildt.Ittriggerstheimaginationinaway
thatBilkertsthemselvesunderestimate.InBasqueCountry,peoplefellofftheirseatsonce
theyheardthatonly6,000dailyspeakthelanguage,andyetthatit’susedinanewspaper,in
books,andthatthereareorganisationsforpreservingthelanguage.
Jensmaisn’ttheonlyonewhohighlightedBildtsinthislastyearbeforetheredivisionof
municipalities.NeverbeforehastherebeenmoreattentionfromthemediaforBildtsasin
thisyear,2017.
13
ThatthemunicipalityhetBildtwouldceasetoexistwasalreadydeterminedin2014.InApril
2016thedefinitedecisionwasmadebythecouncil.(Anaside:theBasquesthoughtthiswas
obscene.‘HowcanyourownBildtscouncildecidetodiscontinuehetBildt?!”I’vehadgreat
difficultytryingtoexplainingthistothem.Ididn’tsucceed.AndintheendIdidn’tevenwant
totryanymore.Rationally,itcanbedrylyexplained;emotionallyitisallsortsofwrong).
TheonethingthathurtBilkertsthemost,thetroublethepoliticiansinflictedupontheir
selves,wasthatthereneverwasareferendum.Thereignneverdaredto.Theparticipation
evenings–heldinallsevenBildtvillages–sufficedforthem,to‘gaugetheatmosphere’.And
thelawwasontheirside,eventhoughalloftheseseveneveningswerealike:angerabout
thediscontinuingofthemunicipality,andthefactthepeopleweren’taskedabouttheir
opiniononit.Becauseofthis,asnewspaperdeBildtsePost,wedecidedtopollitourselves.
72%oftheBilkertswereagainst.Ourresearchquicklycameunderfirefromthesame
politiciansafterpublishingtheresults.Ofcourse.Itdidn’tfittheiragenda,theirchosen
‘pathforward’.
ThefactthatBildtshasreceivedsomuchmediaattentionthisyear,isnotthanksto,but
ratherdespitetheBildtspoliticians.It’stheBilkertsthemselveswho,louderasever,beatthe
drum.ThepetitiontogetBildtsrecognizedundertheEuropeanTreatyofMinority
Languages,signedbyhundredsofBilkertsinmereweeks.Themultitudeoftelevisioncrews
thatcametovisit,thewrittenarticles,theweekRadio1broadcastedfromhetBildtevery
dayforaweek.Myjourney,asaBilkertinaFrisianprogram,totheBasqueCountry.(Andon
theeveningofthedayIheardIhadbeenchosentogoabroad,Imetaradiodocumentary
makerfortheVPRO.SheheardabouthetBildt,theBildtslanguage,deBildtsePost,theend
ofthemunicipalityanddecided:Ihavetodosomethingwiththis.She’sbeenfollowingme
allyearandwenttoDonostiatoseeme,allforaradiodocumentaryof45minutes,which
willbebroadcastinJanuary2018).
Idon’tbelieveshe’sdoingthatbecauseofme,perse,butit’syetanotherexampleof
someonefromoutsideofhetBildtwhohearsaboutusandourlanguage,andisintrigued.
Becauseit’sdifferentevenfromFrisian,becausethemunicipalityaftersomanyyearswill
disappear,becausewayupthereintheNorthpeoplearetryingtopreservethislanguage,
dayindayout.Beatingthedrumandaskingforattentionisn’treallyour‘modusoperandi’.
14
ButevenBilkertsmustrealizethatwedon’thavetoscreamandshouttotellourstory.If
there’sonethingI’veexperiencedthisyear,isthatallittakesisanengagedlistener,and
interestispiqued–withFrisians,‘Hollanders’orBasques.Wehavenotrealizedthisenough,
atleastuntilrecently–realisedhowspecialourlanguageis.Thefactthatourstoryreally
doestravelbeyondthebordersofmunicipalities,provincesandevenourcountry,reflects
welluponusBilkerts.
Bildtsisbeingtakenseriously.It’snolongerthelaughingstockofDutchlanguage,likeitused
tobe.Mygrandfather,GerrytDirksdeJong,wasinvitedtotheDutchmediacapital
Hilversum,intheEighties,asdirectorof‘StichtingOnsBildt’.Atthepopularradioshow
‘SpijkersmetKoppen’hewasallowedtosaysomethingaboutBildts.He’dpreparedhimself
thoroughly,andwasreadyashe’deverbe.HewassoproudthathewouldgettotellDutch
peopleabouthissmalllanguage,onnationalradio!
Itwasashambles.Humiliatedanddisgusted,hereturnedtohetBildt.Ithadbeenthesingle
mostshamefulexperienceofhislife.Insteadofinterestorcuriosity,thetalkdidn’tgo
beyond‘canyouspeaknormally?’,‘whatastrangelittlelanguage’andsoon.Hewasbeing
ridiculed,fortheaudienceandlistenerstolaughat.ThattheyhadabusedhisbelovedBildts
languageforthesakeofhumourhithimhard.
I’verememberedthisalltoowell.Itoohaveseencameracrewscominghere,fromthe
West,onlytoshootadegrading,stereotypicalitem.ButIdaretoclaimthattimeshavereally
changedwhenitcomestothat.Theideaofa‘small’,regionalidentityisincreasinglygaining
traction.WritingprojectOareWurden/OtherWordsisinitselfanexampleofthis:bringing
attentiontominoritylanguagesinEurope.Toputthehiddenrichesoflanguagewehave
hereinEuropeinthespotlight;toshowthatdiversitybinds.I’veexperienceditfirsthand.
TheBasquesareequallyinterestedinBildts–nomatterhowmuchitdiffersfromBasque–
becausetherearesomanysimilaritiesbetweenthetwo.Webothfightforthesamecause–
forourlanguage.Thatmakesusintowhoweare.
I’mnot'proud'ofBildts.Itwasmerelypassedontome.Iamproudhoweverofhowthe
Bilkerts–atlonglast–havemanifestedthemselves,toldourstory,stuckupforthe
language,youngandoldalike,withlimitedmeansandarelativelysmallgroupofpeople.
15
Tome,thatprovesthatanewawarenessonBildtsiscomingintoexistence,atthiscrucial
pointinourhistory.Thatwenotonlyaren’tashamedofBildts,butarestartingtoactively
propagateit.Thatdidn’thappentwentyyearsago,notinthisway.Perhapstheredivisionof
municipalitieshasbeenthecatalyst:theperceptionofthelanguagehasgrownup,along
withanewawarenessofitsbeautyandtheimportanceofcarryingiton.
I’mverycurioushowthingswillbethisyear,whenthemediacircushaslefttownanddied
down;ifwecanholdontothis,oncewe’remerelytheeasternpartofthenewmunicipality
Waadhoeke–‘Waddenhoek’inBildts.Afterlastyear,morethanever,Ibelievewecan.That
wecanbuildonfromthis–perhapsjustlikeCuperussaid,asthesmallest–culturally,
societallyandliterarily.
Lastingfootstepsinfreshsnow.Footstepsthatwillnolongerbesnowedunder.
5.Footstepsintheclay
TheofficiallanguagestatusforBildtswasrejectedlastyear.That’sdisappointing,andfeels
likeadepreciation,moresobecausethecriteriaaresoblackandwhite.Thepoliticalreigns.
InRonaldPlasterk,theBilkertsmetawhollyunwillingSecretaryofState,whohadthefinal
say.Whilethescientificresearchhasn’tcomeclosetoreachingaconclusion,Bildtsisseenas
oneofthemostinterestinglinguisticcases.Language,mixedlanguageordialect?Tobe
continued.
Ittakesnothingawayfromthefactthatforthe6,000peoplewhospeakBildts,itisjusta
language.‘Just’asin:itiswhatwespeak,it’swhatweusetocommunicatewitheachother.
ForBildts,itisoftheessencetofindallies.Andthey’reoutthere,morethanever.Thenew
municipalityWaadhoekecancountonaprovincethatsolidlybacksmultilingualism.The
officialstatusmayhavebeenrejected,buttheprovinceofFryslânmorethaneverguards
thepreservationofBildts.Thisresponsibilityhasbeencementedintheirlanguagepolicy
recently,andsignedbyallconcernedmayors.Themessageoftheprovince–withdeputy
SietskePoepjesleadingtheway–is:protecttherichnessofyourmultilingualism.We’vegot
fundsreservedforit,butifyouneglectit,you’llhearfromus.
16
TheprovinceofFryslânhasbecomeanally.Howverydifferentitwas40yearsago,whenfor
thefirsttimeBilkertsreallystoodupfortheirlanguage,againsttheimminentthreatof
FrisianeducationonhetBildt.ItwasthetriggerforthefirstBildtsmovement,themovement
mygrandfatherandmanyotherswerepartof.
ThewaveofthesecondBildtsmovementcurrentlyrollsontoglobalshores.Ageneration
youngerthanthefirstgroupoffighters.Inadifferentworld,amidadifferentmedia
landscape,throughdifferenttimes.Withagreaterreach,throughsocialmediaforexample,
the‘story’ofBildt(s)resonatesmorethanever.Thetorchhasbeenpassedonandnowlies
inyoungerhands.Foratinylanguageas‘tBildts,it'salreadyquitesomethingthatwecan
soundlytellthenextgenerationthatBildts,indeed,willstickaroundforawhile.Ihopemy
generationcanmakesurewepassonthetorchaswell.Enoughpeoplearedoingeverything
withintheirability,ofthatI’msure,despitetheannullingofthemunicipality.
“You’renotgrowingintooneofthosefanaticslikegranddad,areyou?”myMumsometimes
jokes.I’mafraidit’stoolate,mim…I’mmerelyaBilkertwithwritingaspirationswhowentto
theBasqueCountry.AlongthewayIgothandedsomebaggage,andwasencouragedasifI
wereanambassadorwhocouldpresentBildtsonaninternationalstage.Andthat’sbeen
supportedmorethanIevercould’vedreamed.WeBilkertshaveallies.InFryslân,inthe
BasqueCountry.Everywherewherepeoplespeakaminoritylanguage.Becauseweallfight
thesamefight.
I’dwishI’dlookedacrossthebordersooner.BecauseI’veseenthesamestrugglethere,and
foundenthusiasticallies.AndI’vereturnedtoaBildtthatishotasfire,foritsownlanguage
andculture.Inthisyear,theyearinwhichhetBildtisannulledbyamajorityofourown
council,that’sablessing.
ThefutureoftheBildtslanguageandculturedoesnotdependononeofthosefifteen
councilmembers.It’sinourownhands.Thefootstepsweleavebehindinthesnowcanmost
certainlybelasting,aslongaswekeeponleavingthem.Intheendit’sjustamatterof
walking,walking,walking.PressingthosefeetforcefullyintotheBildtsclay.
17
~
‘Howlongdoyougive‘tBildtsbeforeit’sextinct?’thereporteraskedmygranddadin1984.
Hisresponse:
‘Igive‘tBildtsaslongasIlive.’
Mygrandfatherdiedin2000.TheBildtslanguagesurvivedhispredictioneasily.Ifonewere
toaskmethatquestiontoday,infullconvictionI’danswerittheverysameway.
~