Catalan Countries: useful, or they will not be
“The clump of reeds has that strength that, if you tie the whole clump with a strong rope and want to uproot it all, I tell you that ten men, no matter how much they pull, will not uproot it even with many more; and if you remove the rope, from reed to reed, an eight-year-old boy will break it, so that no reed will remain there.” With this metaphor, Ramon Muntaner spoke to us, in the 14th century, about the ties between Catalans, Valencians, and Balearics, and the need to act together. Seven centuries later, I had the opportunity to participate in another Mata de Jonc. In Vila-real –Plana Baixa–, a series of conferences were organized, promoted by the Llull Federation (OCB, Òmnium, and ACPV) that sought to create meeting spaces among people from different Catalan-speaking territories. Over a weekend, people from diverse backgrounds shared debates, workshops, and conversations to dream of possible futures, which often continued in the hallways or at the table. We did not always agree – and it is better so –, but one thing was clear: the need to listen to each other more across territories. These types of encounters serve precisely for that: to exchange points of view without preconceptions and without prefabricated discourses. Without grand stagings or solemn proclamations. Just people talking, discussing, and, from time to time, changing their minds. Because, what do we really know about the problems of the Valencians and principatins?
In these debates, a question that has hovered over political and cultural debate for decades inevitably arose: what are the Catalan Countries, really? An idea, that of this clandestine nation, which some have turned into an untouchable totem, while others caricature it as if it were a medieval conspiracy.
And it is here where I find it especially interesting to recall the reflections of the historian Antoni Rico. Born in Alicante and residing in Girona, he has dedicated a good part of his work to studying the thought of Joan Fuster and the construction of national identities. In his book No todos los males vienen de Almansa (el Jonc, 2013) he makes an uncomfortable reflection: the Catalan Countries do not exist just because. They are not a law of nature or an inevitable destiny, and they cannot be linked solely through a language or a past history. They are, in any case, a political project that only makes sense if it is useful for people. In other words: the Catalan Countries are not declared, they are built (or not built). And that’s it. Rico speaks of a nation of the future. That is, a project that serves to improve people’s lives. That helps to cooperate in culture, yes, but also in economy, universities, or communication. If it is not useful, it will not work. And if it works, it will not be because someone has solemnly proclaimed it, but because people will find it practical.
These debates also evoke episodes of the failed Catalan Process for me. In 2014, the manifesto Compromiso por los Países Catalanes, also promoted by a collective called Mata de Jonc, was presented. The text received the support of hundreds of intellectuals and had the backing of parties like Esquerra and the CUP.
The idea was simple: if Catalonia were to become an independent state, it could not ignore the rest of the Catalan-speaking territories.
It was not a radical proposal, but a pragmatic bet for the future. For example, it was proposed that the hypothetical Catalan constitution would allow other territories to join or federate democratically. It was also argued that their inhabitants could be recognized as Catalans and have concrete rights: access to universities, services, or citizenship mechanisms. Furthermore, it was proposed to create a department for relations with the Catalan Countries, promote cultural and economic agreements, and protect the language throughout the territory. These ideas, today, may seem distant or even strange. In fact, many of those proposals remain valid. Because not so long ago, many of us thought that freedom was near. And there is no reason to hide it or be ashamed of it.
Why do I explain all this? Because, as I have already said, the Catalan Countries will not advance with slogans or nostalgia alone. Nor will they disappear because someone ridicules them. Everything will depend on something much more concrete: that cooperation is useful and has results.
The Mata de Jonc meeting served precisely for this. It has been a living, participatory space with a will to continue. It aims to consolidate a network committed to language, culture, and a shared future. If intellectuals, universities, companies, creators, and institutions find meaning in it, the project will grow. Perhaps little by little, without grand proclamations, but with a real basis. It is less epic, but more realistic. And above all, more useful. Therefore, congratulations to the Llull Federation for the initiative. And may the Mata de Jonc have a long journey for many years.
