Emily,

For openers, Agguire did not create the Ikkurina.
The Ikurrina was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana-Goiri, who founded the PNV Basque National party in July of 1895. Initially, ikurrina was created for Biscayne only, but it soon represented the whole Basque country. It was legalized in 1936 when the autonomous Basque Country came into existence. The name itself comes from two words in Euskara. Ikur which translates into "symbol," and ehun which is translated into "cloth." It was also Arana-Goiri who coined the name "Euzkadi" to represent the whole of Basque Country. Arana-Goiri died in 1903, but is still considered by most as the founder of the Basque movement to gain the independence that was granted to them centuries earlier, and confirmed through additional treaties and agreements. As for whether or not the Ikurrina is the "official flag," it is, simply because it's been accepted, and is even part of the culture of the three Basque provinces in France as well as Spain.

As for Navarre, they had long since thrown away their Basque roots. They were Carlists (monarchists), and opposed to the revolution in 1931, that made Spain a republic. They supported King Alphonso XIII, who in turn supported the dictatorial state of Miguel Primo de Rivera, who made Franco look like a choir-boy. In fact, when the revolution of 1936 took place, Navarre sided with Franco - supporting him with the thought that Alphonso would return to the throne. It didn't matter to them that they were siding with Nazi Germany, Mussolini's fascist government in Italy, and Franco, who himself, was a fascist. They raised an army which fought alongside Mussolini's black-shirts, and under the cover of the Nazi air force, as they fought to destroy the people and the culture of the three provinces that comprise Basque Country. They were ruthless. They hardly had the right to claim they represent Basques then, or now.

As for the language, Euskara, it dates back to centuries before Spanish began to take form. In fact it's probably the oldest spoken language that exists today.

As for "outlawing the Ikurrina, and Euskara," Navarre has no business pushing the issue. Their motives have always been less than honorable, and anyone who's opposed to fascism has to take a dim view of what their intent really is. If they want to seperate themselves further from the three provinces of "Basque Country," rest assured nobody in the region would really give a damn. Of course, the problem still remains, how do you convince your own people (in Navarre) that you have the right to destroy their heritage, their beliefs, and their right to political views that may not coincide with yours?

Franco made it a crime to fly the Ikurrina, or to speak Euskara. Still, they lived on, as a protest to the tyrannical treatment of the Basques, and others, whose agendas didn't agree with Franco's.

The theory that the Ikurrina & Euskara are akin to being a supporter of ETA is so absurd that it defies belief. It was used as a ploy by the Fascists supporting Franco to convince people that being Basque was bad. If he had his way, he would have ordered genocide for the Basques.

I'm sorry, but I think we have to tell both sides of the story before we go off half cocked, with ideas that don't represent the facts.

Viva Ikurrina! Viva Euskara! May they ever stay, as a reminder that not all people will willing submit to fascist, nazi, or dictatorial rule, no matter what the odds are against them.

Wolf (Who is not an ETA supporter but is a supporter of Basque Country, and the wonderful people he knows there. May they always be my friends.)